There is no gas shortage.
Colonial Pipeline continues to add capacity to both its gasoline and distillate Main Lines. Lines 1 and 2, which run from Houston, TX, to Greensboro, NC, are now operating at approximately 70% of normal capacity.
Distributed generating equipment is now being brought on line, and additional power generation will continue to be brought on line over the next 24 hours. This additional electrical power will allow Colonial to add more capacity to its system. Colonial expects to achieve 77% of normal capacity by midnight Saturday (9/3/05), and 86% of normal capacity by midnight Sunday (9/4/05.)
Colonial Pipeline, headquartered in Alpharetta, Ga., delivers a daily average of 100 million gallons of gasoline, home heating oil, aviation fuel and other refined petroleum products to communities and businesses throughout South and the Eastern United States. Colonial consists of more than 5,500 miles of pipeline, originating at Houston, Texas, and terminating at the New York harbor.
I don't know how many other pipelines there are, or if this is the main one or the only one (though I doubt that), but they expect to be back to almost 100 percent a week after the hurricane.
Panic buying. Just wait it out for a week if possible.Plan trips so as to do more things at a time. Take the keys away from the kids.