Gas BuddyThough GasBuddy site is working poorly due to too much traffic.
The pipeline runs from Texas through the Gulf States, to Ga, then up to NJ. RI is not in that swath.
Stations nearer the interstate or main roads/ high traffic routes will have longer lines or more likely to be out.
Pipeline is just the best and safest method of transporting liquids and fuels. They are driving tanker trucks filled with the gas from Tx to your location now, but it is slower and might not keep up with the sudden panic of demand, but there is gas.
I have heard at least one refinery has shut down. There is no excess refinery capacity, so shutting just one down will cause a disruption and shortage. Reason to shut down is that they have no way to move product out and no way to just store huge amounts of it, and maybe cannot just run less, maybe it is all or nothing. IDK.
The pipeline supplies gasoline, diesel, jet fuel, kerosine, heating oil all in the same pipe and supplies the States from Tx up to NJ.
Your area should have a few days worth of product stored in huge tanks, but the process of getting it from storage to the gas station is tanker trucks and scheduled delivery which is based on normal sales. When everyone panics and buys all at once then the pumps run dry and remain dry until the next scheduled delivery or until they can get a delivery sooner. All stations are asking for immediate delivery and there just is not capacity for the fleet of tanker trucks to deliver gas to everyone all at once.
Always a smoke screen these things are.
