Kristina hits all of our wallets

And our gas tanks

Published on August 30, 2005 By Chaos Manager In Current Events

One thing that Hurricane Kristina has done is severly impact the oil recovery and refining facilities in the Gulf of Mexico. One report on MSNBC was predicting an 8% loss of refining capacity for as much as two weeks. That's not even taking into account the loss of production from the wells and rigs that had to be evacuated as a result of the storm. Nor does it take into account the oil platform that decided it would rather rest against the bridge in Mobile harbor than out in the Gulf where it would have to actually work.

Sure, we've gotten a few clouds, but that's about it. No rain (yet supposed to hit pretty good this evening). No big losses of electricity. No flooding (okay, Richmond! Time to test the "upgraded" sewer system in the Bottom!

)

What does this mean to the rest of us? Not even 36 hours after Kristina started pounding New Orleans, and with the Tropical Depression that still bears that name wandering through the mid-western states, we're already seeing some of the effects here in the Richmond area, some local filling stations have already started raising prices. I've seen jumps of $0.20 in some places. Just up the street from my house, one station jumped $0.35 in a matter of hours. Some of the locals who work in petrol distribution are warning that prices may jump from the $2.50 (avg) to $3.00 here. And that's not taking into account the usual "Let's gouge more out of people on the holiday" price hike that we'll still be seeing this weekend.

Me? I'm going to be seriously thinking about working with my boss and trying to do some work from home over the couple weeks. Oh, and that trip to the beach this weekend (yeah, me - a died in the wool geek who's photosensitive and just doesn't like the way sand gets in the laptop's keyboard - go to the beach. Hah!) is off.

Comments

trina_p

on Aug 30, 2005

dude - Hurricane KATRINA

Spc Nobody Special

on Aug 30, 2005

8% for two weeks.......so that means that maybe gas will go from 2.50 to 2.70 for two weeks and then drop back down, right?

Right.........and maybe I'm a chinese jet pilot................

uDigItTheMost

on Aug 31, 2005

The other day my gf and I were driving and I see a gas station and shout,"Hey, it's only $2.43!!" Isn't it crazy that I now think $2.43 a gallon is a great deal?

btw .. the title of your article scared the hell out of me. Then I realized you meant Hurricane Katrina not Kristina. Hell, I thought somebody else had met my ex-GF. I was already feeling sorry for you.

Chaos Manager

on Aug 31, 2005

Hehe. Gah. That's what I get for writing articles after my bedtime. One of these days ...

Oh, before I forget, I drove by that station that had $2.89 posted on their sign while on the way to work this morning. The price was a little more understandable @ $2.59. Still, the WaWa across the street (which tends to set the prices for the other 5 stations on Crater Rd, but not that BP station) was $2.49.

uDigItTheMost - No, can't I've had that pleasure ... I think.

Dr Guy

on Aug 31, 2005

Right.........and maybe I'm a chinese jet pilot................

Really? Are the dials in the glyphs?

Dr Guy

on Aug 31, 2005

No flooding (okay, Richmond! Time to test the "upgraded" sewer system in the Bottom!

)

PLEASE! Let us not test it so soon!

dharmagrl

on Aug 31, 2005

There were lines at the gas pumps on base last night for 3 hours. They sold out of regular unleaded, so we filled up with mid-grade, which at $2.53 a gallon was still going to be cheaper than paying $2.70-ish for regular today.

I feel so dirty today, like I was butt-raped or something. I guess paying for gasoline will do that to you.....

Zoomba

on Aug 31, 2005

I have to laugh now at all the people who went on that SUV buying craze. But then I cry when I go to the pumps myself, because even though I have a pretty fuel effecient car it is still too damn expensive.

I hope this really gets hybrid car production/development kicked into high gear.

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