Someone please correct me, but if the price were allowed to rise to the clearing price, wouldn't it then be high enough to induce tankers to haul the gas from areas where gas is plentiful?

I would believe so. It was stated by one of the fuel transport companies it has never been economical for them to get gas from Charleston SC when Asheville NC had shortages. I think the Charleston SC depot is from seaborne delivery.

I guess if there was enough gas to get by tankers, it would be transported by pipelines anyway, until they are full. But I am not very informed about that crisis, so I may easily be wrong.