In the past week, a reporter traveled through several southern provinces and personally experienced the "oil shortage" that has been causing chaos. In Hubei and Hunan, gas stations were either completely out of fuel or operating under strict limits. This once-rare situation is now becoming the norm in these regions.
During a journey spanning over 600 kilometers through Zhangjiajie and Yichang in Hubei Province, many gas stations were found to have limited diesel supplies. Some imposed a cap of 10 liters per customer, while others required a minimum payment of 200 yuan. Several stations even displayed "No Diesel" signs. On November 19th at 8 a.m., the bus the reporter was on had to stop at a station at the Hubei-Hunan border due to a lack of fuel. The driver shouted from inside the vehicle: “What are you doing here? My car ran out of gas, and you pulled me in like this!†After waiting for about ten minutes, he finally managed to fill up just 5 liters.
The energy crisis hit quickly and directly affected daily life. From Hubei to Hunan, broken-down cars and frustrated drivers were everywhere. Along the Beijing-Zhuhai Expressway in Hunan, gas stations were surrounded by long lines of vehicles, some stretching thousands of meters. A truck driver from Jilin shared that he couldn’t find any fuel along the route from Henan into Hunan. He drove for over six hours, visiting 11 gas stations, before finally managing to buy 200 liters of diesel. On major roads with gas stations, queues occupied entire lanes, forcing other vehicles to use only one lane. Local police had to be deployed to manage the traffic and maintain order.
In response to the oil shortage and rising prices, Premier Wen Jiabao, who was visiting Singapore, stated on the 21st that authorities were working to resolve the tight supply of refined oil, which could be addressed in the short term. He explained that the issue stemmed from both supply-demand imbalances and price factors. To address this, departments were exploring multiple channels to secure crude oil supplies, especially diesel. Existing refineries were also encouraged to increase their processing capacity. Wen noted that China’s refineries had sufficient capacity but had not operated at full speed due to pricing issues. He believed the shortage would soon be resolved.
State-owned enterprises, such as PetroChina and Sinopec, are supposed to serve public interests beyond profit. Unlike private companies, they are expected to provide essential services at lower prices or maintain stability during crises. However, with their monopoly over the entire oil industry—from exploration to sales—they should prioritize national needs over profits. When global oil markets fluctuate, they must ensure domestic supply and stabilize the market rather than chase maximum gains. Otherwise, what sets them apart from private firms? Why does the state maintain such monopolies if they don’t fulfill public obligations?
As the reporter witnessed the chaos caused by the oil shortage, it became clear that the situation was far more serious than anticipated. The combination of supply disruptions, high demand, and corporate behavior created a perfect storm, leaving citizens struggling and officials scrambling to respond.
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