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If the oil producers want to export the oil we can find new producers that WON’T..

Don't be misled.

The U.S. is now exporting a modest amount of fuel (refined product) from the Gulf Coast.

There is a reason, however.

Normally, the excess production on the Gulf Coast would be sent to the Northeast for consumption.

However, there is insufficient pipeline capacity to handle the excess production. Why? Because the environmentalists have created a legal bottleneck on additional products pipleline capacity.

So, why isn't the excess refined product put on a tanker and shipped to the Northeast?

Because federal law requires that all shipments between U.S. ports employ U.S. flagged ships and fully unionized crews. Which are prohibitively expensive. p> As a consequence, the excess refinery production on the Gulf Coast is exported to Caribbean markets. And the Northeast's requirements are met by imports from Nigeria.

It's more efficient that way!

Environmentalists and the federal government are 99% of what's wrong with our energy situation today.

[ U.S. ports employ U.S. flagged ships and fully unionized crews. ]

Santo and Willard are owned by the UNIONS..
You cannot get elected Mass.. or Penn.. without the Unions..

No Newt.... NO win...

Normally, the excess production on the Gulf Coast would be sent to the Northeast for consumption.

However, there is insufficient pipeline capacity to handle the excess production.

I'm sorry but this is not true. If it was "normally done" how was it done?

If the Northeast isn't getting their gas domestically, then they would be importing more, lowering our net exports.

What has happen is total US demand is down, while our refinery capacity grew over the years with expansions and upgrades of the existing refineries.

Finally, they crossed and we now refine more than we consume. So instead of shutting down a couple more refineries, we import raw crude, keep the jobs in the US, refine it and export a bit.

The East coast imports of refined products is actually down, not up.