No gas deliveries??

Weird thing...my friend in Honey Brook, PA (west of Philly) said he went to get gas yesterday and was told there were no gas deliveries. He just called me on his cell phone and said he drove by at least 8 other gas stations (all different chains) --all closed down.

Wonder if we're on the verge of a gas shortage?

Interesting. We had two trucks turned away from an Iowa pipeline loadout yesterday. They were to pick up jet fuel bound for a commercial airport but were told that there is a temporary hold on all JP, kerosene and avgas products due to some refineries being off line. Current product on hand at this pipeline is being reserved for military use until production picks up again. A different supplier 80 miles south in Missouri had no problem in providing the product for the commercial airport.

Call me a conspiracy nut, but...

Several large oil companies here in the Greasy White North have cancelled or scaled back refinery construction and upgrades over the last few years. Every year we see dire predictions of (and real examples of) shortages, pleas to cut down on consumption (which is happening), and oil company profits going up. I think the oil companies are loving this teetering on the brink of a shortage, and the high retail prices we all put up with because of this.

Interestingly, the big capital projects that HAVEN'T slowed down (except for the odd political hiccup) are the ones that will ship Canadian gas, crude, and refined oil to China. I don't see any Chinese film stars protesting pipe line construction.
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oil is under $90/barrel.. and gasoline has risen to 4-5/gallon in most parts of the country.

40/barrel was around $1 a gallon. You do the math.
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Janice

Call me a conspiracy nut, but...

Several large oil companies here in the Greasy White North have cancelled or scaled back refinery construction and upgrades over the last few years. Every year we see dire predictions of (and real examples of) shortages, pleas to cut down on consumption (which is happening), and oil company profits going up. I think the oil companies are loving this teetering on the brink of a shortage, and the high retail prices we all put up with because of this.

Interestingly, the big capital projects that HAVEN'T slowed down (except for the odd political hiccup) are the ones that will ship Canadian gas, crude, and refined oil to China. I don't see any Chinese film stars protesting pipe line construction.

Here is an industry web site with some answers to your questions.

Oil Price Net

Main problem is refining capacity. No new refineries have been build since 1976 and I know of several that have closed down. Even if we can get oil we lack the capacity to process it at the levels we are consuming it.

Feel free. I seem to be become something of an energy expert. I have been invited to speak at the Bioneers conference later this month on the evolution of energy markets.

Feel free. I seem to be become something of an energy expert. I have been invited to speak at the Bioneers conference later this month on the evolution of energy markets.

Thanks Carlos. So any algae fuel?

Not sold on the idea yet. I have conducted due diligence review on two companies that claim to be ready for market, but they are just kidding themselves. There is potential but water is a big issue. I know one possible solution but it would require some international cooperation that is not present at the moment. Bottom line, don't invest in Algae yet.

UK Government wants on-shore and off-shore wind farms, UK public doesn't. Public want to install solar panels, local planning says no. At the rate we are going, we'll need 1000 hamsters running in wheels to power a light bulb!

Any rapeseed bio fuels in the USA?

UK Government wants on-shore and off-shore wind farms, UK public doesn't. Public want to install solar panels, local planning says no. At the rate we are going, we'll need 1000 hamsters running in wheels to power a light bulb!

Any rapeseed bio fuels in the USA?

they keep trying to get us to eat that stuff(known as Canola oil here).
As a result we have some rather suspect foods.
Bio-diesel fuels are around, and they do have people picking up the used cooking oils to convert now. Still not the norm.

We've been eating canola oils here in Canada as long as I can remember. Not as healthy as olive oil, but tasty and cheap. It is used in lots of processed foods.

Bio diesel and pump gas are growing in Canada, but this is changing land use and driving up food prices. Big debate here about the ethics of planting more and more corn for energy when people are starving around the world.

Carlos, if the demand for oil is still there (despite conservation efforts) and the public is paying prices that 10 years ago would have seemed impossible, why aren't investors lining up to build new refineries?
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We've been eating canola oils here in Canada as long as I can remember. Not as healthy as olive oil, but tasty and cheap. It is used in lots of processed foods.

Bio diesel and pump gas are growing in Canada, but this is changing land use and driving up food prices. Big debate here about the ethics of planting more and more corn for energy when people are starving around the world.

Carlos, if the demand for oil is still there (despite conservation efforts) and the public is paying prices that 10 years ago would have seemed impossible, why aren't investors lining up to build new refineries?

We've been eating canola oils here in Canada as long as I can remember. Not as healthy as olive oil, but tasty and cheap. It is used in lots of processed foods.

Bio diesel and pump gas are growing in Canada, but this is changing land use and driving up food prices. Big debate here about the ethics of planting more and more corn for energy when people are starving around the world.

Carlos, if the demand for oil is still there (despite conservation efforts) and the public is paying prices that 10 years ago would have seemed impossible, why aren't investors lining up to build new refineries?

In California, at least, it is a combination of things: regulatory hurdles, environmentalist opposition, and in some cases local residents fighting expansion or trying to force the shutdown of facilities that were there and operating long before they moved in next door.