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[Doth Togo]

http://web1.nypost.com/business/22624.htm

PROOF YOU'RE GETTING ROBBED AT GAS PUMP

BY JOHN CRUDELE

March 24, 2005 -- HERE'S all you need to know to understand that Americans are getting screwed at the gas pump.

Fact 1: The inventory of crude oil in the U.S. right now is 8 percent larger than it was this same week last year. And that's the biggest amount of crude on hand since the middle of 2002.

Fact 2: That the 8 percent increase doesn't include all the oil purchased by Washington and put into the emergency Strategic Petroleum Reserve, which now has 685 million barrels. That's up from 650 million barrels last year and 599 million in '03.

Fact 3: There is 7.5 percent more gasoline in stock right now in this country than during the same week last year. And you'd have to go back to this same week in 1999 to find more gasoline inventory — when the average price at the pump was only $1.01 a gallon.

Fact 4: Including everything made of oil, there is 4.9 percent more supply this year than when Spring began in 2004. And there's about 10 percent more of all petroleum products in stock today than when the Iraqi war began.

And, finally, Fact 5: American consumers are being conned by speculators — and a media that doesn't ask enough tough questions — into thinking there is some sort of supply problem.

Now here's my No.1 Prediction: If the greedy bottom-feeders who are causing prices to rise end up being responsible for damaging the U.S. economy there will be as much hell to pay on Wall Street as there was when the stock market bubble destroyed people's dreams.

Crude oil prices were down nearly $4 a barrel over the past two days because the goon speculators are starting to lose their grip on the market.

 

[goodcow]

685 million barrels in reserve isn't exactly a lot when we use about 300 million a day.

 

[Doth Togo]

685 million barrels in reserve isn't exactly a lot when we use about 300 million a day.

Prove that the US uses 300 million barrels a day. Show some facts.

- - - - -

http://www.naseo.org/committees/energyproduction/oil/Refining.htm

World refining capacity peaked in 1981 at 81.5 million B/D. Following the collapse in demand in the early 1980’s, capacity shrank to 73 million B/D. It has not yet fully recovered. In 1997, it was still only just over 79 million B/D.

US Refining capacity 1982 - 13,391,776
2002 - 10,423,970 barrels per day

In contrast, the mature markets of North America and Europe saw refinery capacity shrink slightly over this same period. But the decline was a pale shadow of what happened to them a decade earlier. In the late 1970’s, refiners aggressively invested in capacity on the basis that the strong demand growth would continue. When the reverse happened in the first half of the 1980’s, thanks to the second price shock, the impact of the demand drop fell swiftly and severely on refiners: over 1/5 of all the refinery capacity in the two regions was lost in just 5 years, with Europe bearing the brunt.

The U.S. has the largest and by far the most complex refining system in the world, reflecting its being the world’s largest consumer of both oil and transportation fuels (see Graph). However, only Africa has a lower average capacity per refinery than the U.S. level of 94 thousand B/D. The pressing need to minimize unit costs and refining’s pronounced economies of scale strongly suggest that the number of refineries in the U.S. will continue to decline, while those that remain will continue to expand their capacity through debottlenecking.

* The U.S. meets the vast majority of its own refined products needs. However, the degree of self sufficiency varies quite markedly between the regions, due to a mix of history, economics and politics. These differences make the differentials between crude and products, and between the products themselves, wider in some regions and narrower in others.

* The East Coast is at one extreme, refining only 1/3 of what it consumes - a legacy of the 1960’s, when local opposition drove refinery construction to the Caribbean or the Gulf Coast.
* The Midwest’s refining deficit has evolved more recently, as simple, small, local refineries have been forced to close, because of a steady decline in the high quality crude oil production that originally justified their construction.
* The Rocky Mountain refineries evolved, like those in the Midwest, courtesy of abundant local supplies. Declining production was pushing the region toward the same refining-deficit fate until surging Canadian supplies, and new pipeline capacity that makes the Rockies their most economic destination, gave the local refiners a new lease on life.
* On the West Coast, an approximate balance between refinery capacity and local product demand is virtually guaranteed, because of the unusually high cost of moving products either in or out.
* The Gulf Coast is at the other extreme, refining almost twice its own needs and using the surplus mainly to support the East Coast and Midwest markets. The drive toward refining efficiency has accelerated the trend toward increasing Gulf Coast dominance. Half the U.S. refining capacity is now in this one region.


- - - - -

I can't imagine that the US has gone up 285+ million barrels a day in two years, even with the continued increase in popularity of SUVs. Looks like you're wrong, Goodcow.

 

[goodcow]

Looks like you're wrong, Goodcow.

http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/us.html

Oil - consumption:
19.65 million bbl/day (2001 est.)

Wow... indeed I am. How the hell did I have 300 million in my mind?

 

[DarienA]

He may be referencing an article like this one:

The Texas City refinery, the nation's third-largest, has the capacity to run 460,000 barrels of oil per day through its system.

The plant produces 10 million gallons of gasoline on average per day.

That's 2.6 percent of the 380 million gallons of gasoline consumed in the United States each day, according to the Energy Information Administration.

