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California’s Foreign-Oil Problem
Wall Street Journal ^ | Seprtember 30, 2019

Posted on 10/01/2019 5:58:14 AM PDT by karpov

Following the attacks on Saudi Arabia’s oil facilities last month, many forecasters warned that gas prices would spike. Yet prices have hardly budged—except in California, where they are surging due to policies that have made the state more reliant on foreign oil.

Gas prices in the Golden State have shot up 30 cents a gallon in the last week amid problems at in-state refineries to a statewide average of $4.03 a gallon and may be headed higher. Prices rose a mere 10 cents nationwide in the week after the attacks on Saudi facilities and have since ticked down a few cents.

A big reason gas prices didn’t spike after the Saudi attack is growing U.S. shale oil production, which has doubled since 2012 to about 12.5 million barrels a day and added about six million barrels to global supply. This has more than offset the 5.7 million barrels that were temporarily knocked out of Saudi production.

Yet oil production in California has declined about 18% since 2012 as older wells are exhausted and regulatory costs make it less profitable to drill new ones. California has made up for its declining domestic production by importing more foreign oil by tanker, especially from, you guessed it, Saudi Arabia—which emits more CO2.

Regulatory costs have also forced many refiners in the state to close. The California Energy Commission notes that “the cost of complying with environmental regulations and low product prices will continue to make it difficult to continue operating older, less efficient refineries.” Few refineries outside of the state produce the unique fuel blends required by California.

Thus when California refineries experience problems, retailers must import foreign gasoline at steep prices, a challenge partly exacerbated by the outages in Saudi Arabia.

(Excerpt) Read more at wsj.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; US: California
KEYWORDS: gasoline; oil
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1 posted on 10/01/2019 5:58:14 AM PDT by karpov
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To: karpov

Well....duh


2 posted on 10/01/2019 6:00:53 AM PDT by xp38
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To: karpov

It appears self righteousness has a cost!


3 posted on 10/01/2019 6:02:47 AM PDT by heshtesh
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To: karpov

My give a damn meter started running backwards.


4 posted on 10/01/2019 6:04:39 AM PDT by VTenigma (The Democrat party is the party of the mathematically challenged)
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To: karpov

New poll says half of California’s voters have been considering leaving the state

https://www.kusi.com/new-poll-says-half-of-californias-voters-have-been-considering-leaving-the-state/


5 posted on 10/01/2019 6:05:41 AM PDT by READINABLUESTATE (You cannot solidify control and power over people who are able to defend themselves.)
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To: karpov

One of the mysteries of the multiverse is how liberals/progressives mess up everything they touch, yet folks keep believing that these morons have a solution to all the world’s problems. CA’s jokester legislators prove that yes, they can eff up a wet dream.


6 posted on 10/01/2019 6:09:08 AM PDT by Da Coyote (eh)
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To: heshtesh

Why, WHY the hell would anyone live in a State like CA?


7 posted on 10/01/2019 6:09:47 AM PDT by billyboy15
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To: karpov

My in-laws live in California, Placer County to be precise. They’re kind, loving, gracefully aging hippies. But their arms would snap off if they tried to vote for a Republican.

So when it gets windy there they deal with the intentional power outages. They pay outrageous prices for gasoline. Their electric rates are insane. They live in fear of catastrophic wild fires.

And who do they blame for these conditions?

Republicans and Big Business, of course. Never once do they consider that the politicians in California bear any responsibility for things.

So to keep peace in the family I simply don’t discuss politics with them any more. Other than the occasional “this is what the voters of California want, apparently”, that is.

L


8 posted on 10/01/2019 6:11:43 AM PDT by Lurker (Peaceful coexistence with the Left is not possible. Stop pretending that it is.)
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To: billyboy15

I used to fly to Vegas every couple years with friends and rent Harley’s and ride into California for a few days, stopped that 5-6 years ago. Way to much stupid going on in California for me to spend my money there.


