Evolution of the US refining industry

Journal Article · Wed Mar 21 04:00:00 EST 1984 · Energy Detente; (United States)

OSTI ID:5234762

North America possesses 266 petroleum refining facilities, ranging in size from tiny teapots to superrefineries of 500,000 barrels per day (b/d). Mexico has the fewest shut-down days per year, the highest rate of capacity utilization, and the highest average capacity per plant. Canada has the greatest average number of shut-down days per year and, of the three countries, average capacity per refinery is the smallest. The US has the lowest utilization rate of the three, and it is this fact that directed this study. For five years, lower demand for refined products has caused US refineries to be under-utilized. This has been the case for many other parts of the world, but US results have been unique: a total of 97 permanent shut-downs of plants occurred between 1980-1983. Some refining experts expect many more closures during this decade. In 1982, the American Petroleum Institute published an analysis of the reasons for the decline, which were: declining consumer demand for petroleum products; shifting consumer demand for specific products; changing crude oil supplies; and loss of certain advantages small refiners enjoyed under (federal) price controls, known as the small refiner bias. This issue presents the fuel price/tax series and the industrial fuel prices for March 1984 for countries of the Western Hemisphere.

• OSTI ID: 5234762
• Journal Information: Energy Detente; (United States), Journal Name: Energy Detente; (United States) Vol. 5:6; ISSN EDETD
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English and Spanish

Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
020400* -- Petroleum-- Processing
29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY
294002 -- Energy Planning & Policy-- Petroleum
CANADA
CAPACITY
CARBONACEOUS MATERIALS
COAL
DATA
DEMAND FACTORS
DEVELOPING COUNTRIES
ENERGY SOURCES
FLUIDS
FORECASTING
FOSSIL FUELS
FUEL GAS
FUELS
GAS FUELS
GASES
INDUSTRIAL PLANTS
INDUSTRY
INFORMATION
LATIN AMERICA
MATERIALS
MEXICO
NATURAL GAS
NORTH AMERICA
NUMERICAL DATA
PETROLEUM PRODUCTS
PETROLEUM REFINERIES
PRICES
STATISTICAL DATA
TAXES
USA