Hurricane Milton and Challenges in Florida
Mark Green
Posted October 9, 2024
The National Hurricane Center expects Hurricane Milton to remain an extremely dangerous major hurricane when it reaches the Florida coast early Thursday, continuing at hurricane strength as it moves across Florida.
The chief energy concern is transportation fuel for the state. The hurricane’s projected storm surge of 8 to 12 feet at the port of Tampa could affect the largest entry point for seaborne fuel supplies into the state.
Some important points about Florida’s fuel supply:
- Florida has no refineries producing transportation fuels, nor does the state have major pipelines delivering product into the state. Fuel supplies come by sea to ports, including Tampa.
- Florida has limited pipelines connecting terminals in the port of Tampa to Orlando, with a short pipeline connecting Port Everglades on the east coast of the state to Miami.
- Given the pipeline limitations, most transportation fuels are distributed across the state by tanker truck.
- Hurricanes and the resulting evacuation orders typically result in a demand surge for fuels, especially gasoline, as people drive long distances to move away from danger.
- In the immediate storm aftermath, receiving new fuel supplies will depend on when the Port of Tampa and any other affected ports are reopened to receive vessels. In the meantime, the state will largely rely on supplies that were in the distribution system before the onset of the hurricane.
- When ports reopen, distribution systems may be disrupted by lingering effects of the hurricane. Terminals and/or retail stations might be without power, roads could be blocked and facilities might be damaged.
Finally, our thoughts are with millions of Americans across the Southeast who have been impacted by Hurricane Helene. As always, we are proud to support API member companies that are helping to deliver fuel supplies to communities that are in distress and significantly challenged by many logistical hurdles. Additionally, API staff have been in close contact with local, state and federal officials as communities in states such as Florida, North Carolina and Tennessee recover. We will keep doing all we can to assist operators as they supply fuel and rebuild.
Helpful links:
- The National Hurricane Center, which tracks potential storms and issues advisories.
- National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration hurricane preparedness website – including information on making your own plan. Still more information at Ready.gov.
About The Author
Mark Green joined API after a career in newspaper journalism, including 16 years as national editorial writer for The Oklahoman in the paper’s Washington bureau. Previously, Mark was a reporter, copy editor and sports editor at an assortment of newspapers. He earned his journalism degree from the University of Oklahoma and master’s in journalism and public affairs from American University. He and his wife Pamela have two grown children and six grandchildren.