NewEnergyNews: CONGRESS HAS QUESTIONS FOR REFINERS/

NewEnergyNews

Gleanings from the web and the world, condensed for convenience, illustrated for enlightenment, arranged for impact...

The challenge now: To make every day Earth Day.

YESTERDAY

THINGS-TO-THINK-ABOUT WEDNESDAY, August 23:

  • TTTA Wednesday-ORIGINAL REPORTING: The IRA And The New Energy Boom
  • TTTA Wednesday-ORIGINAL REPORTING: The IRA And the EV Revolution
  • THE DAY BEFORE

  • Weekend Video: Coming Ocean Current Collapse Could Up Climate Crisis
  • Weekend Video: Impacts Of The Atlantic Meridional Overturning Current Collapse
  • Weekend Video: More Facts On The AMOC
  • THE DAY BEFORE THE DAY BEFORE

    WEEKEND VIDEOS, July 15-16:

  • Weekend Video: The Truth About China And The Climate Crisis
  • Weekend Video: Florida Insurance At The Climate Crisis Storm’s Eye
  • Weekend Video: The 9-1-1 On Rooftop Solar
  • THE DAY BEFORE THAT

    WEEKEND VIDEOS, July 8-9:

  • Weekend Video: Bill Nye Science Guy On The Climate Crisis
  • Weekend Video: The Changes Causing The Crisis
  • Weekend Video: A “Massive Global Solar Boom” Now
  • THE LAST DAY UP HERE

    WEEKEND VIDEOS, July 1-2:

  • The Global New Energy Boom Accelerates
  • Ukraine Faces The Climate Crisis While Fighting To Survive
  • Texas Heat And Politics Of Denial
  • --------------------------

    --------------------------

    Founding Editor Herman K. Trabish

    --------------------------

    --------------------------

    WEEKEND VIDEOS, June 17-18

  • Fixing The Power System
  • The Energy Storage Solution
  • New Energy Equity With Community Solar
  • Weekend Video: The Way Wind Can Help Win Wars
  • Weekend Video: New Support For Hydropower
  • Some details about NewEnergyNews and the man behind the curtain: Herman K. Trabish, Agua Dulce, CA., Doctor with my hands, Writer with my head, Student of New Energy and Human Experience with my heart

    email: herman@NewEnergyNews.net

    -------------------

    -------------------

      A tip of the NewEnergyNews cap to Phillip Garcia for crucial assistance in the design implementation of this site. Thanks, Phillip.

    -------------------

    Pay a visit to the HARRY BOYKOFF page at Basketball Reference, sponsored by NewEnergyNews and Oil In Their Blood.

  • ---------------
  • WEEKEND VIDEOS, August 24-26:
  • Happy One-Year Birthday, Inflation Reduction Act
  • The Virtual Power Plant Boom, Part 1
  • The Virtual Power Plant Boom, Part 2

    Wednesday, October 10, 2007

    CONGRESS HAS QUESTIONS FOR REFINERS

    Others have made this same point. See OPEC SAYS BLAME REFINERS and NOT FINE AT REFINERIES

    US GAO to study refining capacity, gasoline prices
    Nick Snow, September 26, 2007 (Oil & Gas Journal)

    WHO
    The US Government Accountability Office (GAO) (Comptroller General David A. Walker, Gloria L. Jarmon, managing director congressional relations); Sen. Charles E. Schumer (D-NY); Connecticut (Conn) congressional delegation (Rep. Joseph Courtney (D-Conn.), Sens. Christopher Dodd (D) and Joseph I. Lieberman (I); Democratic Reps. Rosa L. DeLauro, John B. Larson and Christopher S. Murphy; and Republican Rep. Christopher Shays); The National Petrochemical & Refiners Association (NPRA) (Executive Vice-Pres. Charles T. Drevna)

    Refinery utilization was down at the beginning of 2007 and remained down through the summer. Why? (click to enlarge)

    WHAT
    In response to congressional requests, the GAO will study the performance of US refineries as it might have impacted gasoline price fluctuations.

    WHEN
    The Conn delegation request was made May 18. Schumer’s request was in mid-May.
    The GAO replied in the affirmative September 24. The investigation will begin later this fall.

    WHERE
    The investigation would pertain to US refineries and done by GAO staff in Washington, D.C.

    WHY
    - 2 requests were made for the GAO investigation, one from Schumer and one from the Conn delegation.
    - The elected representatives were dubious that refinery maintenance, which was blamed for soaring gas prices this past summer, was necessary and proper. They expressed the concern that the refineries may have elected to take their facilities out of service and do the maintenance as a way of driving up prices.
    - An oil refining industry spokesman denied the politicians’ charges. They contend the maintenance was necessary and unavoidable and argue that unscheduled maintenance and diminished output costs them, too.

    Gas prices continue to be what they have been.

    QUOTES
    - Conn delegation May 24 letter: "…a calculated decrease in refining capacity could create an artificial shortage and drive up the cost to consumers."
    - Courtney, for Conn delegation: "Our nation's refiners have operated with little oversight for decades and have suffered little recourse for repeated outages and downtime…This GAO study may help to spur the necessary oversight to stabilize the oil and gas refining industry and prices."
    - Drevna, NPRA: "Domestic refiners are some of the most highly regulated businesses in the country. Report after report has proven that price manipulation does not occur…Economists and national editorial pages have even warned Congress against passing so-called 'price gouging' legislation… The American public could be far better served if its elected officials would work with businesses instead of against them to craft a sensible and realistic energy policy to protect consumers by keeping supplies stable…"

    0 Comments:

    Post a Comment

    << Home