Posted on 08/31/2017 6:26:40 PM PDT by Snickering Hound
DALLAS - As gas prices spike across Texas and fuel runs short at some gas stations, officials say there's no shortage of fuel in the state because of Harvey.
Texas Railroad Commissioner Ryan Sitton said consumers are putting undue demand on fuel and that's making it difficult to resupply gas stations in a timely fashion. He called the problem simply one of demand and logistics.
"There's plenty of gasoline," he said. "This will subside."
Sitton says he understands the worry as people drive up to gas stations and see high prices, long lines and red bags covering gas pumps.
But here's why this is happening, the commissioner says:
• Rumors spread of shortage, spurring rush to gas stations
• Gas stations see higher demand than usual
• Stations run out of gas at a high rate due to demand
• Station owners become concerned about supply, raise prices
• So many stations run out of gas it takes longer to resupply
Just like the banks, Sitton said there's plenty of supply, but it will take longer to get that gasoline to the stations due to the high demand.
• The entire world uses 100 million of refined product daily
• The U.S. refines 18 million of those 100 million barrels
• Six million of that 18 million is refined in Texas
• About half of that six million is currently offline or at reduced capacity due to Harvey
"So, yes, that's a lot," Sitton said. "However, we have 230 million barrels of gasoline in storage in the United States right now. So if that three million barrels of refined capacity stayed offline for an entire month that would be 90 million barrels that wouldn't be produced. That would be less than half of what we have in inventory."
(Excerpt) Read more at khou.com ...
When was the last refinery built in the US?
Might be the right time to bring it up.
They are lying folks. When you pass station after station and they have no gas, you have a shortage. So now they say we should have some by later next week. Meantime we have to walk even though they insist there is NO SHORTAGE.
Atlanta is in northeast Texas near Texarkana.
Do you work for CNN? Because you seem to be doing well in the fake news department.
10, not "a couple" of refineries were shut down - roughly one sixth of the country's capacity. Two more are operating at reduced capacity. https://energy.gov/sites/prod/files/2017/08/f36/Hurricane%20Harvey%20Event%20Summary%20%2311.pdf
Your "couple of a couple regional refineries" (are you trying to say two or four?) include the two largest in the US - the Saudi refinery in Port Arthur (the largest) and the Exxon facility at Baytown (number two).
Gas up about .20 to 2.35 today been around 2.00-2.10 for a bit.
I am in Warrenton VA (about 50 mi from DC.
Oops. Got it mixed with Cleveland for when I used to go to many of the E Texas sawmills.
Atlanta was the hard woods and SE Texas was for the Yellow Pine.
I swan, it’s easier to get approval to have a brothel built than a refinery.
(Cue Disney music playing in the background with animated animals talking and dancing)
The gasoline pipeline from Texas to the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic won’t be open again until Sunday, causing price spikes here in northern Virginia and local libs to whine and bitch.
I know it’s Labor Day weekend, but it’s only up 15-20 cents, and it’s only for a short time. Knock it off with the incessant complaining. You’d think we were in Venezuela to listen to some of them.
Just another tricky day for you.
Duh....if everyone in the Metroplex fills up, the stations run out. It was only a rumor, but a self-fulfilling one.
Panic buying
Perhaps he could make a case to the speculators. Unleaded Gas futures are up about 50c this past week, and gas in Pennsylvania is up 20c in the past two days.
Yesterday, listening to Rush, radio station news said “Colonial Pipeline is shut down. 30% of gas supply is off line to the Southeastern U.S.” My sister called to tell us at 7 AM Sams Club had gas at $2.22.......at 9 AM price was up to $2.55 We are in NC about an hour from the NC/VA line. My husband filled all our gas cans, mowers, vehicles before the hurricane hit Texas. We live out in the country...drive v-8 vehicles....so we knew prices were gonna go up, and peeps were gonna panic. This same mantra is repeated every single time there is a mother nature disaster.
Great spin. You also left out a refinery problem.
There is no shortage - you just can’t buy any because it isn’t there.
Cutting off Colonial should help in Texas. After all, the folks in Atlanta say they have adequate supplies. And everyone knows you can trust the politicians.
The only one that surprises me on that map is Port Arthur being open.
There is plenty of gasoline around the country today. It just hasn’t caught up with the panic demand. Three weeks from now? Bad news.
Of course, if you took time to understand what he said...
Up here in double the price gas Canada there is no shortage but prices have spiked. They never let a good crisis go to waste up here.
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