The explosion damaged an isomerization unit, which is used to create high-octane gasoline.

But it's talking about gasoline, not crude oil.

 

[radioheadrule83]

Maybe being robbed at the gas pump should be a more common thing for the world's greatest polluter.

It might also help people realise how shit life's gonna get when these resources are close to gone for good.

 

[border]

But it's talking about gasoline, not crude oil.

More obviously, it's talking about gallons rather than barrels

 

[DarienA]

More obviously, it's talking about gallons rather than barrels

...oh yeah... I knew that.

 

[MASB]

Maybe being robbed at the gas pump should be a more common thing for the world's greatest polluter.

You can't use that cliche anymore. I thought recently, China officially passed the US as the world's biggest polluter? Or was that in consumption? Though some people would say there isn't a difference.

 

[lexi]

Americans complaining about gas prices? Try living in Germany, or most of Europe for that matter.

 

[Doth Togo]

It's not complaining about gas prices. It's complaining on how the Bush administration allows for shit like this to occur.

The whole point of the article was another rant against the foolishness of Bush and his criminal cabinet.

Spoiler

...and for my next trick, watch me segue into John Titor! :lol

 

[ElyrionX]

Well, maybe the US is simply stocking up for another one of it's "excursions" in the Middle East? Korea, perhaps?

*ducks*

 

[LakeEarth]

Proof we're not getting screwed. Look at how much a litre of gas is in Europe. I can't wait till it's 2 bucks a LITRE in the states.

 

[DarienA]

You can't use that cliche anymore. I thought recently, China officially passed the US as the world's biggest polluter? Or was that in consumption? Though some people would say there isn't a difference.

Nope US is still the largest polluter, I do think China's got us in consumption though.

 

[Diablos]

Proof we're not getting screwed. Look at how much a litre of gas is in Europe. I can't wait till it's 2 bucks a LITRE in the states.

Pleasssseee don't say that.

 

[Bristow]

Americans complaining about gas prices? Try living in Germany, or most of Europe for that matter.

Can't you get away with walking or riding a bike in a lot of places in Europe?

 

[DarienA]

God I'm so tired of when one country/group of people complains about something another group feeling the need to chime in and say.. well that's nothing we have to deal with XXXX. It's all relative to your situation, one persons complaining about their 6 digit 2 person household income is another person's wish to have a 6 digital 2 person household income, etc..

 

[AntoneM]

so what has more supply got to do with being screwed a the pump. It doesn't matter how much we have, it matters how much it cost us to get it. Not that I have any sympathy for the oil companies, but this is a very narrow view of the situation.

 

[Shinobi]

Proof we're not getting screwed. Look at how much a litre of gas is in Europe. I can't wait till it's 2 bucks a LITRE in the states.

:lol It's 90 cents Canadian a litre here, inching it's way towards the dreaded $1.

It's all pretty relative...bottom line is that the entire world is getting assfucked by the oil industry, and nobody's doing anything about it. It's simply a disgrace.

Can't you get away with walking or riding a bike in a lot of places in Europe?

Heh, I think that's just a myth...unless you think half the European population lives a mere five minutes away from work. :lol

And hell, there seems to be a convenience store on every half decent street corner in North America, and people still drive their gas-guzzling SUV's a half block just to buy a bag of fucking milk.

 

[WasabiKing]

they sell milk in bags? what kind of country do you live in? I got the point, believe me.

BTW, kids in the US, SUVs are dirt cheap, and they will cut you a discount on the spot off sticker if you're in the market for one.

 

[Avtomat]

I just wish to point out that the reason Europe has sush high prices (well in England anyway £0.86) is primarily due to government taxes on the commodity and not the proposed "assfucking" which was alluded to.
I would also like to point out that crude oil is traded on various exchanges throughout the world and thus its price is vulnerable to the fears of traders/investors.

 

[BigJonsson]

Weren't oil prices supposed to plummet after Iraq was captured?

And yes, China is the biggest polluter I think

 

[SteveMeister]

BTW, kids in the US, SUVs are dirt cheap, and they will cut you a discount on the spot off sticker if you're in the market for one.

No lie. The Chevrolet dealer near where I live was selling Suburbans and Tahoes for $12,000 off. Twelve THOUSAND dollars off. Brand new vehicles.

 

[DonasaurusRex]

Americans complaining about gas prices? Try living in Germany, or most of Europe for that matter.

yeah well at the same time..those countries are rather devoid of resources themselves, and lost alot of their pull after WWII.

 

[Drexon]

Since it's already been covered I might as well cover it again. Article = shit, gasoline has been twice as expensive in europe for decades and decades, stop yer bitchin. =)

 

[Shinobi]

they sell milk in bags? what kind of country do you live in?

That was the same thing I thought when I moved here. :lol Cartons are widley available, but I think most people buy milk bags.

I figured it was a North American thing...guess it's stricly Canadian.

I just wish to point out that the reason Europe has sush high prices (well in England anyway £0.86) is primarily due to government taxes on the commodity and not the proposed "assfucking" which was alluded to.

