
Gas stations across the United States east coast have been experiencing empty gas pumps and excessively long lines.
On Tuesday, theAutomobile Association of America noted that the national average price of regular gas increased to $2.985 per gallon.
But why is this happening?
The Colonial Pipeline is a Georgia-based company that has a pipeline system for oil products in the nation. At 5,500 miles long, it is the largest pipeline system and can carry 3 million barrels of fuel per day between Houston,Texas and the New York Harbor.
On Friday, the company shut down due to a ransomware attack by hackers.
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Ransomware attacks are when hackers break into a company’s computer system, freeze the operations, and encrypt data. Then payment is requested by the hackers to the company to release control.
The FBI ended up confirming DarkSide, a professional group of criminals, as the culprits in this attack. Reuters reported that the group said their goal was solely money, not drama.
If the company remains closed, fuel availability will decrease, causing gasoline and jet fuel costs to increase as the economy steadily “recovers from the shock of the coronavirus pandemic.”
As of Tuesday evening, 8.6 per cent of Virginia gas stations ran out of gasoline and 12.3 per cent of gas stations in North Carolina, per CNN’s analysis of fuel price app, GasBuddy.
GASOLINE OUTAGES as of 8pm CT... percent of all stations in state without gasoline: GA 8.0% AL 0.8% TN 0.5% SC 5.9% NC 12.3% FL 3.0% VA 8.6%— Patrick De Haan ⛽️📊 (@Patrick De Haan ⛽️📊) 1620782578
Other states such as South Carolina, Florida, and South Carolina, even took matters into their own hands by keeping gasoline in plastic bags.
I'm crying at how every time something happens, Americans turn into the cast of the office https://t.co/P0coDp6JfX— cow tools (@cow tools) 1620784367
Both Georgia Governor Brian Kemp and North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper have declared “states of emergency.” Gov. Kemp even issued an executive order to suspend the state’s gas tax to help combat the higher gas prices.
Today I signed an executive order suspending the gas tax in Georgia to help with higher prices as a result of the C… https://t.co/yLhb6H4Bwv— Governor Brian P. Kemp (@Governor Brian P. Kemp) 1620744278
Certainly, the general public has shared videos and photos from the country, highlighting the long lines, experiences, and instances of people getting into arguments over this. Check it out below.
Used my last bit of gas at 5:00 this morning driving to eight different gas stations looking for fuel. Car is stuck… https://t.co/90vRIDjsGL— Coach Rosdahl (@Coach Rosdahl) 1620812953
Me: “First vacation since covid! Finally no stress! Virginia Beach sounds nice” #ColonialPipeline “hahaha 👺👺 you’r… https://t.co/jZzUkRonv3— John McCarthy (@John McCarthy) 1620785767
Me, walking into this week like… #ColonialPipeline #PatchTuesday #salesforceoutage https://t.co/AyRODi3Bv7— Rachel Pepple (@Rachel Pepple) 1620776975
“If people don’t panic and hoard gasoline, we should get through this fine...”. Meanwhile in Athens, Georgia...… https://t.co/zMRu8xB8vz— Kevin Avery (@Kevin Avery) 1620739100
Seen at a BP Gas station in Asheville. Clerk told me they don’t know when they’ll get their next shipment.… https://t.co/4dDQJRsfHO— Jarvis Robertson (@Jarvis Robertson) 1620607744
MF's who are filling 100 gallon gas tanks tonight #gasshortage #ColonialPipeline https://t.co/5MziMSC2vy— NOCT | GGgrindz (@NOCT | GGgrindz) 1620778982
https://www.reddit.com/r/PublicFreakout/comments/na9yj5/people_getting_crazy_with_the_gas_shortage_in_nc/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3
Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm spoke in a press conference about the gas shortages from the pipeline attack. She notes that there “will be no tolerance for price gouging” from gas store owners amid the supply shortage.
Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm on shortages from the Colonial Pipeline cyberattack: "We will have no toleran… https://t.co/WQde6sSNWe— USA TODAY (@USA TODAY) 1620758061
“Actions taken by the Federal Government to issue a temporary hours of service exemption for motor carriers and drivers transporting refined products across Colonial’s footprint and actions taken by several Governors to lift weight restrictions on tanker trucks should help alleviate local supply disruptions,” a recent statement from Colonial Pipeline reads, in part.
The company also states that they will continue to release updates while focusing on “the safe and efficient restoration of service to our pipeline system while minimizing disruption to our customers and all those who rely on Colonial Pipeline.”