Fuel shortages seen from Rita (Reuters)

[Up2Late]

(NPR's reporter in Texas just remarked on how most of the vehicles evacuating Houston were SUV's. With all those truck fueling up with 15 to 30 Gallons, who would have guessed they would run out of Gasoline?)

Fuel shortages seen from Rita

Thu Sep 22, 2005 05:06 PM ET

By Tom Doggett and Randy Fabi

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. oil industry pleaded with American motorists on Thursday to refrain from topping off their gasoline tanks as the Bush administration warned supplies may be tight in coming days because so many refineries shut to prepare for Hurricane Rita. Retail gasoline prices were already at or near $3 a gallon in some cities, much like prices bounced higher after last month's Hurricane Katrina, according to experts.

"There will be disruptions," Energy Secretary Sam Bodman told reporters. "How long they will last, I simply don't know." Bodman said gasoline imports would be needed over the next one to three weeks to help replace lost supply. An aide to Bodman later said the government did not expect a nationwide gasoline disruption.

The hurricane is expected to hit somewhere near Houston late Friday or early Saturday, according to computer models. Oil companies, already crippled from Hurricane Katrina three weeks ago, shut down at least a dozen Texas refineries and one in Louisiana. Four others reduced operations as Rita and its 150 mile per hour winds took aim at Texas.

Meanwhile, four major refineries remain closed from last month's Hurricane Katrina. Together, Rita and Katrina have shut a combined 28 percent of U.S. refining capacity, or about 4.7 million barrels per day.

To help stretch dwindling supplies, motorists should turn off car air conditioning and avoid sudden starts, said Red Cavaney, president of the American Petroleum Institute. "Plan your trips to conserve fuel. Do not fill up your gas tank unless needed. Lower your top speed by 10 miles per hour," Cavaney urged drivers.

<http://go.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=businessNews&storyID=9732651&src=rss/businessNews>
(more and page 2 at link above)

[obxhead]

1. Please wait until the prices go up

before you top off. Thats what I read in the first line.

[rzemanfl]

3. Until they perfect a way to raise the price of gas AFTER it's in

your tank, that's right.

[bullimiami]

2. lowering the speed limits again and sense with the cafe standards

would do wonders for our fuel consumption.
but it will never happen with the robber barons in control.

[donkeyotay]

4. Another enormous GOP failure

Around here Republicans bought SUVs (and drove them like they were going to push everyone else off the road) like a political statement. Like they were saying, "screw liberals and the environment. I'm an American and god wants me to drive the biggest gas hog I think I can afford to buy."

Chickens. Home. Roost.

[Up2Late]

6. I don't know this for sure, but I think Rush Limbaugh and other like him

on RW Hate Talk Radio pushed just that idea back in the "Clinton Years," Talk radio was such a Hate free-for-all back then (could still be, but I'm no longer subjected to that audio abuse), they were out to screw up everything Clinton and Democrats touched.

[redqueen]

5. Are centrist democrats included in that?

'Cause I don't remember Clinton being in any big hurry to re-enact those while he had a dem congress. Dammit.

[merwin]

7. My car gets an extra 10 mpg when going 60 as opposed to 75.

VW Jetta TDI (Diesel)