SAN ANTONIO – More lines were seen Friday at San Antonio gas pumps, many of which ran dry Thursday.
State regulators are asking drivers not to panic and say fear and undue demand are a big part of the problem at the pumps.
Even as some pumps remained temporarily bagged Friday, there were signs of progress. Fuel tankers pulled out of terminals and headed out to restock gas stations.
Many retailers that were tapped out Thursday were replenished. Despite that, many waited in long lines to fill up their tanks.
The state agency that oversees gas supplies assures the public that there is gas, saying the problem is logistical.
Demand caused prices to surge as well. Many customers saw the price of a gallon go up by an average of 11 cents.
State officials said there are 230 million barrels of gasoline in U.S. storage and the pinch on the retail end should subside in a matter of days.
On Friday, Gov. Greg Abbott said more gasoline is on the way.
"There's plenty of fuel, plenty of gasoline in the United States of America. There's plenty of gasoline in the state of Texas. All that said, we're ensuring an even greater supply of gasoline, so we can tamp down any concern about accessibility," Abbott said.
San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg released this statement about the recent high demand for gasoline"
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“Hoarding is creating the problem, and there’s no need for it. Refineries and pipelines that supply San Antonio are expected to be restored to service early next week. In the meantime, supply trucks are hauling gas from Corpus Christi and other area refineries. While this is a slower delivery process, everyone should understand that deliveries are being made and will continue to occur this weekend. Unfortunately, people are panicking and making the situation much, much worse. City officials have witnessed people filling 55-gallon drums in their pickup trucks.”
