w1ld wrote:
] ] That what T. Boone Pickens thinks. Pickens, whose
] ] fight for Gulf Oil in the 1980s made Gulf part of
] ] what today ChevronTexaco (CVX, news, msgs), said the
] ] problem isnt the price of crude oil. Its that no
] ] new oil refineries have been built in the United States
] ] since 1976.
] ]
] ] And unless oil companies can be assured they get all the
] ] environmental permits, you wont see a new refinery, he
] ] said on CNCs Closing Bell.? And you wont see
] ] lower gasoline prices.
] ]
] ] $3 a gallon gasoline isnt a sure bet, however, Pickens
] ] said. That depends on whether $2 a gallon gasoline today
] ] will depress demand. If demand doesnt fall back, $3 is
] ] quite possible.

Oooooooooooooooooo! Scary. Considering that I now pay $8 a gallon in the UK. Get real. In fact, get smaller cars...

oaknet wrote:
] Oooooooooooooooooo! Scary. Considering that I now pay $8 a
] gallon in the UK. Get real. In fact, get smaller cars...

I totally agree, but its worth pointing out that the UK has a vastly superior rail infrastructure, so cars aren't as essential to life there.

Decius wrote:
] oaknet wrote:
] ] Oooooooooooooooooo! Scary. Considering that I now pay $8 a
] ] gallon in the UK. Get real. In fact, get smaller cars...
]
] I totally agree, but its worth pointing out that the UK has a
] vastly superior rail infrastructure, so cars aren't as
] essential to life there.

Compared to Atlanta, certainly. Not necessarily compared to other cities in the U.S.

The number/size of cars isn't the issue...its the gas mileage and suburban sprawl. The Energy Information Agency expects gas mileage to only increase 6% for light-duty vehicles by 2025, but anticipates that horsepower will jump 23.9%. I hope to God that if gas gets to UK levels that it will translate to massive legislative change in the automotive and residential sectors.

I forsee legislation. I forsee hybrids. Hmmm...hybrids.

And, if renewables come along, I forsee people using less fossil-fuel based energy at home and having more to devote to producing hydrogen. Hmm...sexy efficiency.

Decius wrote:
] oaknet wrote:
] ] Oooooooooooooooooo! Scary. Considering that I now pay $8 a
] ] gallon in the UK. Get real. In fact, get smaller cars...
]
] I totally agree, but its worth pointing out that the UK has a
] vastly superior rail infrastructure, so cars aren't as
] essential to life there.

The rail network here in the UK is extensive, as you say, but on the point of collapse (underinvestment, overcrowding, old stock, safety issues). For better or for worse (certainly the latter) the road network is the core of UK transport both personal and commercial ... But perhaps we just have fewer SUVs .... ?

The problem, I suspect, is that the US is used to low energy costs and high energy use at the expense of others (including environmental consquences). It is another wake up call for the US to join the rest of us on Planet Earth. Believe me, to do so would solve more than one major problem ...

One thing that would immediately lower gas prices in this country
is if the EPA would impose a single, nationwide fuel blend. As
it stands, there are at least a hundred different such blends
required by different state and local pollution control laws.

This creates the obvious "partitioned-supply" problem that you
inevitably end up with too much of the one you don't need and
not enough of some other.

I expect that even if the most stringent (California?) standard were put in place that it would end up being cheaper for almost everyone and the people for whom its more expensive (Iowa?) would pay a very small premium. I think the Saudis have even told us as much!