The near hysteria in a few communities has not been seen in years, as some people on social media have begun comparing President Biden to President Jimmy Carter, who was president when gas lines rattled the country after the Iranian revolution and other Middle East troubles.
Experts say the reaction this time, however, is out of proportion with the actual risk.
What is Colonial Pipeline, and why is the Atlantic Coast so dependent on it?
The Colonial Pipeline, based in Alpharetta, Ga., is one of the largest in the United States. It can carry roughly three million barrels of fuel a day over 5,500 miles from Houston to New York. It serves most of the Southern states, and branches from the Atlantic Coast to Tennessee.
Some of the biggest oil companies, including Phillips Petroleum, Sinclair Pipeline and Continental Oil, joined to begin construction of the pipeline in 1961. It was a time of rapid growth in highway driving and long-distance air travel. Today Colonial Pipeline is owned by Royal Dutch Shell, Koch Industries and several foreign and domestic investment firms.
It is particularly vital to the functioning of many Eastern U.S. airports, which typically hold inventories sufficient for only three to five days of operations.