ST. PAUL, Minn. — Governor Tim Walz authorized oil-tanker drivers to exceed the hours they normally are allowed on the road. The executive order, Walz said, will reduce the chances of interruptions in already-tight supplies. Further supply line problems, he said, could goose gasoline prices upward. The governor noted that inventories of certain fuels in Minnesota are at lower levels than last year and also below the three-year average. Also, he said, further problems are looming in regional refining capacity:
> The Husky refinery in Superior, Wisconsin, is in ongoing closure.
> The Marathon refinery in St. Paul Park is closed for scheduled maintenance.
Nationwide, Walz noted, the oil industry’s refinery capacity has fallen by one million barrels per day. This is for a wide range of reasons, including CoVid-triggered worker shortages, as well as seasonal refinery conversions to alternative products.