On the Way Home, Drivers Find "No Gasoline"... What Caused the 'Out of Stock' Crisis at Directly Managed Gas Stations?

Temporary Supply Disruptions Due to Middle East Crisis
"Impact of Priority Supply Structure for Privately Operated Gas Stations"

'No Gasoline.'

Recently, at a directly managed gas station of a major oil refiner in Gimpo, Gyeonggi Province, the price display board showed the word "Out of Stock" instead of numbers, and a notice saying "No Gasoline" was attached to the fuel dispenser. As inventories ran out in the evening, drivers who intended to refuel on their way home had to turn back.

On the 13th, a notice saying "No Gasoline" was attached to a fuel dispenser at a gas station in Gimpo, Gyeonggi Province. Photo provided by a reader

Amid surging oil prices due to the Middle East crisis, some areas, including the Seoul metropolitan region, are experiencing gasoline shortages. However, the industry views this not as a widespread supply-demand instability, but as a temporary disruption caused by demand surges during specific time slots.

According to the refining and gas station industry as of April 14, the previous evening, gasoline stocks at a directly managed station in Gimpo were temporarily depleted, but supply resumed around 10 a.m. the following day.

This gasoline shortage appears to have occurred mainly at certain directly managed stations where prices are relatively low. An industry source said, "Amid the challenging gasoline supply situation due to the impact of the Middle East war, some directly managed stations have faced supply disruptions. Especially during the evening rush hours, stations offering lower prices near residential areas see a surge in vehicles, causing inventories to be depleted rapidly."

The supply structure of gas stations has also played a role. Typically, when gasoline supply is tight, independent gas stations are given priority for allocation, and then directly managed stations operated by oil refiners receive their supply. In this process, directly managed stations may experience temporary inventory gaps.

An industry official explained, "The principle is to prioritize supply to independent gas stations when supply cannot be normalized. In addition, with demand concentrated at the relatively cheaper directly managed stations, short-term stockouts can occur."

Nevertheless, the industry dismissed concerns that the current situation could lead to a long-term supply shortage. They explained that this is a short-term phenomenon arising from the extraordinary circumstances of war, and in most cases, the situation normalizes quickly. One official noted, "Even when there is a temporary surge in demand, supply usually returns to normal within half a day. Although market uncertainty has increased due to the war, we are putting maximum effort into managing the supply chain to prevent prolonged fuel shortages."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.