Alaska shutdown

JasonJ

Rear Admiral
Joined
Aug 20, 2001
Messages
4,163
My only comment on this is I find it funny that the 8 percent drop in US oil production will probably push per barrel cost over $80 a barrel and has already pushed prices at the pump to horrific levels, but drilling ANWR or Colorado will not lower prices according to the "experts". I am having difficulty wrapping my brain around that one....Post-Katrina prices were in the $2.89 arena in my area, and that was a worse incident than this, but what am I thinking, we are watching the finest example of market manipulation in the history of mankind. (edit), I'll ride my bike and use my trolling motor....
 

PW2

Commander
Joined
Apr 21, 2004
Messages
2,719
Re: Alaska shutdown

Well, two things come to mind.

1. Speculators send the price up. It is a world market and there is no way that a 400,000 barrel short term shortfall in the available crude, especially since that volume will be replaced if necessary from the SPR, should significantly influence the market.

2. The Trans-Alaska pipeline, along with the associated lines, are wearing out. It was guaranteed for 21 years when it began service in 1976, and the expected life-span was 25 to 30 years. Expect more news like this.
 

kwikk9

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Apr 4, 2006
Messages
189
Re: Alaska shutdown

It's all my fault. I'm a leading market indicator. Bought a new SUV last week, therefore, prices go up. Frankly, I don't care as long as I can get fuel. Remember the gas lines of the 70's? Don't want to revisit that.
 

ZmOz

Captain
Joined
Aug 13, 2003
Messages
3,949
Re: Alaska shutdown

Already filled all my tanks. There is only one pipeline that feeds my area and guess which one it is? :'(


Just another excuse for them to rape us...they'll still post record profits this quarter. :rolleyes:
 

rodbolt

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Sep 1, 2003
Messages
20,066
Re: Alaska shutdown

anwar is a joke , only thing drilling in anwar will do is line some oil companies pocket, I think I read someplace that if the field came online this year the result would be less than 1% of our imports. and the estimate a 10 year lead time.
why cannot our administration try to be a tad more friendly with a major producer 2 day boat ride from texas? I dont care much for Chavez but rather than antagonize him be a bit more friendly and keep the taps on.
and I cant see the spike,other than speculation on the futures, due to our strategic reserves. this is what they are for. to make up temporay shortfalls. thats why the US taxpayer pays so much to maintain the reserves.
 

treedancer

Commander
Joined
Apr 10, 2005
Messages
2,216
Re: Alaska shutdown

Lets see 8 percent of three dollars that looks like a 24-cent increase to me. But knowing thee good ole Oil Company’s who knows what we will be paying. Technically with summer coming to a close, prices historically have come down, maybe with the coming elections and a little luck we will get a break.
 

ZmOz

Captain
Joined
Aug 13, 2003
Messages
3,949
Re: Alaska shutdown

rodbolt said:
and I cant see the spike,other than speculation on the futures, due to our strategic reserves. this is what they are for. to make up temporay shortfalls. thats why the US taxpayer pays so much to maintain the reserves.

That might be what they're for, but it doesn't mean it will work out that way. All the oil companies will just use this as an excuse to raise prices EVERYWHERE, regardless of wheather the supply in a certain area is actually effected.

Katrina was a perfect example of this. All my oil comes from alaska, and is refined in washington. Thousands of miles from any disasters. None of the oil rigs that supply me were offline. None of the refineries that supply me were offline. None of the pipes that move my fuel around were offline. Yet, my prices still shot up like everyone else's. Now the opposite will happen to the rest of the country not served by this alaska pipeline.

I wish I could rape my customers and still have 'em coming back for more...
 

rodbolt

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Sep 1, 2003
Messages
20,066
Re: Alaska shutdown

I am with ya ZM
the fizzle called tropical storm chris bumped ours about 3 cents a gallon last week.
they did it on speculation of what chris MIGHT do.
while ranting does make me feel a bit better, it dont help much else:(.
just gotta pay it and pass the cost on.
like a lotta things in the past few years, nothing I can do about it but keep on keeping on.
 

QC

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Mar 22, 2005
Messages
22,783
Re: Alaska shutdown

You guys crack me up. Oil is a global commodity. Except for a couple of bizarre and stupid examples like rodbolt's beloved Venezuela, fuel prices minus tax are fairly equal around the globe. You don't think that the tankers that go to Washington state can steer a course for another port if the price is higher? I'm pretty sure they could buy the Garmin software and find their way . . . Other than that, I'm not quite sure what the problem would be.
 

