Gas at $4 a gallon?

[billamj]

Originally Posted by deepdiver

Oil companies have tried and tried and tried to build new refineries and capacity. We haven't built a new refinery in nearly 35 years because of gov't and eco-nutcases. I used to live near Wood River, IL where there is a fairly large refinery. While I lived there they wanted to double the size of the refinery, and then once the new refinery was open, refurbish the existing refinery so that in about 5-7 years they would actually quadruple capacity, reduce operational costs, increase safety, decrease pollution. The local eco-nuts and the EPA and other gov't units got involved. After about 3 years the oil company just gave up. So, here we are nearly 15 years later and there has been only a modest increase in capacity, mainly due to major upgrades after a significant fire at the facility. This is simple supply and demand and it is the gov't and eco-nutcases who keep supply low by restricting drilling (ANWR and Gulf of Mexico - we have PLENTY of oil on US soil but they aren't allowed to drill it) and new refineries for their agenda.

+1000

[jeepinbanditrider]

Originally Posted by deepdiver

Oil companies have tried and tried and tried to build new refineries and capacity. We haven't built a new refinery in nearly 35 years because of gov't and eco-nutcases. I used to live near Wood River, IL where there is a fairly large refinery. While I lived there they wanted to double the size of the refinery, and then once the new refinery was open, refurbish the existing refinery so that in about 5-7 years they would actually quadruple capacity, reduce operational costs, increase safety, decrease pollution. The local eco-nuts and the EPA and other gov't units got involved. After about 3 years the oil company just gave up. So, here we are nearly 15 years later and there has been only a modest increase in capacity, mainly due to major upgrades after a significant fire at the facility. This is simple supply and demand and it is the gov't and eco-nutcases who keep supply low by restricting drilling (ANWR and Gulf of Mexico - we have PLENTY of oil on US soil but they aren't allowed to drill it) and new refineries for their agenda.

It's the not in my backyard folks. Sorry stuff has to be built somewhere. You want to drive your fullsize chevy surburban that gets 12 MPG on a good day and your the only one in it we need to increase out ability to refine crude oil.

[DanTheEldest]

Originally Posted by deepdiver

Oil companies have tried and tried and tried to build new refineries and capacity. We haven't built a new refinery in nearly 35 years because of gov't and eco-nutcases. I used to live near Wood River, IL where there is a fairly large refinery. While I lived there they wanted to double the size of the refinery, and then once the new refinery was open, refurbish the existing refinery so that in about 5-7 years they would actually quadruple capacity, reduce operational costs, increase safety, decrease pollution. The local eco-nuts and the EPA and other gov't units got involved. After about 3 years the oil company just gave up. So, here we are nearly 15 years later and there has been only a modest increase in capacity, mainly due to major upgrades after a significant fire at the facility. This is simple supply and demand and it is the gov't and eco-nutcases who keep supply low by restricting drilling (ANWR and Gulf of Mexico - we have PLENTY of oil on US soil but they aren't allowed to drill it) and new refineries for their agenda.

Another +1. Here in Arizona our population (and the resulting demand for gas) have grown tremendously over the past ten years, but we're still stuck relying on fuel from CA and TX that has to be piped in. When one of the lines broke a few years back, it was a local-scale recreation of the gas shortages from the seventies for about a week. There's begun to be a real push for a new refinery to be built down somewhere around Yuma to help alleviate the problems, but it all depends on politics, lobbyists, etc.

[deepdiver]

Originally Posted by jeepinbanditrider

It's the not in my backyard folks. Sorry stuff has to be built somewhere. You want to drive your fullsize chevy surburban that gets 12 MPG on a good day and your the only one in it we need to increase out ability to refine crude oil.

The NIMBY crowd is definitely part of the problem, but in Wood River, there was already a refinery there. The refinery already owned the land they wanted to expand on. The immediately surrounding property was already commercial and no more effected by the expansion than by the current operations. All the opposition I saw or heard about was strictly on enviro-weinie and political grounds (I passed by there every day to and from work and saw the picketers and had 2 friends who worked at the refinery who gave me the inside scoop as it were).

[Mark S.]

Texas is the solution. It's a great place for refineries.

[Brickboy240]

I have said this before and God knows, it would take pages to explain, but if you really want to point the finger at who is responsible for the high prices, shortages, spikes, and other nonsense in the oil biz...you need to look no further than Washington DC. That includes both parties.

95% of the problems we face in the oil/petrochemical industry are because of action (or inaction for decades in some cases) of the federal govt. Did you know that our govt. basically created OPEC? Yes, you got it...our own damn govt. created a body that it knew damn well it could not control, that is run by outside leaders and, over the decedes, made the US very dependent on this body. Nice, huh?

If it were not for the action (or inaction) of the govt, gasoline would hover slightly under 2 bucks a gallon and fluctuate in price by maybe 10-20 cents, annually. I am dead serious! I have worked in the pertochemical industry for quite some time...I should know. Nobody is more frustrated by all of this than those that work in the field.

But go ahead and blame Exxon or your neighbor's Suburban if it makes you feel better. I get quite a laugh form those that do not work in this field, yet claim to have all the answers.

- Brickboy240

[Mark S.]

I still say Texas is a great place for refineries.... Perhaps one or two in Crawford would help.

[Dhunter55]

Originally Posted by Mark S.

I still say Texas is a great place for refineries.... Perhaps one or two in Crawford would help.

[FrankRizzoXD40]

More oil refineries is a good idea.

More nuclear plants is an even better idea. They are clean, safe, efficient and pollute far less than coal-fired plants.

Why the enviros are opposed to nuclear plants I have no idea. Oh wait....yes I do....they are opposed to everything except for riding a bike, walking and driving a Prius.

Frank

[jeepinbanditrider]

I think the main reason for the aversion to nuclear power is the fear of an American Cherynobl (SP?). Though if the plant is ran correctly this is nothing to worry about. The Soviet engineers bypassed a lot of safties and such in their test and screwed the pooch royaly.

I would personally have no qualms with some new nuclear power plants being built. the only thing I would worry about is thier potential to be targets of Terror attacks. Various reports have found that security at these places is laughable at best.