The pipeline which runs from Houston to NY had a 250,000-gallon leak last week.
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They say price gouging could be a concern if a gas station goes up by 50 cents or a dollar in a short amount of time.
Colonial officials said Saturday they’re building a temporary bypass pipeline and expect to resume normal operations within the upcoming week.
Fuel supplies in at least five states Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee and the Carolinas were threatened by the spill, and the US Department of Transportation ordered the company responsible to take corrective action before the fuel starts flowing again.
According to AL.com, Colonial gave no timetable Saturday as to when that bypass line would be completed or what path it would take.
North Carolina is one of about five states in the southeast dealing with the shortage after the pipeline, which carries fuel from the Gulf Coast to the Northeast and supplies gasoline for an estimated 50 million people on the east coast, was shut down September 9 after it spilled about 250,000 gallons.
– Some stations have run out of gas and prices are climbing after a leak that shut down a portion of the Colonial Pipeline in Alabama.
He signed an executive order late Friday afternoon temporarily waiving hours of service restrictions for fuel vehicles traveling in and through the state, according to a news release.
“I just came in to town so this is shocking to me”, said Gina Dorman, as she filled up her almost empty tank. Sheetz said they are also looking into alternatives.
“I don’t take much solace in Colonial’s updates”, said Patrick DeHaan, a petroleum analyst who writes a blog called Gas Buddy.
However, James Williams of WTRG in London, Arkansas, said the projected timeline for restart is possible, even with testing required by federal authorities.
“This is a proactive step to protect Virginia citizens and businesses by ensuring that companies can bring in the gasoline supplies they need to offset any shortages that may arise as a result of this event”, the governor said in a news release.
In North Carolina, the Department of Public Safety said the state was experiencing “spotty” shortages. Some motorists could pay a little more for gasoline in coming days because of delivery delays.
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The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency waived requirements this week that metro areas with air quality issues in Georgia and Tennessee use a cleaner-burning type of gasoline during the summer months.
