Enbridge pipeline's shutdown raises oil prices

**Jimaz** · September-11-10, 11:29 AM

The Environmental Protection Agency on Friday ordered Enbridge to stop the flow of oil from its leaking pipeline by noon Monday....

The Houston company does not have a timetable for restoring the line to operation but is working to divert its volume to other pipelines and storage facilities....

Although oil and gasoline inventories are plentiful, traders are concerned that Midwest supplies could tighten if the pipeline stays closed for some time, analysts said. In turn, that could send retail gasoline prices up in the region....

In the aftermath of the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, Enbridge Energy officials likely will be "very, very deliberate" in making the repairs, Kloza said....

Local gas prices are already increasing.

DetroitGasPrices.com

**MikeM** · September-11-10, 12:15 PM

How is this Detroit-related?

**Jimaz** · September-11-10, 01:32 PM

Originally Posted by MikeM

How is this Detroit-related?

It seems to be affecting the Detroit gas prices.

**rooms222** · September-11-10, 10:06 PM

Prices tonight in Detroit are up 20 cents a gallon from Wed.....

**jgavrile** · September-12-10, 09:39 AM

The whole thing sucks!

**GOAT** · September-13-10, 10:24 AM

Someone has to pay for the repair...why not the consumer? It is always win-win...for the oil companies.

**Jimaz** · September-13-10, 12:05 PM

It's official: Gas prices leap in response to Chicago leak

So now the question is how long the pipeline will be closed.

**JBMcB** · September-13-10, 01:46 PM

Originally Posted by GOAT

Someone has to pay for the repair...why not the consumer? It is always win-win...for the oil companies.

The consumer *always* pays, for everything.

**Corn.Bot** · September-14-10, 06:59 AM

How dare you expect an oil company to not reap 100%+ profit on a daily basis? To think repairs or even maintenance should come from their bottom line is blasphemy.

**jefferson78** · September-14-10, 09:17 AM

It is absolutely ridiculous that the problems that Enbridge is having with their pipelines should affect gas prices here. Especially so soon.
It is typical of the gouging that we as consumers recieve every time something happens to the oil industry or if some oil shiek has a bad day.
No justification at all. If they need to fix an age-damaged pipeline then the money should come out of their profit, nowhere else. Why should we pay for it?
It's just like the banks and their excessive charges. Why do these industries think that they are entitled to squeeze us to death and get away with it?
It seems that the consumer is always getting screwed.

**rb336** · September-14-10, 09:41 AM

Interesting that this pipeline "problem" happened just when demand was expected to drop by a large margin, and prices along with it.

**mtm49269** · September-14-10, 12:53 PM

I made the mistake of not filling up on Friday, figuring the prices would be lower after the weekend...

And have you folks seen the commercials where people are talking about writing to congress to not increase the fuel tax? They say that increasing the tax would destroy the already damaged economy because the public can't afford more tax on petroleum products. Know who its sponsored/paid for by? API - the American Petroleum Industry. And the tax congress is talking about is on profits and it only kicks in when the petrols make excessive profits. It would practically be impossible for them to pass it on to the public.

**Jimaz** · September-14-10, 01:06 PM

Enbridge shuts down third oil pipeline

A Canadian company that is working to clean up oil spills outside Chicago and in lower Michigan has closed a third pipeline after a possible leak was found in New York.

Enbridge Inc. said a 91-mile pipeline that runs from Ontario, Canada, to New York was shut down after about a gallon of petroleum-based product was found during a sewer installation project Monday. The company said all the product has been cleaned up and crews were working to find the source....

The Illinois spill pushed wholesale and retail gasoline prices higher, said Tom Kloza, publisher and chief oil analyst at Oil Price Information Service.

He said wholesale gas prices in the Midwest were about 30 cents per gallon higher than the West Coast and 15 to 20 cents per gallon higher than the East Coast.

I doubt this one will directly affect Detroit. It does suggest a possible systemic problem with Enbridge maintenance that might prolong the shortage. Illinois and Michigan are being hit hardest by this today.