9 posted on 10/01/2019 6:14:42 AM PDT by heshtesh
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To: karpov
Few refineries outside of the state produce the unique fuel blends required by California

And every one of them should STOP making the special Ca blend, especially if they are in a State Banned from Travel by Ca.
10 posted on 10/01/2019 6:21:55 AM PDT by eyeamok
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To: Lurker
They’re kind, loving, gracefully aging hippies.

Yep. I have some some highly educated, extremely nice in laws that would die before voting Republican.

The reality is that these are the people that have destroyed the republic with their lemming like leftist voting. Not the evil, sickos on the left - they would have no power at all were it not for these kind, well meaning fools who blindly continue to enable them.

11 posted on 10/01/2019 6:28:01 AM PDT by ChildOfThe60s (If you can remember the 60s........you weren't really there)
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Yeah the CA liberal leftists have so many environmental concerns but it is ok to pee and crap on the sidewalks amid portable landfills...residents deserve what they vote in...


12 posted on 10/01/2019 6:30:15 AM PDT by TnTnTn
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To: ChildOfThe60s

“were it not for these kind, well meaning fools who blindly continue to enable them.“

It’s painful to watch. Other than this blind spot the size of Texas they’re wonderful people.

L


13 posted on 10/01/2019 6:30:55 AM PDT by Lurker (Peaceful coexistence with the Left is not possible. Stop pretending that it is.)
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To: READINABLUESTATE

I hope most of them stay put. These are the ones, for the most part, who voted for the politicians who have implemented all of these destructive policies. If these people move elsewhere, they will bring with them the same mindset that has helped to destroy California. They are like a swarm of locusts looking for another place to devour.


14 posted on 10/01/2019 6:30:58 AM PDT by JGPhila
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To: billyboy15

Need a bumper sticker??

VOTE DEM OUT!!


15 posted on 10/01/2019 6:36:14 AM PDT by hapnHal
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To: Lurker

“My in-laws live in California, Placer County to be precise. “

Then it’s likely you have been there?

You know, California Gold Country. Indisputably the most beautiful place on earth.

Up thread somebody asked why anyone would live here. It’s obvious he’s not seen it.


16 posted on 10/01/2019 6:38:13 AM PDT by Mariner (War Criminal #18)
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To: Mariner

I’ve seen tremendous natural beauty in some places too. But the people there wanted to kill me.

CA has a similar problem, it’s not so much the natural beauty, but the far left policy and damnable laws against liberty.


17 posted on 10/01/2019 6:48:15 AM PDT by Manly Warrior (US ARMY (Ret), "No Free Lunches for the Dogs of War")
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To: Manly Warrior

If you can afford the outrageous cost of living and taxes, the state doesn’t interfere much in your liberty.

Yes, the gun laws suck. But nobody pays them any attention, and unless you’re committing violent crimes they don’t know who is breaking those laws.

The irony now is that I want the US EPA to enforce water quality laws that California EPA won’t.

I often shop at the local hippy organic co-op. I sometimes get dirty looks over an American flag t-shirt, but nobody dares to say sh!t.


18 posted on 10/01/2019 7:04:26 AM PDT by Mariner (War Criminal #18)
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To: Lurker

Just a tip—you can have a positive impact on their views _without_ getting them angry.

(I am surrounded by liberals so I deal with this all the time.)

You need to focus on the little contradictions and mention them briefly when the topic comes up.

Fault lines include:
—Obama’s house on Martha’s Vineyard vs his “settled science” claims on climate change
—Muslim’s attitudes towards women
—Black polling numbers on gay rights
—Israel’s restrictive immigration policy
—Big tech censorship of leftists (it is there is you look for it)

There are many others...

You can point out the contradictions gently without drawing any conclusions.

That is how you get false world-views to crash and burn.


19 posted on 10/01/2019 7:10:25 AM PDT by cgbg (Vote Trump or you will _be_ Trump)
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To: Lurker

“this is what the voters of California want, apparently”

From comments at WSJ:
Ban fracking and what do you get?
Another day older and deeper in Saudi debt.
Saint Peter don’t you call me ‘cause I can’t go
I owe my soul to the Sacramento pols…
- Apologies to Tennessee Ernie Ford


20 posted on 10/01/2019 7:12:13 AM PDT by DUMBGRUNT
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