Officials hope to correct gas shortage this week

Published 5:01 pm Monday, September 19, 2016

An Alabama pipeline leak has caused a ripple effect across the Southeast, as some gas stations were left without fuel supply and forced to close their pumps.

Colonial Pipeline discovered a leak in one of its lines on Sept. 9, leading the company to close the line for repair and causing a gas shortage in a handful of states, including North Carolina.

On Friday, Gov. Pat McCrory waived restrictions for fuel vehicles transporting gasoline throughout the state in an effort to ease disruptions in supply, an N.C. Department of Public Safety press release stated.

Despite the inconvenience, state officials say there is no cause for panic, as gas supplies will be replenished soon. Many locations in Beaufort County were forced to close their pumps over the weekend, but there are many locations still open for business, as well.

Some of those locations are as follows: in Washington, Shell and Speedway stations were selling regular gas as of Monday afternoon, although Sheetz on West Fifth Street was out of order; in Belhaven, Phillips 66, Wilco Hess and Speedway, to name a few, were all providing regular gas on Monday; in Aurora, the Mini Mart was out of regular gas but expected a supply to come in by Tuesday morning.

Ryan Sheetz, director of brand strategy at Sheetz Inc., was not available for comment.

According to AAA of the Carolinas, gas prices have jumped across the state due to the shortage, averaging $2.16 per gallon this week in comparison to last week’s $2.05. In the Washington area, prices have jumped substantially, as some stations sold regular gas at less than $2 per gallon early last week, shifting to more than $2.15 per gallon this week.

Until gas supplies are replenished, officials are asking residents to maintain their usual filling-up habits, so as to avoid long lines at the pump and further depletion of sources.

“We want to remind motorists that this issue is temporary and to continue normal habits at the pump,” Tiffany Wright, AAA public relations manager, said in a press release.

To further ease concerns, drivers are also encouraged to carpool, map out their driving this week and stay at home as much as possible.

Officials hope to have the shortage corrected within the week.