Texas oil industry officials tell News Radio 1200 WOAI that continued unreasonable 'panic pumping' by drivers is leading to the continuing lack of gasoline at stations in San Antonio and other Texas cities.
Stations are receiving regular shipments of gasoline, only to find that, driven by social media, drivers snap it up in 'hours, instead of the usual days or weeks.'
Efforts to increase deliveries are being thwarted by logistical problems related to the storm-caused outages of huge Gulf Coast refineries. That forces suppliers to find non traditional sources, adding to the challenge, and to the cost.
Some San Antonio stations have seen prices go up by 50 cents a gallon just in the past two days.
And, adding to the challenge, the Labor Day holiday, which sees high gasoline demand anyway, and many travel plans were made, based on then-low gas prices, and many of those travelers are gassing up today as well.
Industry officials say distribution terminals are getting in shipments, and the key is getting that fuel to the stations.
When will this end? Officials think by Sunday, as more refineries come on line and pipelines are cleared to resume operations, normal market equilibrium should be returning.
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