Kiwi Phil

Commander
Joined
Jun 23, 2003
Messages
2,182
Re: Alaska shutdown

I am getting jack of this.
Yes, I fully understand the 'free market' etc etc, but with this industry, any chance to up-the-price is siezed apon.
My belief is: there are too many people making too much money and have too much influence over our half-witted leaders.
The sooner we rid our selves of this product and replace it with i-don't-know-what, the better we will all be.
It is a no-win position for 99.9% of the people in this world.
Cheers
Phillip
 

rodbolt

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Sep 1, 2003
Messages
20,066
Re: Alaska shutdown

and thats why I call for govt regulation in the oil industry, the industry appearently wont police itself.
the public basically gives the right of way for the infastructure, the land wont support but so much of it.
seems the oil companies,not just BP, have a tendancy NOT to make capitol improvements until something goes wrong then they profit more from it.
bad as I hate any govt influence as they will most likly muck it up as bad.
and its very obvious QC spends no time in other countries.
sad sad sad.
its wonderful down south once ya get away from downtown caracas, which I only go while getting away from the airport.
yes I love venezuela, beautiful people,very friendly. suberb weather. wonderful fishing.
maybe oneday they will get a decent govt.
the local joke there is god gave them the most beautiful land and the worst govt's.
but in the states the price is driven by speculation not free market.
why,the same morning the oil pipe problem was disclosed, did the gasoline at the station in the underground tank go up 3 cents a gallon ?
if the electric company,water company or even trash service or insurance industry tried it they would be crucified.
 

RubberFrog

Rear Admiral
Joined
Apr 9, 2005
Messages
4,268
Re: Alaska shutdown

Right on rodbolt. The neo-cons are gonna beat you up for that.
 

QC

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Mar 22, 2005
Messages
22,783
Re: Alaska shutdown

Why do fuel prices at the pump ever go down? BTW, I am in a foreign country right now . . . Frankly, I spend way too much time in foreign countries and that is why I know that fuel prices are pretty equal globally. Your biotch with fuel prices is not with American suppliers, it is with new users. Specifically China and India. They are ultimately gonna cause us grief because they want more fuel. You know, that old supply and demand thing. If fuel prices were regulated in the US, why would I sell my oil there if I could get a higher price in China?

I am not attacking Venezuela's beaches . . .

Hey rodbolt, when was the last time you spent a bunch of cold cash on new tools just to look at them in your tool box? Maybe I am naive, but I am guessing you buy tools when you need them to make more money . . .
 

Haut Medoc

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Jun 29, 2004
Messages
10,645
Re: Alaska shutdown

All I can say is grab your ankles.....
I don't think the initials B.P. really mean British Petroleum!....;) :'(.......JK
 

ZmOz

Captain
Joined
Aug 13, 2003
Messages
3,949
Re: Alaska shutdown

QC said:
If fuel prices were regulated in the US, why would I sell my oil there if I could get a higher price in China?

Because there's still more than enough oil for the US AND China. If the oil companies stopped selling to us because we don't pay as much they would go out of business. We still use more oil than any other country. The US should say "we won't pay more than $50 for a barrel of oil, and if you don't like it too bad". If they don't comply we have our finger on the big red button that says KABOOM.

The price of oil in other countries is irrelivant, we are the richest, most powerfull country in the world. There is no reason we shouldn't be able to name our own price. If this was 1000 years ago we would just invade whatever country has oil and kill everyone there. Instead, we're a civilised country, and we'll pay a fair price for oil. $70+ per barrel is not a fair price even in times of high demand.
 

kenimpzoom

Rear Admiral
Joined
Jul 13, 2002
Messages
4,807
Re: Alaska shutdown

In case you guys dont read, the high prices are because of speculation. There is no other reason. You can only blame the speculators and no one else. You can postulate that the oil companies are the speculators, and thus they are the cause, but that is about it. Please educate yourself.

There are tankers full of oil waiting for someplace to sell oil, no buyers.

Also, not all crude oil is the same. There is plenty of mid grade crude, but a slight shortage of light crude. This is because of the problems in Nigeria. The grade Saudi makes, there is an excess. You cant interchange the crudes at the refinery, they are built to handle a specific crude and no substituion is possible.

Ken
 

12Footer

Fleet Admiral
Joined
Mar 25, 2001
Messages
8,217
Re: Alaska shutdown

.

Supply/demand. If cars ran on sea water, someone would at minimum tax us on it..
.
------------------------------------------------
From SW Florida, A proud member of iboats since
March 25, 2001

The old me
 
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