Gas Shortage Continues in Florida

Jul. 13–Gas shortages are nothing new in the days following hurricanes, but the situation in Northwest Florida could begin to worsen this afternoon.

One of the largest gasoline suppliers in the region is predicting that its terminal will tap out this afternoon. The process to bring more gas into the area is currently under way.

Jay Goss, the manager at the Citgo Petroleum terminal in Niceville, said he expects to be empty this afternoon. A barge with new gas could be on its way to Okaloosa County soon.

Goss said his barge was allowed to leave Pensacola for the refinery in Mississippi on Monday evening and made it to the refinery on Tuesday afternoon. The return trip takes about 24 hours, but the biggest question was how long the barge would sit waiting in line to receive its load of gas.

“Whether it’s six hours or two days, who knows?” Goss said. “It’s up to the refinery and what order we got there.”

Gas was in high demand again on Tuesday. Tina Norris, an assistant manager of a Tom Thumb gas station on North State Road 85 in Crestview, said it was taking only a day or two to go through a 90,000-gallon shipment.

“Normally it lasts at least three or four days,” Norris said.

She said people are watching the tropics and not taking any potential threats lightly.

“I think people are trying to keep stocked up in case (Tropical Storm) Emily comes up this way,” Norris said.

Customers were also coming to Crestview from areas more affected by Dennis. Others, like Crestview resident Joe Femoff, were helping relatives.

“I’ve got a daughter in Gulf Breeze,” Femoff said as he pumped gas into several large cans. “They can’t get a thing down there.”

Goss said he was hoping the barge would make it back to the terminal on Bayshore Drive so it can be distributed quickly.

“We’re anticipating it, and as soon as it gets here, it’ll be sent out,” Goss said.

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