Why has the U.S. not built an oil refinery in the last 30 years?
444106
So that Exxon can reap billions by have a monoply and keeping supplies well managed (for them) This is consistent with the Cheney Energy Strategy
1129055
Uncap Our oil wells. We have plenty of Our own oil but the libleft  won't vote yes to open them up. We are working on alternatives but its gonna be a long time before we get there, so if we don't start drilling Our own and start modernizing Our refineries the price is just gonna keep on going up. You can't have it both ways.
471050
Are you people serious? our oil and gasoline is Subsidized by the US government.  While your crying about $3 a gallon for gasoline, Europe is paying upwards of $7 a liter for their petrol.  The government is the only thing keeping you driving the 4X4 and giant SUV, wake up.\n\nEdit: and while your on Yahoo Answers moaning to all of your "friends" about how evil a democracy the US gov't is, they are loosening the restrictions on your car's waste output, and opening the countries fuel supply for personal use so YOU don't have to ride your bike to the mall tomorrow.\n\nEdit2: YES they CAN use the excuse they cannot convert oil->gasoline.  We are currently refining at MAX capacity (when weather systems allow) We havn't made a new refinery since the 70s, and since it take almost 20 YEARS to complete a new refinery, don't hold your breath. (10 years to complete an oil rig)  Also, why the hell would Exon make a new refinery? From a business standpoint, they have NO motivation to do so, they are getting prime price for their product.
842740
On current estimates we have now reached the peak of oil production. That means that we will not be able to sustain the current levels of extraction for much longer. Established Oil fields such as Texas and North Sea (Brent) are now coming to the end of their life, with perhaps 20 years of oil remaining. New offshore developments especially offshore Brazil, offshore Nigeria and Java (Brunei & Malay) have longer, probably 60 years. Research is being heavily funded by the large oil companies to develop more advanced extraction methods (pumping down carbon dioxide or water) to release the remaining oil from older fields, which may extend the life of some of these reserves but by a range not exceeding 5% of the reserves remaining. New offshore and onshore fields are currently being sort, offshore Cyprus and regoins of the wider Middle East. I have an optimistic outlook to the reserves of oil. Many predict ranges of 40 to 100 years of current usage being sustainable. That, however, doesn't take into account the 'cusp' that we rest upon with regards to China and India's industrial revolution, which may tip the balance.
490108
There's four times more discovered oil in the ground not being used than this is in currently being drilled.\n\nThere's enough oil in the United States that if it were all drilled we wouldn't need to import any oil from anyone.\n\nNext time you see some assclown liberal be sure to thank them for the $3 per gallon gas.
912031
It shouldn't...at least not in 2020.  There are enough oil supplies to last till 2050.  And we're still finding new oil fields.
1144949
Absolutely.  There is plenty of oil, enough to last for 100's of years.  Actually if you look at it logically, we will never really run out of oil.  Supplies will dwindle, we will tap into other sources, like oil shale, and oil sand, but the production cots will go up.  Eventually we will get to a point, where the cost is high enough, to make alternative energy sources, profitable.  Once that happens, competition and the free market system will find a cheap efficient substitute, and we will leave oil usage to the third world.
378121
Because Liberals are gonna be like "oooh!!! You're so selfish!!"  \n \nDuh-we NEED that oil.  Are people brain-dead?  Can you imagine all the lay-offs there would be in the airlining business?  Or the overall economy of the U.s?  ANd they already won't let us drill up in Alaska (I love seals and polar bears...but...)
686072
Thats because the USA is one of the highest consumers of Oil in the world.Also the USA hardly has any Oil resources.That leaves it with no choice but to import oil which makes it dependent on foreign oil.
501035
I think 50 to 75 years.  Our biggest problem right now is a lack of refining capacity.
304729
The environmentalists and congress are to be blamed. The environmentalists won't let us drill offshore, every time the oil companies try they take them to court, they fight every effort to drill in ANWAR. The stupid republicans don't have the guts to stand up for it. Then we can't build new refineries because some treehugger is worried about a tree slug or some other worthless animal. When oil prices were low it was to expensive for oil companies to invest in new equipment, now that oil prices are up they are starting to re-invest, but it will take time.\n\nOh one other thing is all these stupid blends in this country that is mandated by the government that really don't do anything. Then forcing the oil companies to waste time on ethanol doesn't help either.\n\nWhile some local stations collude on what they are going to charge. (I have been in a gas station when another station has called to ask what they are charging that day).
310390
It is too bad that they have not been developed to their capacity. It is a concept whose time has come. Nuclear energy should be another alternative to fossil fuels, however too many crazies block that. But we need to cut our independence to oil so that the oil company's do no have such a death grip on us.
569960
I heard that there is 20 years left of oil that could be wrong but I would say  that there is a few trillion barrels left.
6569
we only have 1,000 billion of reserves that at 77 million/day, suggests there could only be some 36 years of production remaining.  There are still substantial reserves of gas and coal but the age of cheap tranportation driven by cheap oil are numbered!!!
655560
In truth, most every major land mass has natural gas reserves, but has motivation to not use them. China, for example, just entered into a 3-year, multi billion (or maybe trillion, I forgot) dollar deal with Iran for Oil. China probably has oil, but given it's mountainous terrain, probably not worth it. \n And there is political motivation. As we move forward in the steps in a war with Iran, China effectively halted a great amount of advance by siding with Iran, espicially considering our rather large debt to the Bank of China. And as the Middle East is known as a "conflict zone", and being in the Middle East as I write this, I can agree, the long-term idea for many nations, esp. those in the U.N., is forcew the OPEC nations to sell away their prime export, leaving them succeptable to influence in later years.\n   America has a great deal of oil. Much more than Iraq in Texas alone. But we chose to leave wells covered, so as to ensure that the US will be able to function in the decades to come.\n   As far as dinosaurs.... couldn't say, but if you were to observe the geographic locations where there are several skeletons/fossils found, these lands are not known for being rich in oil\nhope that helps some.
384350
The only correct answer is 'no one knows'.  You may be too young to remember the oil/gas crises of the 1970's.  At that time, virtually every expert said the world's oil supply would run out in 15 more years.  Well, the early 90's came and went, the world consumed a lot of oil, and today, the known world stores of oil are GREATER than they were then.  You can look these facts up in Forbes Magazine.\n\nBest wishes.
1170147
Maybe never.  Back in the 1970s, everyone thought alternative energy is going to go through the roof.  The oil prices fell...