As Hurricane Ike prepared to make landfall along the Texas coast, gas prices were reportedly on the rise in many U.S. states. On September 12, 2008, concerns were said to be mounting that a strong storm surge from Hurricane Ike might seriously damage oil refineries in the path of the storm. Refineries in the Houston, Texas, area provide 13 percent of the nation's oil supply.Christian Science Monitor: Gas prices surge as Ike closes in on Texas

"If we see some sort of dramatic problem, then we'll see a spike across the nation . . . and it's going to be at least 25 cents to 30 cents. It all comes down to how big the hurricane is when it hits and how long these refineries might be shut down."—Darin Newsom, senior analyst for DTNLos Angeles Times: Hurricane Ike being felt at the gas pump (September 13, 2008)

"People have gone as far as calling 911 to report that gas is expensive."—Mark Plowden, South Carolina attorney general's office