[HankReardon]

I wish people would advocate increasing refining capability and decreasing constrictive regulations before they advocate drilling for additional oil. They are getting the cart before the horse!

[painter]

I agree with you.

[z3n]

"I wish people would advocate increasing refining capability and decreasing constrictive regulations before they advocate drilling for additional oil. They are getting the cart before the horse!"

The point (or atleast my point) was that more drilling will increase domestic supply of crude that arrive the the refinery, thus loosening the strangle hold monopolistic control of price via control of supply by OPEC.

Sure, refineries may be running near full capacity (and resistence to new refining is strong), but we do not need to import as much crude to be refined, instead having the capability to tap domestic resources, would increase the U.S. ability to break the monopolistic price control of foreign interests, even if output from refineries does not increase.