*

24% of Florida gasoline stations out of fuel - GasBuddy

*

Hurricane Milton's path over Tampa Bay could cause severe

supply

disruptions

*

Energy companies have closed fuel supply terminals in

Tampa Bay

*

Fuel distributors suspend deliveries from Tampa to Orlando

By Shariq Khan

NEW YORK, Oct 9 (Reuters) - Nearly a quarter of fuel

pumps in Florida were out of gasoline on Wednesday morning as

residents rushed to evacuate ahead of Hurricane Milton's

landfall, potentially one of the most destructive ever to hit

the state's Gulf Coast.

More than a million people in Florida's coastal areas were

under evacuation orders, clogging highways and causing fuel

shortages from Tampa to Orlando in a region is still reeling

from the devastating effects of Hurricane Helene less than two

weeks ago. Milton is expected to slam ashore in the Tampa Bay

metropolitan area late on Wednesday.

Some 24% of nearly 8,000 gasoline pumps in Florida were out

of fuel as of noon eastern time on Wednesday, up from over 17%

the previous evening, according to market tracker GasBuddy.

Florida is the third-largest gasoline consumer in the United

States, but there are no refineries in the state, making it

dependent on shipments from elsewhere by land or water.

Milton's severity and predicted path over Tampa Bay, where a

bulk of the state's fuel import and storage terminals are

located, make it potentially the most devastating hit to Florida

fuel markets since 1992's Hurricane Andrew, OPIS oil analyst Tom

Kloza said on Tuesday.

Significant damages to Florida's Gulf Coast ports or fuel

terminals could severely disrupt re-supply efforts after the

storm passes.

A prolonged closure of the Port of Tampa Bay, which was shut

for all vessel traffic on Tuesday, could severely disrupt fuel

supply into western and central Florida, said Ben Ruddell,

director of the FEWSION Project, which monitors domestic supply

chains.

More than 17 million tons of petroleum- and natural

gas-related products move through Tampa Bay in a typical year,

according to the Energy Information Administration.

Kinder Morgan Inc ( KMI ), Chevron Corp ( CVX ), CITGO

Petroleum and Buckeye Partners were among energy companies

shutting down Tampa terminals to protect against damages.

Kinder Morgan ( KMI ) also shut its Central Florida Pipeline system,

two small pipelines that haul gasoline, ethanol, diesel and jet

fuel from Tampa to Orlando.

Wholesale fuel distributor Mansfield moved Tampa and Orlando

to its Code Blue classification, effectively suspending any fuel

deliveries due to worsening conditions making roads impassable

for trucks. Mansfield is keeping other Florida markets on Code

Red, requiring a 72-hour notice to make fuel deliveries, it

said.