[gidget7]

No of course they can't risk it. Nor should they. But if all refineries were refining the same emission standards, pipelines etc would be much more effective, and loses minimized. That can and should be done. AND build more refineries and rigs to drill our own oil!!!!!! Ditto for Natural Gas.

[topher]

We are running at 95% of capacity, I think. So losing 20% to 40% of the refineries is significant.

They do import gasoline into New York City.

They might be able to import gasoline into the Louisiana Superport, which would help in the short term.

But the problem with tankers is that it takes some lead time to anticipate the need. Next week would be the earliest for tankers to arrive that might come from Mexico or other places because you have load the tankers and then they have to travel to the US.

We are currently extremely vulnerable to hurricanes disrupting gasoline refining.

That is the achilles heel that has not been addresses.

We were bitten by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.

And now the Hurricanes Gustav and Ike combo...

[topher]

Bush suspended EPA rules for reformulated gasoline today...

That means if gasoline can reach Kentucky/other places from pipelines in New York City/Philadelphia/New Jersey -- then this will help the situation.

Foreign tankers can start shipping gasoline to the United States...