Industry Depends on Realistic Oil Policy
In the wake of Hurricane Katrina and the subsequent landfall of Hurricane Rita, many have emptied their hearts toward alleviating the pain and anguish that many Americans have felt or will feel. The public outpouring to hurricane victims has once again displayed the generosity and overall good will of the American spirit. Many volunteers have donated their time and efforts to help salvage any type of remnants to help the affected once again get on with their lives.
Unfortunately, this national tragedy also exposed the vulnerability of the United States petroleum refining capacity. Within a matter of weeks, about one-third of the overall U.S. refining capacity has been adversely affected by Katrina and Rita. Such damage to our energy infrastructure should ignite serious debate about the proposition our country should pursue. The essential problem with our country’s capacity to refine oil is that it is extremely inadequate. That a nation with the industrial aptitude of the United States has not constructed a refinery in nearly 25 years is perplexing. Many environmentalist lobby groups have successfully petitioned regulatory commissions to keep refineries from being erected, which have essentially made us more dependent on high quality crude from foreign cartels like OPEC.
There is no conceivable way, at least in the imminent future, that the United States could dissolve the price-fixing entity of OPEC. It is too profitable for the countries involved to stay united and set a universal price for their petroleum. An avenue for diminishing the significance of this cartel is to further establish quality energy sources on the homeland. This means building refineries for converting inferior crude into a usable energy source. It also implies drilling for more petroleum within our borders, effectively allowing the nation to be more self-sufficient.
Furthermore, we should research and develop alternative energy sources, which would allow the nation collectively to ease off the need for petroleum. Oil consumption in the contemporary United States is a cold, hard reality. It would be optimal if the United States could use other, cleaner sources of energy, but such methods take possibly generations to develop. In the meanwhile, significant economic growth depends on the relative cheapness of energy sources such as oil. Instead of erecting excessive barriers to enhanced refinement capacities, this nation should be more accommodating to the consumption needs of its citizens and industry.
This policy dilemma is not about destroying the environment or lining the coffers of oil executives. What the United States deserves is a practical energy initiative that promotes economic vitality and keeps consumption affordable for all citizens. This requires an expansion and diversification of energy resources done in a thoughtful but expeditious time frame. The citizenry deserves such resolve from officials in Washington.
Unfortunately, this national tragedy also exposed the vulnerability of the United States petroleum refining capacity. Within a matter of weeks, about one-third of the overall U.S. refining capacity has been adversely affected by Katrina and Rita. Such damage to our energy infrastructure should ignite serious debate about the proposition our country should pursue. The essential problem with our country’s capacity to refine oil is that it is extremely inadequate. That a nation with the industrial aptitude of the United States has not constructed a refinery in nearly 25 years is perplexing. Many environmentalist lobby groups have successfully petitioned regulatory commissions to keep refineries from being erected, which have essentially made us more dependent on high quality crude from foreign cartels like OPEC.
There is no conceivable way, at least in the imminent future, that the United States could dissolve the price-fixing entity of OPEC. It is too profitable for the countries involved to stay united and set a universal price for their petroleum. An avenue for diminishing the significance of this cartel is to further establish quality energy sources on the homeland. This means building refineries for converting inferior crude into a usable energy source. It also implies drilling for more petroleum within our borders, effectively allowing the nation to be more self-sufficient.
Furthermore, we should research and develop alternative energy sources, which would allow the nation collectively to ease off the need for petroleum. Oil consumption in the contemporary United States is a cold, hard reality. It would be optimal if the United States could use other, cleaner sources of energy, but such methods take possibly generations to develop. In the meanwhile, significant economic growth depends on the relative cheapness of energy sources such as oil. Instead of erecting excessive barriers to enhanced refinement capacities, this nation should be more accommodating to the consumption needs of its citizens and industry.
This policy dilemma is not about destroying the environment or lining the coffers of oil executives. What the United States deserves is a practical energy initiative that promotes economic vitality and keeps consumption affordable for all citizens. This requires an expansion and diversification of energy resources done in a thoughtful but expeditious time frame. The citizenry deserves such resolve from officials in Washington.
posted by Tom Car at
6:51 PM
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