I think it’s more like 98% capacity, LK, and I believe I have also heard that we’re actually importing refined oil in addition to crude, because our refineries can’t meet the demand.

But I am a biomedical engineer, so I know a lot more about mucus than I do about oil.

http://www.wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=65111

In the United States, there is strong pressure to prevent the development of new refineries, and no major refinery has been built in the country since Marathon’s Garyville, Louisiana facility in 1976. However, many existing refineries have been expanded during that time. Environmental restrictions and pressure to prevent construction of new refineries may have also contributed to rising fuel prices in the United States.[8] Additionally, many refineries (over 100 since the 1980s) have closed due to obsolescence and/or merger activity within the industry itself. This activity has been reported to Congress and in specialized studies not widely publicised.

Let me tell you from the wholesaler POV, when a portion of a refinery goes down for maintenance, the price of fuel charged by the fuel companies to the wholesalers jumps a lot. Then the wholesaler has to pass that expense to the street (the stores). And the wholesaler is still locked into his one or two cent a gallon profit margin. The biggest margins are realized by the fuel companies and sometimes the street.

When people can get over the “not in my backyard syndrome”, then some things can change. Yeah, refineries on your city’s horizon aren’t beautiful but they employ people and they are a huge factor in the supply & demand equation.

I don’t bitch about Big Oil. Like you, having been in the industry, I know the factors are huge. Between speculation, R&D, exploration, litigation expenses and processing, the fuel supply expenses by Big Oil are huge. And guess what, they are in the business to make money, not to run a charity. And I agree, if people want to see changes, they have to do what they can to control what is within their control. And maybe the next time someone wants a refinery built or an oil field mined, they can think beyond themselves for a minute.

Actually all that we really have out here to do for entertainment is frequent the little pub that we built (“bush bar”) and shoot the occasional game of pool. We are in a closed camp out here so there is no women, and there is no towns anywhere near us even if we could get off-site… which is the reason that I run this place.

If not for the site the boredom would be epic in proportions. I mean construction projects on this scale are cool and all, but if you have seen one massive construction project get commissioned that performs mind-boggling functions you’ve seen them all. It get’s a little repetitious and tedious.

I do watch a lot of porn though. That never gets old.

It’s Memorial Weekend so I should be able to sleep in one of those days. I feel like I could use it.

Thanks for asking though! What plans have you for the weekend? What passes for fun in your neck of the world? Seeing as how you ARE the antichrist (but not yet to the level of a baby-eating barney the dinosaur or bi-curious teletubby, for which I am eternally grateful) I would guess you’ll go out and walk on the backs of the downtrodden, smoking skanky cigars, and choosing which one of your TWO cars with whaleskin hubcaps you will take for a drive through a burned out rainforest. Or am I way off the mark?

Man, I need some sleep. I just mentioned barney and teletubbies in the same comment. So very sorry. You realize I was just trying to be repulsive in an entertaining way, don’t you? Hope so.

Later, eh?

You recovered from your trip yet Lemur?

Quite an experience to live in fear, isn’t it?