Although a major oil pipeline shut down, there is no shortage of supply in Texas, assures Texas Railroad Commissioner Ryan Sitton. Well, at least there wasn’t until everyone started running to the gas station out of fear of low supplies and rising prices.
There’s gas. We just have to get it to pumps (see pic, working on it). When people panic and fill up unnecessarily, makes it harder. pic.twitter.com/TJV4teMZkB
â Ryan Sitton (@RyanSitton) September 1, 2017
That didn’t stop borderline pandemonium at the pumps, as lines snaked in every direction, often blocking traffic and causing some very tense moments between drivers.
Sitton said it’s simple supply and demand â if drivers kept their normal habits instead of running up demand, the supply would not have been disrupted. The results are severe, tracker.gasbuddy.com is monitoring gas station supplies, a majority of which seem to be tapped in Dallas.
Tanker trucks visit most gas stations every day, sometime multiple times a day, so if demand relaxes, supply should even out.
This is the problem. There isn’t a gasoline shortage but this type of behavior is hurting Texans. #txlege https://t.co/US96a1AMEU
â Ryan Sitton (@RyanSitton) August 31, 2017