Imperial rations gasoline to Ontario Esso stations

CALGARY, Alberta (Reuters) – Gasoline shortages following a refinery fire has forced the closure of nearly a fifth of Imperial Oil Ltd.’s 400 company-owned Esso service stations in Ontario, as the company rations supplies to dealers.

Gasoline prices in Toronto, Canada’s biggest city surged, according to one Web site, and Imperial’s competitors are struggling to meet the additional call caused by the woes of Canada’s biggest refiner.

“We are seeing a lot of demand,” said John Peck, a spokesman for Shell Canada Ltd. “We’re working to manage that.”

Imperial is 69.6 percent owned by Exxon Mobil Corp.. About 75 of its 400 stations in Ontario were shut on Wednesday because they had no gas to sell, the company said.

Reuters