Monday, March 26, 2012

If you don't read the newspapers, you're uninformed. If you do read the newspapers, you're misinformed.

At the risk of correcting Mark Twain, here's an example where you get both at once.  It's a twofer!  East Coast loses 50% of its refining capacity:

In 2011, Sunoco shuttered its 178,000 bpd refinery in Marcus Hook, Pennsylvania after it said it received no bids. The refinery, which began operation in 1902, is being evaluated by a regional board as to what the best use will be.

Sunoco has said it will close down its 335,000 bpd Philadelphia refinery, the nation's longest continuously running plant, by July 1 if there are no buyers.

ConocoTrainer also idled its 185,000 bpd refinery in nearby Trainer, Pennsylvania in late September. The company says it continues to seek a buyer.

All three refineries are in a 12-mile radius.
700,000 bpd of refining capacity have been idled.  With gas at $4/gal there were no bidders?  How come?  Migraine headaches? George W. Bush?  Space aliens?  The article doesn't say. 

It's what's not said that demonstrates the bias.  What's the over/under on either the Federal or the Pennsylvania EPA regulations making these too costly to continue refining oil into gasoline?  The suspicion is that in a election year, you can't handle the truth ...



The MSM has a greater responsibility than you can possibly fathom, prole.

Via Ace.

10 comments:

bluesun said...

But the fourth estate makes such a pretty little lap dog for the judicial branch, don't you think?

Quizikle said...

Can I speculate that without a reduction in refining capability, gasoline supplies may be sufficient to not only lower prices but to discourage development of inefficient "alternative" energy companies?
Q

Anonymous said...

They are probably moving the plant to a state/county/city/other jurisdiction, where the bribes are more affordable, or the unions are weaker.

What made them think that there are no market forces at work on governments? If they charge too much, their customers will go to their competitors.

Old NFO said...

It IS the EPA and the local eco-nazis... sigh

Lissa said...

Watching the press gear up to get their boyfriend re-elected leaves me longing for a hot bath. Full of bleach.

notDilbert. said...

I don't understand why nobody wants our 110 year old refinery that is no longer near any source of crude. We have lots of paperwork from ( deceased ) plant operators (claiming) to show there were no hazordus waste spills into the goundwater. ....... and as to the differences in input and production volumes, thoose are likely just paperwork errors..... or they went up in the flares .... or evaporation.

We didn't spill anything, just ask our Lawyers if you don't belive us. Cleaning up the site of that old refinery should be a snap. The site would make a great site for a Wind Farm or Solar Energy plant.


We promise.......

Dave H said...

Cleaning up the site of that old refinery should be a snap.

Sure. Just drop a lit match and run.

Borepatch said...

It seems that you already have a site that's polluted. Rather than opening a new site and polluting that, why not just keep using the existing one?

Seems better for Mother Gaia.

kahr40 said...

Yes but not the current administration and we have to have our priorities.

Paul, Dammit! said...

BP, I'm running oil and and out of those plants right, and I mean RIGHT now, and I can't say too much as I'm working on a Sun contract and I don't want to give my employers a hotfoot while Sun is footing the bill. BUT, everything explaining what's going in is in the medial if one looks for it. PM forthcoming.