[thackney]

The inland US, enjoying a surfeit of fresh crude supplies, has been selling discounted petrol into landlocked markets.

Please understand that is a very recent development. In 2008, that oil was a premium price over imports due to demand greater than supply (at market prices).

This leaves tankers, which the Jones Act of 1920 requires to fly the US flag and employ American crews if they are ferrying products between US ports.

I disagree with this claim as there is not a US port with a surplus of domestic crude oil. All that have facilities for handling crude are importing crude, they do not have a surplus to ship to another port.

[Recon Dad]

This leaves tankers, which the Jones Act of 1920 requires to fly the US flag and employ American crews if they are ferrying products between US ports.

I would think this might be more feasible when the XL is up and running.