The economy is creating another round of refinery closings. Flying J filed for bankruptcy in December. It closed it’s refinery in Bakersfield, Calif., and hasn’t said when or if it will restart production. Sunoco says if it can’t sell a refinery in Tulsa, Okla by the end of the year, it will shut it down. At the same time it looks like GM will file for bankruptcy soon. It will take another $80 billion in taxpayer money to do this.
Wasn’t it just months ago that the oil industry was in the woodshed in Washington to answer for $4 gasoline? Why is there no concern for another round of refinery closings? The government wants refinery closings, they just don’t want $4 gasoline. If the economy turns around ,and gasoline demand comes back, how will we avoid $4 gasoline?
First, the government’s version. The void will be filled by bio fuels, more efficient autos, hybrids, and consumer buying patterns that will permanently lessen demand by fewer miles driven. The bio fuels are to come from perennial grasses and municipal waste.
In China and other parts of the develping world, it’s different. Exxon is starting up a new refinery in China that will feed a network of 750 retail outlets. They forecast China’s gasoline demand to triple by 2030 as the number of cars per capita grows with the economy.
One country going forward, another going in reverse. One doing everything they can do to foster progress and grow the economy. The other doing everything it can to support Global Warming. Who wins in this game?
You can pick your choice.
One thing I know for sure. Whatever gains we make in carbon emissions will be grossly offset by the new emissions China puts in the atmosphere. Whatever taxes we put on carbon to make those gains will be passed on to the consumer. China will be become more competitive for goods and services in the global market and we will be disadvantaged.
The grandiose plans for renewable fuels will be significantly less than promised and far more expensive. Most will be heavily subsidized by tax dollars like ethanol. We will be very dependent on gasoline and diesel for years to come.
As our population grows those missing refineries will be missed more than AIG or GM would be missed.
There will be no one from the government coming forth to save the refineries. When it hits the fan down the road there will be no Exxon to bring to the woodshed. That company will have divested of it’s U.S. assets and they will be busy in China and Brazil producing fossil fuels from crude discoveries and by refining that crude.
We may be starving to death since corn will be too expensive to eat.
Oh man.. sorry about all this…
But just wait until early 2010.. Inflation should hit double digits followed closely by interest rates as well as unemployment. Obama will be hard pressed to blame anyone but himself. He will try and the media will provide cover, but Obama is headed for the wall with his handling of the economy. The train wreck might just be sooner than we all imagined.
The train wreck in Iran and Korea may hit first. Mr. "I’ll talk to them" will get us in another war, probably nuclear, before he realizes they hate him almost as much as some of us are beginning to do. Blah, blah, blah just keeps talking.
Bill
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