Could it be that it isn't Islamic Extremists clamping down on the valve
or Environmental Wackos preventing the siting of additional refineries
that is causing the current run up in prices?

Could it be that rather than campaigning to build new refineries (and
meeting insurmountable opposition from NIMBY's and greenies)
big oil is quietly closing down existing refineries all across the
country? Does selling a little less product for a lot more money put
BIG BUCKS in big oil's bib overalls?

Why did the State of California have to force Shell Oil to accept a
check for $130 million dollars from an independent oil company willing
to buy a refinery that Shell wanted to demolish? Could it be that
demolishing the refinery and raising prices for gasoline due to "short
supply" was going to make Shell a lot more money than the $130 million
it recieved for selling the refinery?

General question: We hear all this rhetoric about environmentalists
preventing the construction of an adequate number of refineries. Does
anybody know of a specific, recent, case where an oil company tried to
build a refinery and the attempt was thwarted by environmentalists?
Would be interesting to see a cite.


http://www.consumerwatchdog.org/energy/gasprices/