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Hurricane Rita

Motorists top off amid calls not to

With refineries in jeopardy, consumers are trying to beat suspected shortages and price increases.

By STEVE BOUSQUET and MARK ALBRIGHT
Published September 24, 2005

Across Tampa Bay Friday, motorists weren't buying the state's demand to "buy responsibly." They were buying gas instead.

As the Gulf Coast's shuttered refineries threatened a source of much of Florida's fuel, state officials stressed conservation, but a pre-Hurricane Rita rush caused spot shortages at stations.

"It's been crazy," said Joann O'Brien, whose high-volume Rally's in South Pasadena sold a third more gas than usual Thursday and was headed for a repeat performance Friday.

Her station, which gets three deliveries a day, ran out of regular unleaded Thursday night. But before dawn Friday, she had a fresh supply that sold for a dime more per gallon.

The state said it had 132-million gallons of gas on hand Friday and 32-million gallons of diesel, a sufficient supply to handle demand. More than a third of the total is stored at the Port of Tampa, which serves the region's gas stations.

"We feel very confident that, going into this storm, we are at good and adequate supply levels," said Colleen Castille, the state's top environment official. "However, we do know that with the direction of this hurricane, our fuel supply is going to be interrupted."

As some motorists hauled 5-gallon canisters to the pump, the state asked stations to refuse to sell gas to people using containers to stockpile reserves or fill their boats.

The state urged people to set thermostats at 78 degrees, keep their curtains and shades drawn and use only cold water for washing clothes. Gov. Jeb Bush will record public service announcements stressing conservation.

For Bush and other state leaders, it is difficult to voice fears of a shortage and plead for conservation without setting off a panic among motorists.

In Palm Beach County Friday, Bush's message was more measured than the day before when he feared a "devastating impact" on gas supplies in Florida.

"We need for people to conserve so we can get additional shipments of gasoline in," Bush said Friday.

Throughout the region, signs of prehurricane havoc buying were easy to find.

Customers freely acknowledge stocking up after learning about potential shortages because of the possible loss of oil refineries. Others are filling their tanks now because they expect prices to soar in Rita's aftermath.

"Normally, I don't get a fill-up until it's on "E'," said Bill Dawson, an Eckerd College senior filling up at $2.75 a gallon.

"I was half full and thinking I should top off the tank. I pulled over when I saw the price. It was cheaper than I thought it was going to be."

"Actually, this is pretty cheap compared to the $3 a gallon I paid right after Katrina," said Ian Aiken, a registered nurse at Palms of Pasadena Hospital.

During the day Friday, five stations were out of gas on a 5-mile stretch of Dale Mabry Highway in Carrollwood. The pumps ran dry at two 7-Elevens in St. Petersburg but the company said that was temporary.

AAA Auto Club South estimated the average unleaded regular price was $2.74 a gallon in the Tampa Bay area Thursday. Friday's spot check of 14 stations came up with an average of $2.77 a gallon.

"People are topping their tanks because they think there may be a shortage and they're expecting much higher gas prices after Rita," said Kevin Gardner, a 7-Eleven spokesman. "But we have seen no shortage of supply."

Petroleum terminals at the Port of Tampa, which along with ports in Jacksonville and Fort Lauderdale supply most of Florida's gas, jet and diesel fuel, head into the weekend with their tanks topped-out.

"Our terminal operators normally have five to seven days' supply on hand, and they've gotten back up to that level with increased shipments since Katrina," said Port of Tampa spokeswoman Lori Musser.

"They told us they are prepared to bring in shipments from other locations if other Gulf Coast shipping is disrupted."

Pricing was volatile and all over the board. GasBuddy.com surveys found prices in the bay area as low as $2.58 a gallon and as high as $2.99.

Because stations are permitted to raise prices at the pumps only when they run out of the cheaper fuel they have in their tanks, some stations ratchet up prices after each delivery truck drives off. Others have kept prices steady.

"We sold at least a third more gas Thursday than usual," said Mark Garrend, manager of a Suncoast Oil Exxon station in St. Petersburg, who has kept his price at $2.75 a gallon all week. "We even had people in here filling up 5-gallon cans." Steve Bousquet can be reached at bousquet@sptimes.com or 850 224-7263 and Mark Albright can be reached at albright@sptimes.com or (727) 893-8252.

[Last modified September 24, 2005, 01:00:22]