NEW ORLEANS — Anyone who has been in Southeast Louisiana can probably tell you about the shortage of gasoline since nearly-category-5 Hurricane Ida's winds and heavy rain crippled the state's gas production.
In the aftermath of Hurricane Ida, 2/3 of Louisiana's oil refineries stopped producing gas, Gov. John Bel Edwards said during a press conference last week.
Residents who chose to stay in the area and evacuees who came back after the storm have all been without power, increasing the demand for gas to fuel generators to power fridges, air conditioners, and charge phones.
Louisiana residents would drive as far as Mississippi for shorter gas lines, which may be a demonstration of the gap between demand and supply for gas in Southeast Louisiana.
As of 8:23 a.m. Tuesday, Gasbuddy.com reports, more than half of all gas stations in New Orleans and Baton Rouge don't have gas. Here's a list of cities with the percentage of stations without fuel from Gasbuddy.com.
- Baton Rouge
- Gasoline – 54.8% ⬇️
- Diesel – 41% ⬇️
- New Orleans
- Gasoline – 58.9% ⬇️
- Diesel – 39% ⬆️
- Lafayette
- Gasoline – 49.3% ⬇️
- Diesel – 26% ⬆️
A Monday report from The Times-Picayune | The New Orleans Advocate said Louisiana Refineries were still trying to get back online, and many if not most gas stations in Southeast Louisiana have no gas, no power, or neither.
The average price for a gallon of gas across Louisiana dropped from around $2.82 when Hurricane Ida made landfall to $2.80 the next day. More than a week later, prices are holding steady at $2.88.
In New Orleans, gas prices spiked from $2.74 as Ida made landfall to $2.92 rising at a higher rate than prices elsewhere in Louisiana.
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