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POPS"Greens" Thwart Gasoline Production
So even though ConocoPhillips is aiding and abetting the NRDC to achieve the Green dream of absolute government control over the U.S. energy supply, the enviros are still in take-no-prisoners mode, refusing to allow the expansion of a single refinery. Imagine what the rest of us can expect from the Greens. Green groups are working through the state attorney general’s office to block the $800 million upgrade of the Chevron refinery in the city of Richmond, Ca. California attorney general, climate crusader Jerry Brown claims that the upgrade will produce an additional 900,000 tons of greenhouse gas emissions per year. But Chevron says that the upgrade will actually reduce GHG emissions by 220,000 tons. It’s hard to know whose figure is closer to the truth, but it’s worth noting that false statements made by Chevron are prosecutable under the federal and California state law, while Jerry Brown and the activists can say pretty much whatever they want without legal accountability
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POPS10 Simple truths about oil Fact #4. The OPEC nations, those in the Middle East and including Venezuela, control 77% of the world’s known oil reserves. Like Russia and Mexico, where the oil industry is controlled by the state, it is generally poorly managed. Several Big Oil companies that were induced to undertake exploration and development in Russia and Venezuela actually had their assets nationalized or stolen at prices well below their investment and value. Fact #5. Energy is the master resource. All nations with any hope of growing their economies require it, mostly in the form of electricity, but also for oil’s role in transportation. The failure to have a national long-range energy policy that is based in reality can severely impact energy prices.
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POPSWhats Next? McOil? In the quest for alternative fuels, it seems that there will be a new use for rendered animal fats. Tyson Foods, a large food conglomerate with big interests in poultry especially, is working with Conoco Phillips to develop diesel fuel products from rendered animal fats. While acknowledged not to be a major fuel alternative, just think what might happen if a fast food chain like McDonalds started a conversion program similar to this one? A chain of fuel stations entirely supplied with McGas and McOil? I wonder if animal fats can be traded as a commodity?