- Joined
- Jul 6, 2010
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- Broken beyond repair but highly affable
Here's the catch-adding refinery capacity at the rate you suggest creates more product and much lower prices....supposedly, according to supply and demand, IF THE SUPPLY REMAINS HIGH.
If NOT, there will be nothing to refine at some of those plants and the price goes to hell.
The producer might temporarily benefit but it may not be worth expansion on their part because the market has to extend into the future for some time, and OPEC/Saudi Arabia gets the message to intervene.
Massive infrastructure improvement becomes counterintuitive over shorter terms. Then you have to step lightly on people's toes (NIMBY).
The oil and gas industry operates on futures contracts, a promise of delivery that should normally keep supplies predictable and steady. Regional producers help to fill in gaps but as you have seen it's a highly volatile situation, boom and bust happen quickly.
If there were a lot more refineries it wouldn't make a difference for the fact that they still have to shut down periodically to adjust production for seasonal products. Gasoline is tailored for summer and winter to ease pollution and the percentage of output shifts between vehicle needs in spring and heating for winter. This isn't really an EPA/government issue as much as standard industry practice.
If NOT, there will be nothing to refine at some of those plants and the price goes to hell.
The producer might temporarily benefit but it may not be worth expansion on their part because the market has to extend into the future for some time, and OPEC/Saudi Arabia gets the message to intervene.
Massive infrastructure improvement becomes counterintuitive over shorter terms. Then you have to step lightly on people's toes (NIMBY).
The oil and gas industry operates on futures contracts, a promise of delivery that should normally keep supplies predictable and steady. Regional producers help to fill in gaps but as you have seen it's a highly volatile situation, boom and bust happen quickly.
If there were a lot more refineries it wouldn't make a difference for the fact that they still have to shut down periodically to adjust production for seasonal products. Gasoline is tailored for summer and winter to ease pollution and the percentage of output shifts between vehicle needs in spring and heating for winter. This isn't really an EPA/government issue as much as standard industry practice.