Our local pump prices have been dropping to lows unseen in, what?, ten years?? Why?

HardCorps
reply to post by tovenar

 

.there is one new one and several plants have been expanded...

all in all production is up while demand continues to fall

Hardcorps, notice the quotes around "newest" in the press release:

There were a total of 143 operable petroleum refineries in the United States as of January 1, 2013.

The "newest" refinery in the United States began operating in 2008 in Douglas, Wyoming. However, the newest refinery with atmospheric distillation capacity greater than 100,000 barrels per day began operating in 1977 in Garyville, Louisiana.

The plants in Wyoming are all "brownfield" plants: listed as "new", but actually built on the same spot as a previous facility, using the same tanks and fractioning towers.

Notice the second line about the newest refinery with more that 100k bbd was built in .... 1977...

This newspaper story says that "Dakota Prairie Refinery, when complete, will be the first greenfield refinery built in the U.S. since 1976"


I may not have been all right, but I wasn't all wrong, either.

EDIT TO ADD:

For those not familiar with the terms, "Greenfield" means a building constructed on "virgin", previously unused, land. "Brownfield" means a building that has been repurposed, or built on the same spot as a previous structure.

reply to post by nwtrucker


$2.99 here so far (Middle TN), I can't even remember the last time I seen gas prices start with a 2...

Staroth
reply to post by nwtrucker

 

$2.99 here so far, I can't even remember the last time I seen gas prices start with a 2...

Probably around 2009 depending on you area of the country.

reply to post by tovenar


No your not wrong

Exxon and Shell have both gone on record as saying with big push to change how we drive, gas to ... whatever... they see no future in building new refineries.... Exxon is right there on the front lines when it comes to LPG and Hydrogen production though...

I guess you could say everything is on hold to see which way the wind blows... In the minds of big Oil, oil/gas is a dying market... the trick will be to get a jump on whatever replaces oil/gas ???

personally I think someone should look into the feasibility of ground up politicians and lawyer as a possible fuel source?
Frankly I don't care if it works or not... I just want a turn at running the grinder...winkz

reply to post by HardCorps


Ha! you you could have a fundraiser charging a buck a turn at the handle!

I really don't know, but I have the feeling that pretty much ALL the players in oil are being "economical with the truth." As if it were a non-renewable resource!

-The oil refineries gripe about constraints from the EPA; but if it wasn't for the restrictions on growth, they'd have a lot more competition, and the price of gas would be a lot lower than it is.

-The EPA implies that it has to control those greedy capitalist oilmen; but the fact is that their own policies help maintain a status quo for the capitalists in an industry with tons of influence (or maybe "barrels of influence) in the nation's capitol. And their policies mean that the refining that does happen in the USA is some of the dirtiest on record.... an ironic stance for the guardians of our fragile earth, to say the least

-The President openly talked in his first term about reducing America's oil usage. Of course he wasn't thinking of Al Gore's personal jet, or his own use of Air Force One. He was talking about me driving to work by myself, with no carpool. The wreck of the economy, and subsequent "flat recovery" have reduced our oil usage by 11%, so I guess that's mission accomplished?

-Exxon and GE own/operate most of the wind farms, through shell corporations. Ironic, since they get government subsidies for "research." But after you've built 10,000 units, what are you really researching? How long the public will pay for an unprofitable technology?

reply to post by tovenar


Another side "benefit" to pumping it out as fast as they can, following in Putin's pumping of Russian crude for all it's worth, is screwing O.P.E.C. and their controlled production rates-read that price fixing.

I hope their aspirin sales are soaring.

reply to post by nwtrucker


By the way, I checked the gas prices for Washington St. and it's between 6 and 7 years since the prices were that low.

I know, I know, check first, then opine...LOL

Fuel prices have come down here too- it's now $8.75/US gallon for diesel and slightly less for petrol.

And people here are protesting about the possibility of fracking!

Well.... then you pay the same for a gallon as we here in Norway do for a litre! ($2.50)

But then.... one litre of beer on the local pub will cost me $25 !!

reply to post by nwtrucker


Here in SW Montanta, prices have dropped $0.70/gallon in about 6 weeks. Lowest prices I have seen in 3 or 4 years.

reply to post by nwtrucker


It's because we don't have a greedy Texas' president any more. While bush was in office, the price of gas hit record highs. It's because he owns many oil platforms. Making him rich!

reply to post by nwtrucker


Just filled up this morning - Something like 3.29 for premium - I was ecstatic. I've been paying roughly $4 / gallon for a couple years now, it seems...

As a petrol-head, this is exciting news to me; but I do wonder what is spurring such a drop. I'm not gonna complain though >_>

reply to post by nwtrucker


Gasoline is the psychological catalyst for the economy...that's my opinion. I've been watching it for years. Always comes down for the holidays (OPTIMISM-SPEND SPEND SPEND!!!) as a boost to the retail economic market indicators.

It is also the GREAT PACIFIER... Right now, it's soothing the WOUNDS that OBAMACARE has inflicted on MILLIONS in this country.

No, I don't have a link

I got gas two days ago for $2.98/gallon. I live in smack dab in the middle of Ohio.

reply to post by Famouszor


Interesting point. By that logic Obama has been even greedier for five years and has suddenly seen the light??

Texas, eh? How's the "fertilizer business" doing these days?......

Miami, Oklahoma here. 2.80 a gallon, just over the Missouri border in Seneca it's 2.68. I haven't seen it that cheap in a while, but I still miss the days of 1.00 a gallon gas when I was in High School.

reply to post by nwtrucker


I live in Southern Ohio and my husband I were just discussing this, he had to get gas this morning and gas was $2.99 in several places. We were amazed at how cheap gas prices are right now and a little like WTH is going on anyway?

Free energy is on the way. I predicted this petrol price reduction as
we approached D-day. Prices will continue to drop.

$2.84 in Puyallup, Wa. at Costco.

reply to post by nwtrucker

In Australia we pay about $7.20 per gallon (@ $1.60/litre) I remember when I used to pay .55/litre, Long gone are those days.