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It might be nice to have a big semi-truck and drive it up and down the boulevard all day, showing off. But with diesel already at $4 a gallon, it's just a fantasy.
Well - inasmuch as the average American family does not have a "big semi-truck" - I don't think too many are part of such fantasies
It peaked in the mid 70's from congressional investiagtions.In the US our usage verus our output there was no long a surplus as of the late 60's. If you mean how much oil is left in the ground ;well that is not clear as many like the saudi's will not release a estimate of how much is left in their fields.But you might want to look at where the oil producing countires are investing their profits.
I believe that we have all heard the lament of the US petroleum industry that they are unable to expand crude oil refining capacity in the US due to a staggering amount of US environmental and permitting procedures that make in financially impractical to increase US crude oil refining capacity. We've heard that there hasn't been a new refinery built in the US in over 30 years.
You've heard wrong.
“As observed over the last few years and as projected well into the future, the most critical factor facing the refining industry on the West Coast is the surplus refining capacity, and the surplus gasoline production capacity. The same situation exists for the entire U.S. refining industry. Supply significantly exceeds demand year-round. This results in very poor refinery
margins, and very poor refinery financial results. Significant events need to occur to assist in reducing supplies and/or increasing the demand for gasoline.â€
Amtrak is a great example, it couldn't stay afloat without government subsidies. A national rail line isn't the issue...local transit is. Further, for those that live in the suburbs and drive to many different locations a rail system cannot accomodate them. On top of that, America loves its cars and the freedom it gives them. I have to drop my daughter off at a daycare before work, it is not on the way to work...am I expected to add 1 hour to my commute so I can hop onto several different buses? Forget it.
When gas is $4.50/gallon I bet many people and entities will be willing to tell the Al Gore types to stick it.
Not if we are driving Hydrogen Fuel Cell, Electric, Propane and other alternative fuels...
Not if we are driving Hydrogen Fuel Cell, Electric, Propane and other alternative fuels...
There is a problem with all of these power sources. First, the energy density as a function of volume is significantly less than gasoline or an alcohol. This means either most of the volume of the vehicle has to store fuel to get the range of a gasoline powered car. Also, is a car that needs to be refueled every 40-60 miles acceptable to the American driver. Second, reliability. Fuel cells are known to be tempermental and often breakdown and quit working. Would a $40,000 hydrogen car using fuel cells be such a good value if it broke down and needed a new set of fuel cells every few months. Third, safety, compressed gas tanks and propane tanks compressed to the point of gas liquifaction will produce quite an explosion and if ignited quite a fireball if punctured and there is an ignition source. Is a car or SUV with such a fuel tank acceptable if in a collision there is a good chance it will explode and blow the **** out of the vehicles driver, passengers, the vehicle that collides with it and on a busy road most of the vehicles near the colliding vehicles.
I believe that we have all heard the lament of the US petroleum industry that they are unable to expand crude oil refining capacity in the US due to a staggering amount of US environmental and permitting procedures that make in financially impractical to increase US crude oil refining capacity. We've heard that there hasn't been a new refinery built in the US in over 30 years.
So. haw about building refineries in off shore locations such as Cuba, Haiti, The Dominican Republican Republic and other nearby off shore locations? These off shore locations don't have any of the environmental regulations that hamstring building refineries and other petroleum processing installations. The governments of these off off shore refinery locations would benefit from the construction work afforded the local economy and partake of the revenue derived from the the refinery process and refined products. The oil and refining companies could still make a healthy profit because of the lower cost of doing business in these off shore locations and the US would be afforded additional supplies of petroleum products. With the use of supertankers, the transportation costs from the crude oil sources to the refinery location then to the US would be minimized. IMO, this is a win-win situation for the petroleum exporting companies, the off shore refinery locations and the US petroleum market.
Well ;we are already getting refined product shipped into this country already. Instead of expanding refineries here one just annouced they will not build a cracking unit here as earlier announced but in the netheralnds. The oil companies have also started looking into investing more overseas to join the exporting to this country instead of fighting to produce more here.One day soon we maybe looking at sending $5.00 a gallon overseas; not just the cost of crude.Thye Us will become a pure importing country and really pay the price similar like we are with China.China is buying up all teh crude contrcts they can now to include refineries so they may buy ours.
Last edited by texdav; 06-25-2009 at 08:39 PM..
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