40 cents for every dollar spent at the pumps here also goes into the government coffers. So it's a double assfucking. And I say the oil industry ass fucks people because of the way the pump prices rise and fall during the week, or even during the day. Going up five or ten cents because some Afghanistan pipe leaked oil that wouldn't have found it's way to these shores for another six months anyway is a complete and utter joke, and completely indefensible. But until the governments of the world decide to do anything about it (the way the rest of the economy is price regulated), it'll never end.

 

[Zensetsu]

Stop yer whineing, you pay like half of what we pay here in Australia.

Also, rofl at milk-bag. What the hell? don't they get punctured and leak etc. :lol

 

[Space Age Playboy]

685 million barrels in reserve isn't exactly a lot when we use about 20 million a day.

Fixed, and still a good point. With all the instability in the middle east it makes sense to keep that reserve if we really need it, not so some jerk in an SUV can pay 50 cents less for a gallon of gas.

 

[Drexon]

***The more you know*** Swedens citicens gets fresh milk straight from the store. We're one of the few countries in the world to be able to do this, cuz we have a large farming society (well, I've never seen it) that can provide companies with constant milk, avoiding the hazzle of making it in powder form etc. It only lasts about 5-7 days though, but it's worth it.

 

[Vormund]

Stop yer whineing, you pay like half of what we pay here in Australia.

Also, rofl at milk-bag. What the hell? don't they get punctured and leak etc. :lol

Yeah, I mean fuck, I payed $1.21 per litre a week ago.

(Admittedly it was Premium)

 

[pestul]

If converted.. we're paying $3/g up here in Newfoundland. That's just for regular too.

 

[SKluck]

It pisses me off not because of the price, but because it changes like the fucking stock market. Prices go up 20 cents over a couple days, don't tell me they paid more for the same fucking gas when they never even got a new load in, the companies are gouging.

 

[Shinobi]

Stop yer whineing, you pay like half of what we pay here in Australia.

Also, rofl at milk-bag. What the hell? don't they get punctured and leak etc. :lol

Amazingly they don't, unless your'e a complete idiot with 'em. I don't think we've punctured a bag once in the 16 years I've lived here.

Fresh milk is pretty much a rumour here...might happen in other parts of the country, but I've never seen it in Toronto. A far cry from England where it was a lot more common place with milk trucks delivering bottles right at the door. Wonder if that's changed much since I've been gone.

Anyway, this whole "quit yer whining" thing when it comes to gas prices is getting old. As was said before, it's all relative.

That's how much the gas prices have changed in this town in the past month (the first chart being in litres which is how we pay, the second chart converting the prices to gallons). In sixteen days the price went up 33%. As Skluck pointed out that's the issue here, and it's a complete and utter sham. Find me another product on the market not called stocks that changes prices that much.

 

[pestul]

Find me another product on the market not called stocks that changes prices that much.

DDR memory

 

[Shinobi]

:lol I know ram goes up and down in price, but going up 33% in 16 days? I doubt it.

 

[Ronok]

"Fresh milk is pretty much a rumour here...might happen in other parts of the country, but I've never seen it in Toronto. A far cry from England where it was a lot more common place with milk trucks delivering bottles right at the door. Wonder if that's changed much since I've been gone."

Ermmm yeah you can still get fresh milk delivered to the door. The milk man riding his slow ass truck is still an every day occurence... ^^;






Oh and, stop complaining.... ¬_¬ *doesn't care about oil prices*

 

[Shinobi]

Oh and, stop complaining.... ¬_¬ *doesn't care about oil prices*

If you don't care, why worry about my complaining? Tend to your own business.

Hell I don't even drive a car so in some respects the issue doesn't affect me personally, but I know a global scale gouging when I see it. It isn't fair, and it isn't right.

 

[Ronok]

A global scare on the price of oil....... Uhuh....... How interesting.....

 

[Iceman]

he said "global scale gouging"

And I agree. But I drive a car (that's really low on gas right now) so I tend to lean this way anywho regarding gas prices.

The excuse during the last huge $$ upswing was the lack of a new/younger labor force in working the off shore drills. No one wants to work in the middle nowhere drilling out crude oil for months on end.. I wonder why. So what's the excuse this time? Same deal.. something new?

 

[Shinobi]

A global scare on the price of oil....... Uhuh....... How interesting.....

That's "scale" you dumb fuck. And again, you say you're not interested, yet you keep returning to this thread. Either say something that would count as being interesting, or shut the fuck up. Seriously.

 

[Incognito]

Canadians and their milk-bags. Just when I thought they couldn't get any funnier...

:lol :lol :lol :lol

 

[Drexon]

BTW. Why is milk about as expensive as gasoline?

 

[Azih]

Milk bags actually rock, they fit perfectly into these special jugs and then you just snip a corner off the bag and you're good to go.


And the article talks about nothing but supply, it should take a look at global demand for the sweet black liquid of death.

And hey you really can find anything on the internet


http://home.cogeco.ca/~husky66/Milk/

btw the actual jug is usually solid white, not the ugly ass flower pattern shown on the site, plus they're taller, so the bag fits even more snugly

Edit: There's also animation! http://home.cogeco.ca/~husky66/Milk/misc/moo.swf

 

[explodet]

EDIT: Never mind.