Kannafoot has info on a bill that has been introduced to construct more refineries:
Representative Joe Barton (R – TX) introduced legislation entitled the “Gasoline for America's Security Act of 2005” intended to streamline the construction and deployment of additional oil refineries in the US. The measure is listed as H. R. 3893.Mr. Barton raises some excellent points in the overview of this important piece of legislation. The last new refinery conducted in the US opened in 1976. Since 1981, 176 oil refineries have closed. Much of the capacity being handled by those 176 refineries has been absorbed by more efficient refineries that are in operation today, however it underscores the scope of additional capacity we would enjoy had those refineries remained in operation.
Of course the outrage will be loud on the Donkey side as it's a bill introduced by a Republican from Texas (the worst kind). The NIMBY's will be up in arms as well as the alternative fuel nuts. We do need more fuel choices, but anything that is remotely economical is at least two decades off.
In the present, we need more and better refining facilities. These facilities should be strategically located away from known hurricane zones and should be built with safety and security in mind.
Tuesday, September 27, 2005
Sanity in the Future?
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"These facilities should be strategically located away from known hurricane zones and should be built with safety and security in mind."
I am not sure that is possible. Most of the oil they would refine will come in by Super Tanker. Yes, you can ship raw oil inland, but that is more expensive and except for the times when the refinery would be effected by a hurricane (a few weeks out of a decade in most cases) they would be less efficient and unable to compete with other refinerys.
Now spreading them out so one hurricane doesn't impact them all is a good idea.
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