WASHINGTON (AP) — The Bush administration will release oil from federal petroleum reserve to help refiners affected by Hurricane Katrina, Energy Secretary Samuel Bodman said Wednesday.
Let’s look at this a little closer.
Bush was asked, back in the spring to release oil from the reserve. At this time, the gulf coast refineries were still working. He refused.
Now, he has released crude oil to the refineries.
What refineries? And, how is it going to be moved?
Ten Percent of US refinery capacity is in the gulf, as that’s where the oil is. Since World War 2, most of the product, that is used in the Northeast comes from, what is called, the Colonial/Plantation Pipeline. This was designed to eliminate the supply being interrupted by ships being sunk.
This is one, continuous pipeline, from Texas to Massachusetts. ONE PIPELINE.
This is currently shut down. No power, no pumps. And, the pipeline itself is damaged.
In Atlanta, stations are limiting sales to $10.00, and some stations are selling regular for $4.99 a gallon. Think about that, for a minute.
So, let’s have a review. We invaded the third largest oil producer in the world, and are getting no fuel, after almost 3 years. We import the fuel for our troops from Kuwait. We pissed off the South American oil producers to the point, where they’re ready to tell us to shove it. And, we sat on the emergency oil supplies, until it was too late.
You know what the first thing Bush is going to demand when congress reconvenes? He is going insist that we must drill in Alaska. Makes sense…….right? WRONG!!!!!
If we started drilling tomorrow, we would not see 1 drop of oil for 10 years.
In addition, our own geologists tell us, that at the current rates of usage, there is only 8 months of oil there. Highly Sulpherous Crude.
10 years, so that we can run our toy’s for maybe, 8 months.
Due to this storm, there are an additional 1 million unemployed right now.
When the tourist seasons start, across the country, there will be an additional 10 million unemployed. How will anyone be able to afford the gas to go on vacation?