Fistfights over fuel in U.S. Southeast: pipeline outage Day 6
By Stephanie Kelly
Reuters
(Reuters) - Fuel shortages worsened and tensions rose in the southeastern United States on Wednesday, as the shutdown of the largest U.S. fuel pipeline network entered its sixth day and Washington officials pledged new steps to alleviate supply issues.
Fistfights at gas stations were reported as tensions bubbled. One video showed an altercation between two customers at a station in North Carolina.
A ransomware attack on the Colonial Pipeline last week halted 2.5 million barrels per day of fuel shipments. The pipeline stretches 5,500 miles (8,850 km) from U.S. Gulf Coast oil refineries to consumers in Mid-Atlantic and Southeast states.
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Fuel shortages worsened and tensions rose in the southeastern United States on Wednesday, as the shutdown of the largest U.S. fuel pipeline network entered its sixth day and Washington officials pledged new steps to alleviate supply issues.
Fistfights at gas stations were reported as tensions bubbled. One video showed an altercation between two customers at a station in North Carolina.
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A ransomware attack on the Colonial Pipeline last week halted 2.5 million barrels per day of fuel shipments. The pipeline stretches 5,500 miles (8,850 km) from U.S. Gulf Coast oil refineries to consumers in Mid-Atlantic and Southeast states.
Colonial Pipeline begins restart as Southeast U.S. scrambles for fuel
By Stephanie Kelly
Reuters
(Reuters) -Colonial Pipeline said on Wednesday it has begun to restart the nation s largest pipeline network, six days after a ransomware attack prompted it to shut the line, triggering fuel shortages and panic buying in the southeastern United States.
It will take several days for the fuel delivery supply chain to return to normal, Colonial said even as people in southeastern states scrambled to fill their tanks as stations ran out of gas. Observers reported fistfights erupting over fuel supplies in North Carolina and other places.
How long will it take to re-supply the gas stations?
Gas stations are expected to receive product from the Colonial Pipeline by mid-day today. The system was restarted yesterday and Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm tweeted things should return to normal by the end of the weekend.
Which states are affected?
Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina and Virginia may be more heavily affected because they have limited options in terms of fuel transportation alternatives.
What happened?
The FBI said an online gang known as DarkSide struck the Colonial Pipeline system with a ransomware attack, which takes computerized systems hostage until a payment is made.