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PUSHES TOWARD THE GULF COAST, 95-PERCENT OF THE AREA'S OIL AND NATURAL GAS PRODUCTION HAS BEEN SUSPENDED.... AND THAT'S DRIVING UP PRICES AT THE PUMPS. PEOPLE ARE ALREADY FEELING THE PAIN AT THE PUMPS IN COMMUNITIES MORE THAN A THOUSAND MILES FROM THE HURRICANE ZONE. ANALYSTS SAY PANIC IS HELPING TO DRIVE UP PRICES -- AND SOME DRIVERS COULD SEE A 50-TO- 60 CENT PER GALLON INCREASE FROM IKE. STATIONS IN A ABOUT A DOZEN STATES ARE ASKING CUSTOMERS TO LIMIT PURCHASES TO 10 GALLONS FOR NOW. sot GEOFF SUNDSTROM / AAA 'At this point consumers need to take a breath, don't hoard gas and top off tanks, that'll just make the situation worse.' THE GULF COAST IS HOME TO REFINERIES THAT ACCOUNT FOR ONE FOURTH OF THE NATION'S REFINING CAPACITY. FLOODING AND POWER OUTAGES FROM THE STORM COULD SHUT DOWN PRODUCTION FOR WEEKS. HERE IN ALBUQUERQUE DRIVERS HAVE ENJOYED LOWER GAS PRICES FOR THE LAST FEW MONTHS -- BUT THAT COULD ALL CHANGE WITH THE ARRIVAL OF IKE. VALERIE CASTRO IS LIVE IN THE NEWSROOM WITH THE STORY. GAS IN ALBUQUERQUE IS NOW ABOUT 16 CENTS CHEAPER THAN IT WAS A MONTH AGO -- AND WITH THE PRICE OF CRUDE OIL AT THE LOWEST ITS BEEN IN MONTHS -- DRIVERS ARE HOPING IT'S A CHANGE FOR GOOD -- BUT HURRICANE IKE COULD SPOIL THE SAVINGS. ALBUQUERQUE'S AVERAGE FOR A GALLON OF GAS IS NOW AT 3-54 BUT IF HURRICANE IKE SLAMS ASHORE ANALYSTS SAY IT COULD SEND THE PRICE OF GAS IN THE WRONG DIRECTION. WE FOUND DRIVERS WHO AGREE THAT IT MIGHT SPELL BAD NEWS AT THE PUMP AND OTHERS WHO AREN'T SO SURE. 'Well if the refineries get hit then heck ya it's going to affect prices, i don't know what all the prospects of that are in fact.''All of our domestic oil does not come from our gulf resources our wells out in the gulf, in fact we don't produce the majority, the major amount of oil that we use in this country so it's a way for somebody to make a profit.'AT ONE POINT TODAY -- OIL PRICES TRADED BELOW 100- DOLLARS BUT ENDED UP CLOSING AT JUST OVER 100-DOLLAR A BARREL. REPORTING LIVE DOWNTOWN....VC..EW N 4.