Shell Gas Stations Run Dry

Jan. 19, 2004

KIRKLAND, Wash. - Pulled in to fill up with premium or "plus" gasoline in the past few days only to find the pumps dry? You're not alone.

Shell stations across Puget Sound are finding it tough to keep fuel in stock.

The shortages are affecting shell gas stations. First they run out of the higher-end gasolines and then finally the regular unleaded runs dry as well.

Assistant manager Paleia Hopper at a busy Shell station in Kirkland had to turn customers away Friday, losing close to $4,000 in fuel sales.

"So when we don't have gas, what do we do?" she asked. "We've got our loyal customers that still come in for their smokes and a pack of gum, but that's not gonna keep us running."

Over the past two weeks, the station's supplier - Shell Gasoline out of Houston - has told managers varying stories about why they're not getting the gallons they need. First they said there were fires at the refinery.

"Now they say it's because of cold weather, so I don't know what they're doing ... it's just frustraing,"; said owner Bill Best.

Best was told 700 other shells across the country are dealing with the same low supplies.

Another station in Bellevue, east of Seattle, ran out of premium and plus twice this past week.

At Bill Best's station the gas and the customers are back, but they say it's a shell game predicting the future.

"Probably by the end of the weekend we'll be out again,"; said Best.

It was so bad Friday at that station that a guy ran out of gas and the manager had to drive him up the street to the Chevron station to fill up...

Calls to Shell's corporate office Saturday were not returned.

The shortage has affected prices as well. Many stations say they've raised the price of gas more than 15 to 20 cents a gallon in the last two weeks.

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