Gasoline liftings remain above normal; prices flatten out

Dorian is no different than most hurricanes – conditions and direction change frequently.

DTN currently projects a slight northern turn with Georgia and South Carolina suddenly in the cross hairs of Dorian, currently a Category 4 storm.

For this morning’s update, I added regular gasoline liftings of products leaving terminals at Savannah, Ga., and Charleston, S.C. I will focus more closely on the expected landfall area as the storm direction evolves.

Gasoline liftings through Aug. 30

The first four charts show liftings of regular gasoline from two terminals in Florida (Orlando & Jacksonville) along with Savannah and Charleston.

• Liftings remain above normal in both Florida terminals. Prices are stabilized and only slightly higher. This suggests that residents continue to head to the gas stations to fill up their tanks and possibly head away from coastal areas. The good news is wholesale prices seem to have flattened out and are now only slightly higher than where they were before the atypical lifting began.
• With Dorian now forecast to possibly hug the coast and head toward Georgia and South Carolina, we are seeing a strong surge in liftings of regular gasoline from the Savannah terminal as residents are likely in the early phases of preparing for a possible impact from Dorian.
• We have not seen any change in the lifting of gasoline from the Charleston terminal. Depending on how the track evolves over the next day or so can quickly change the situation in South Carolina.

The second four charts show lifting of ULSD from terminals in Orlando,Jacksonville, Savannah, and Charleston.

• Liftings remain way above normal in both Florida terminals but have started to move lower with prices moving higher.
• Liftings of ULSD from the Savannah terminal spiked higher with prices now also moving higher. This could suggest the commercial and emergency management sector are in storm preparation.
• Lifting of ULSD from the Charleston terminal are still within the normal daily lifting range. However, prices have started to move higher. Depending on how the track evolves over the next day or so can quickly change the situation in South Carolina.

The DTN meteorologists work around the clock to provide information during tropical storms and our analysts are also closely watching impacts on oil and gasoline.