Don’t most of those Alaska tankers go to Japan?
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The Japan export is basically a false legend. Look at a map.
It is 3,577 miles from Valdez, Alaska to Tokyo, Japan.
It is 1,274 miles from Valdez, Alaska to Anacortes, Washington. (largest Washington refineries)
It is 2,253 miles from Valdez, Alaska to El Segundo, California (major refinery near Los Angeles)
Until 1996 it was illegal to export Alaskan North Slope Crude oil because of the Congressional Approval used to create the pipeline.
In the mid-late 1990’s, because of a glut of oil on the West coast, this was relieved and less than 5% of ANS crude was exported. That quit by 2000.
That is true, exports of US crude have been restricted for decades although some recent sales ( South Korea 2014) pushed the law
Japan’s major supplier is middle east and obama ‘s deal with his Iranian pen pals will possibly flood the market with Iranian oil once sanctions lifted
Oil that must pass through waters increasingly subject to Chinese hegemony over the western Pacific
I wonder if the new obamatrade treaty deal with the
Pacific Rim will end up directing more of our oil to China Japan etc? Since no one in Congress read it before they capitulated
We live in interesting times