Gas prices rise in Harvey’s wake
ATLANTA — Gasoline prices have risen several cents in recent days amid continuing fears of shortages in Texas and elsewhere in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey.
The national average for a gallon of regular gas rose in one day from $2.45 Thursday to $2.52 Friday, the American Automobile Association reported.
At least two major pipelines — one that ships gasoline across the southern United States and to New York, and another that flows north to Chicago — have been slowed or stopped because of flooding and damage.
Gas prices rose at least 15 cents in 24 hours in several metropolitan areas including Dallas; El Paso, Texas; Athens, Ga.; and Dayton, Ohio, AAA reported Friday. The average price of a gallon of gas had soared by at least 10 cents in eight states since Thursday: South Carolina, Ohio, Delaware, Maryland, Georgia, North Carolina, Virginia and Texas.
Among those states, the highest 24-hour rise on average was in South Carolina, AAA reported.
Part of the pipeline that runs through Texas is shut down and inspections must be done before the entire system can be fully operational again, Colonial Pipeline spokesman Steve Baker said Thursday. The Georgia-based company remains able to operate its pipeline from Louisiana to states east and northeast of there, though deliveries will be “intermittent,” the company said. It hopes to return more sections of the pipeline to service today.
Analysts are cautioning drivers not to panic. If people start hoarding gas, as some have in Texas, “that’s going to make the problem worse, and prices shoot higher and the event will last longer, with more disruption and shortages,” said Patrick DeHaan, an analyst with GasBuddy. com.