Considering recent moves by the administration: cancelling Chevron’s license to procure oil in Venezuela (API 16-23), and imposing the full 25% tariff on Mexican (API 21.8) has started me thinking that the intent is to push US refiners to shift to a feedstock slate tipped more toward USian light sweet (API 35-45) The other big source of heavy Crude is Canada (API 20.9).
Seems the industry is catching on.
Steve
No heavy crude, problems producing asphalt with little to no bottoms. Lubricants might also be problematic. Refining is not all about gasoline.
And not that I expect Trump to worry about the little people impacted by this, or think about unexpected consequences, but what about the earthquakes from increased fracking? Man-made Earthquakes | StateImpact Texas.
I am pretty confident that asphalt would be available from countries with heavy coming out their ears, like Mexico and Canada. While the Castrol “synthetic” that the dealer puts in my VW is actually made from petroleum, (a court held, some years ago, that “synthetic” is a marketing term) lubricants, like Mobil 1, actually are made from not petroleum. Besides, the 6 quarts of oil that fill my crankcase every 5000 miles is microscopic, compared to the amount of gas the car burns.
There is no end of the irony these days. I remember when there was a proposal over 40 years ago, to tax imported oil, both to encourage conservation, and give pricing protection to the “shale oil” and coal liquefaction projects that were trying to get off the ground. The moment the proposal was uttered, the opposition howled “that will make the gas you want cost more!!!”, and the proposal quickly died.
Now, imported oil is being taxed, to make USian light sweet, more economical to run, while improving the trade balance, and the mob cheers “America first!!!”.
Steve
Shipping alone would kill that, not to mention, not all asphalt is created equal.
IP,
who was involved in the Strategic Highway Research Program, SHRP, having some asphalt modification miles under long exposure when I quit
…and not to mention that Mexico is no longer a big oil power.
The rough two lane asphalted country road, leading from San Miguel Allende to the pueblo where I live, is now being rebuilt as a four lane major highway, using Concrete, as asphalt is becoming expensive hereabouts….