In 1973, the Group of Arab Petroleum Exporting Nations (OPEC) imposed an oil embargo towards the US, triggering a crude oil disaster that despatched the U.S. financial system right into a recession. To mitigate from any future shortages of oil, President Gerald Ford signed the Power Coverage and Conservation Act of 1975, which established the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR).
The SPR is centrally positioned alongside the Gulf Coast the place the oil may be distributed to just about half of all U.S. oil refineries utilizing interstate pipelines or barges.
Apparently, California, the 4th largest financial system on the planet, has no entry to the SPR as there aren’t any pipelines over the Sierra Mountains to achieve the “California Power Island”.
Just a few years after the SPR was approved, within the aftermath of the 1973 oil disaster in 1977, the Division of Power was established to reduceour dependence on international oil.
Right this moment, California, the 4th largest financial system on the planet, California is importing nearly 60 % of its crude oil calls for from international nations, to help the States’ 9 Worldwide airports, 41 Army airports, and three of the most important transport ports in America!
Now, after 50 years, the Division of Power (DOE) is comprised of roughly 14,000 federal staff and over 95,000 administration and working contractors, and 83 area areas, and a $48 billion greenback finances, the US stays a internet crude oil importer. Though exports elevated within the first half of 2023, the US calls for have additionally been growing, leading to imports exceeding exports, which means the U.S. stays a internet crude oil importer.
The USA, as a internet crude oil importer, continues to depend on international nations to run the 118 worldwide airports in the US and the 500 Army airports in the US.
50 years after the oil embargo disaster of 1973, there stay no American coverage for crude oil independence. America continues to INCREASE its dependence on China for “inexperienced” minerals and metals, and on OPEC, Russia, and different nations for oil. Right this moment, with LESS independence, America is extra susceptible to a different embargo than we have been 50 years in the past!
Over the identical interval, California Governors have been regularly reducing California’s in-state oil manufacturing. The emissions insurance policies of previous and present Governors proceed to power California, the 4th largest financial system on the planet, to be the one state in contiguous America that imports most of its crude oil feedstock to in-state refineries from international nations. The States Governor leaders over the a long time have been:
- Gov. Gavin Newson (D) 2019 – 2027
- Gov. Edmund Brown (D) 2011-2019, and 1975-1983
- Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (R) 2003-2011
- Gov. Grey David (D) 1999-2003
- Gov. Pete Wilson (R) 1991-1999
California’s rising dependency on different nations over the past a number of a long time, some not significantly pleasant to America, is a critical nationwide safety threat for all of us. It additionally deprives Californians of jobs and enterprise alternatives and forces drivers to pay premium costs for the fuels and merchandise manufactured on the reducing variety of in-state refineries.
Within the aftermath of the 1973 oil disaster, the Division of Power was established 46 years in the past in 1977 to minimize our dependence on international oil. Right this moment, with 14,000 staff and a $48 billion greenback finances, California, the 4th largest financial system on the planet, imports most of its crude oil calls for from international nations to run the States’ 9 Worldwide airports, 41 Army airports, and three of the most important transport ports in America!!
U.S. President Joe Bidens’ Administration has chosen to delete/unload, a lot of the SPR stock, which is presently lower than half its capability, leading to an emergency reserve of simply 20 days of provide remaining to ship to U.S. primarily based refineries.
The SPR was created nearly 50 years in the past, due to the OPEC crude oil reductions in availability within the early 70’s. Since Biden has no plan to revive this emergency oil reserve provide, if OPEC, or different nations cuts again oil availability considerably once more as they did again within the early-mid 70’s, these of us who skilled the motor gas shortages again then, can count on to reexperience the very lengthy fueling station automobile traces, and different product shortages we skilled 50 years in the past.
The USA consumes about 19 million barrels of oil per day, whereas the US and California are pursuing the elimination of crude oil manufacturing to give attention to wind generators and photo voltaic panels to generate electrical energy, China has no intentions of abandoning its financial, army, or strategic ambitions—all of which depend on non-renewables equivalent to crude oil and coal. Asia is the area with the best variety of future petroleum refineries. As of 2021, there have been 88 new refinery services in planning or underneath building in Asia.
The Power Information Beat Podcast Hosted by Stu Turley had an academic and entertaining dialog about power safety. Particularly, California which has change into an power legal responsibility to the US’ power safety. Please benefit from the 37-minute dialog between Stu and Ron at: https://energynewsbeat.co/156-ronald-stein-energy-security-is-a-real-problem-around-the-world-countries-go-to-war-over-energy-security-but-when-does-a-state-become-a-security-risk/
People have clearly haven’t discovered a lot within the 50 years for the reason that Oil Embargo of 1973, as the next persist:
- California, the 4th largest financial system on the planet, was nearly unbiased of international oil in 1973, however now imports MOST of its crude oil calls for to run the States’ 9 Worldwide airports, 41 Army airports, and three of the most important transport ports in America, AND
- The USA stays a internet importer of international crude oil, AND
- The potential for importing manufactured fuels and petrochemicals from new Asian refineries within the coming years to help the American financial system could quickly change into a actuality.
Within the meantime, underneath the watch of the Division of Power that was established in 1977 to minimize our dependence on international oil, with a $48 billion greenback finances in 2023, 14,000 federal staff and over 95,000 administration and working contractors, they’ve “allowed” California, the 4th largest financial system on the planet, to extend its dependency on international crude oil from 5 to nearly 60 %!