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AAA Texas says Colonial Pipeline shutdown will have 'little-to-no impact' on state's gas supply

UTSA economist Thomas Tunstall advises against panic-buying of gas, especially since Texas is not directly impacted by the Colonial Pipeline situation.

TEXAS, USA — The southeastern region of the U.S. continues to be impacted by the Colonial Pipeline shutdown after a foreign cyber attack. Meanwhile, AAA Texas and an UTSA economist stress the Lone Star State’s gas supply is safe from being impacted by this event.

“Because we are in close proximity to the refining facilities. There are world class refineries in fact along the Texas coast and there’s certainly no shortage of crude oil,” said UTSA economist Thomas Tunstall.

Tunstall said there is ample gas supply in the U.S. He noted delivering gas to the fuel stations to meet demand is problematic. He said the ongoing shortage of truck drivers is a contributing factor, although not directly related to the Colonial Pipeline situation.

“We probably should have been looking at paying working folks more and because of these demand situations that’s ironically going to happen because of that. I think to incent people to get their commercial drivers licenses and certifications to drive the trucks, they’ll get paid more to do it,” Tunstall said.

Colonial Pipeline officials anticipate services to resume by the end of the week.

Long lines outside gas stations in the southeast have become common as people scramble to fuel up. But Tunstall said hoarding behaviors won’t benefit the logistics of supply and demand.

“Running to the gas station and filling up the way people hoarded toilet paper during the COVID pandemic, whatever the case may be, is not going to be helping. Supply chains are not setup to just ramp up to meet demand,” he said.

AAA Texas advises filling up when you have a quarter tank of fuel remaining. 

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