Many factors combine to fuel gas shortage

By the time you stick the nozzle of regular unleaded gasoline into your tank, your gas has endured an elaborate refining process and snaked through hundreds of miles of pipeline. Last week’s long lines and sea of plastic bag-draped pumps tell only part of the story. Here’s what’s going on, according to officials at the U.S. Energy Information Administration and the American Petroleum Institute:

Q: Why are we having gas shortages in Atlanta?

A: Hurricanes Gustav and Ike hit back-to-back. The refineries shut down in anticipation of Gustav. Then Ike hit and the gas production and refineries didn’t restart because of power outages. That also affected the operation

of major pipelines that move gas from refining areas in the Gulf Coast to facilities throughout the Southeast.

Q: How long will the gas shortages last?

A: It’s hard to say. There are pockets of surging demand. People are trying to top off more in fear of shortages, so people are buying more gas than they’d normally buy. But this will not be a permanent situation.

Q: Why does it seem that there’s more of a shortage now than after Hurricane Katrina?

A: The stockpiles of gasoline and other products are lower now than after Hurricane Katrina. So current shutdowns are mainly due to power outages in the areas where there are refineries. The good news is they’re starting to come back online. Production will be restored faster than it was after Katrina and Rita because the refineries weren’t damaged as badly. As of Friday, only four of 56 Gulf Coast refineries remain closed.

Q: Have other places been as hard-hit as Georgia?

A: Mainly North Carolina and Georgia. One reason for Atlanta’s shortage was the area’s requirements for a special type of fuel. It’s a unique fuel affecting the sulfur content that’s required in 45 counties in Georgia. But the temporary waiver of the reformulated gas, combined with more refineries coming back online, should ease the shortage.

Q: The Northeast seems to have escaped the shortages? Why?

A: They have more supply options in the Northeast. There are more refineries along the way and they get supply from other parts of the country, in addition to the Gulf Coast refineries and pipelines. The Southeast depends mostly on Gulf Coast refineries and pipelines.