That meant a double-whammy for refineries. Some were switching over from producing heating oil to gasoline, a process that can take several weeks, while others were shut down while they retooled to make less-volatile gasoline, which is used in the summer. The lack of MTBE in the fuel will help keep costs lower here. The Northeast also has a greater range of sources for gasoline, including Canada, Gulf Coast refineries, even South America and Europe, Mahoney said. The upper Midwest and California, for the most part, rely on suppliers within those regions, so those regions are more vulnerable to disruptions because of refinery shutdowns, either for retooling or because of fires or other accidents.
Many motorists seem to be taking the higher prices in stride, for now.
Hubbard said she lives only about a mile from work, so she doesn't routinely use much gas. Larry Beattie of Portland said he thinks the higher gas prices might make alternative energy sources more attractive. Beattie is caught between the pickup, which uses a lot of gas, and a Cadillac, which needs premium unleaded. We might still go out for a Sunday drive, but we won't drive around as much. Tourism officials say history has shown that as long as gas is available, prices don't usually affect the number of people who drive to Maine from elsewhere in the Northeast.