We need more refineries for all the Oil we can produce. The EPA and it’s regulations are closing them down and not a new refinery has been built for thirty years or more.
We could replace 100% of our imported oil with domestic production and still not reach the capacities of our existing refineries.
We do NOT have a refinery shortage. Even running at the 85~90% capacity, we are exceeding all of our usage.
Any refinery capacity added today would either be idle, or used for export. We don't use what we have already.
not a new refinery has been built for thirty years or more.
But we have expanded the heck out of the existing ones. That is why our capacity has grown in spite of closing some older, less efficient refineries.
It is far more cost effective to expand an existing refinery where utilities like hydrogen production, steam, electrical power can be shared and make use of the existing connecting pipelines.