17 Percent of Gas Stations in Florida Have No Fuel
According to data on the GasBuddy website, 17.4 percent of gas stations in Florida were without fuel as of 6.30pm ET on October 8.
The site showed that 46.56 percent of stations in Tampa/St. Petersburg, 30.32 percent of stations in Fort Myers/Naples, and 25.29 percent of stations in Gainesville were without fuel as of 6.30pm ET on Tuesday.
In a statement posted on its site on Monday, GasBuddy announced that a fuel availability tracker was active for motorists in Florida “as Hurricane Milton’s projected path progresses toward the state”.
The tracker helps motorists in affected areas find fuel should stations temporarily run low or out, GasBuddy noted in the statement, adding that the crowdsourced tracker can be updated by motorists and displays the status for locations that have been reported to GasBuddy.
“Hurricanes can have a profound impact on gasoline supply, but it’s typically the fear of running low on gasoline that has an impact on supply before the storm does,” Patrick DeHaan, Head of Petroleum Analysis at GasBuddy, said in a release posted on GasBuddy’s website on Tuesday.
“Even so, retailers have been quick to respond once an area sees intense demand, and most areas begin to see improvement within a week of landfall of a major hurricane,” he added.
“So many factors go into supply and demand before and after a major storm - things like location, infrastructure, expected path, refinery location, power supply - that make it impossible to predict the exact moment when fuel networks are in the clear or begin to recover, but we definitely have seen fuel supply becoming a larger focus for government during hurricane season,” he went on to note.
A release posted on Florida Governor Ron DeSantis’ website on October 8 stated that Commissioner Wilton Simpson has issued an emergency order suspending requirements related to the distribution, delivery, storage, and sale of liquid fuels - such as gasoline and diesel - to assist with efforts to ensure adequate distribution and supply of fuel.
In a statement posted on its website on Monday, Chevron revealed that, in preparation for Hurricane Milton, it had transported all personnel from its Blind Faith platform and shut-in the facility.
“Production from our other Chevron-operated Gulf of Mexico assets remains at normal levels,” Chevron said in the statement.
“At our onshore facilities, we are following our storm preparedness procedures and paying close attention to the forecast and track of the system,” it added.
“Chevron will continue to closely monitor Hurricane Milton. We remain focused on the safety of our workforce, the integrity of our facilities and the protection of the environment,” it went on to state.
At the time of writing, the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) has not activated its hurricane response team in response to Hurricane Milton. In September, the BSEE activated this team in response to two storms – Helene and Francine.
Atlantic weather systems have severely affected oil and gas operations in the past. For example, at its peak, Hurricane Ida shut in 95.65 percent of Gulf of Mexico oil production on August 29, 2021, and 94.47 percent of Gulf of Mexico gas production on August 31, 2021, BSEE figures show.
As of 4am CDT on October 9, Hurricane Milton had maximum sustained winds of 160 miles per hour and a 14 mile per hour northeast movement, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) National Hurricane Center (NHC) website showed.
The NHC site is also tracking three other weather disturbances in the Atlantic at the time of writing. These comprise Hurricane Leslie and two other unnamed disturbances.
“A large area of destructive storm surge, with highest inundations of 10ft or greater, is expected along a portion of the west-central coast of the Florida Peninsula,” an advisory posted on the NHC site at 4am CDT on October 9 said.
“Devastating hurricane force winds are expected along portions of the west coast of Florida, where a hurricane warning is in effect,” it added.
“Milton is forecast to remain a hurricane while it crosses the Florida Peninsula and life threatening hurricane force winds, especially in gusts, are expected to spread inland across the peninsula,” it continued.
“Preparations to protect life and property, including being ready for long duration power outages, should be rushed to completion,” the advisory warned.
A statement from White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre posted on the White House website on October 8 revealed that U.S. President Joe Biden was postponing a trip to Germany and Angola “in order to oversee preparations for and the response to Hurricane Milton, in addition to the ongoing response to the impacts of Hurricane Helene across the Southeast”.
A fact sheet posted on the White House website on the same day noted that “the President urges everyone to be aware of the evacuation orders that are in effect in multiple Florida counties”.
“Shelters are open, and evacuation assistance is available. If you are told to evacuate, do so immediately for your safety and that of your loved ones,” it added.
To contact the author, email andreas.exarheas@rigzone.com
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