Posted on 09/21/2005 9:08:41 AM PDT by jmc1969
SAN ANTONIO (Reuters) - Valero Energy Corp. (VLO.N: Quote, Profile, Research) Chairman and Chief Executive Bill Greehey said Hurricane Rita's impact on U.S. crude oil production and refining could be a "national disaster."
"If it hits the refineries, and we're short refining capacity, you're going to see gasoline prices well over $3.00 a gallon at the pump," Greehey said in a Tuesday night interview.
Valero became the largest U.S. refiner earlier this year when it completed the purchase of Premcor Inc. Valero operates refineries in Port Arthur, Houston, Texas City and Corpus Christi, Texas -- all potentially in the path of Hurricane Rita.
"It's going to be coming across the (U.S.) Gulf (of Mexico)," Greehey said. "There's a lot of oil platforms, oil rigs, (natural) gas platforms, gas rigs. It could have a significant impact on supply and prices, and then, depending on what it does to the refineries, there are still four refineries that are shut down. So this really is a national disaster."
Refineries in Houston and Texas City process 2.3 million barrels of crude oil or 13.5 percent of daily U.S. refining capacity. The Beaumont-Port Arthur, Texas, refineries account for another 1.1 million barrels in refining capacity.
(Excerpt) Read more at today.reuters.com ...
Gasoline that is $5 or $6 a gallon may actually turn out to be a very good thing. The american public has been sympathetic to the overreaching environmentalists - sympathetic enough that politicians did not dare to cross them.
The American people will not sit still for gas prices that are $5 or $6 per gallon however. This will be the chance to demonstrate that our nation is in a very bad situation with it comes to energy.
I don't have any faith at all in Bush or the GOP senate, but this should be enough for them to push for more drilling, suspension of draconian laws that prevent new refineries and the building of nuclear power plants.
Thanks! I just love this guy. Who is he, BTW?
Well ghee, you mean if I don't bother to build new refinery infrastructure for 15 years while demand goes up I might be vulnerable if something happens? Oh, well no shiete! And what are our God like leaders doing? Definitly not making it easier to setup a refinery, why that would make sense or something.
Stop, stop, relaxing assine laws to build new refineries is the wrong argument. What will the greens say? Why it's best we take the Cali example: sit in darkness and heat but feel ooooh soooo green.
I'm with you, I'll pay $5/gallon not to sit in traffic everyday!
(you know this isn't going to be a popular opinion, right?)
I don't know his name, but he's a regular here on FR! ;)
And have been on fire for over a year...
You're far from the only person who has noticed that. And not to be dogmatic or anything, but many people are suggesting it has to do with our pressure on Israel (as well as the nearness of the messianic era).
Maybe some of that 200 billion could be spent to construct new refineries further away from the ports.
and has been compounding daily since November 2000! Were all doomed!
I wonder if any of these people complaining about price gouging are the same people who drive huge SUVs along the flat paved roads of their suburb.
If there is a shock to our supply, as would be the case if our refining capacity was destroyed, that is going to drive up prices.
Yes Rip -off. tell it to your Grandma.
BIG TIME
LOL...
No, I haven't. But there are plans[dreams?] for desert refineries that I read about in Wired a couple months ago.
I'll try to find the article and post it or a link.
Wish I could say the same.
We are still .20 higher than pre Katrina.
Thought I might dig up something...
"A much-debated oil refinery in Yuma County on Thursday got an air quality permit that state environmental regulators say is the toughest one ever issued.
"If constructed, this will be the cleanest refinery ever built," said Arizona Department of Environmental Quality Director Steve Owen in a news release. ADEQ issued the permit.
The "if" depends on whether Arizona Clean Fuels, the Phoenix-based company that wants to build the refinery, can raise the $2.5 billion it will cost and begin construction within a limited time frame.
The company has raised between $20 million and $30 million from private investors and spent that money over the last five years as it went through the permitting process.
Under state law, the permit is good for five years but will expire if Arizona Clean Fuels does not begin construction within 18 months of the permits effective date of May 14, ADEQ said.
Glenn McGinnis, Arizona Clean Fuels chief executive officer, said he believes the company can raise the necessary capital and start construction in time. McGinnis said a total of 50 individuals have invested money in the project thus far, though most of the capital has come from three investors.
McGinnis said all are U.S. investors and wish to remain anonymous. McGinnis said the company now will seek additional investors and work to get the additional permits the company needs to move forward with their plans. The refinery itself will cost about $2 billion, and a proposed underground crude oil pipeline from Mexico about $500 million.
McGinnis said the company will ask ADEQ for an extension if it can't meet the 18-month deadline.
The refinery would be the first one built in the United States in nearly 30 years. The 150,000 barrel-a-day facility would be located on vacant desert land 40 miles east of Yuma, near Tacna.
Company officials have estimated construction could start in 2006 and be completed in 2009."
I've heard that one talked about for a while. They really wanted to build in PRK, but couldn't get passed Cal-EPA. They will draw water from the Colorado River for process water, cooling water and boiler feed water. Two billion isn't much of a refinery today. I worked a 3.4 billion dollar expansion in 1984 to what is now the Texas City BP-Amoco Plant.
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