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U.S. Strategic Petroleum Reserve Falls to Lowest Level Since 1982

182 points · 234 comments · thelastgallon

  1. brightball · · focus · HN ↗
    Chart of strategic reserve levels since 1982, for context

    <a href="https:&#x2F;&#x2F;en.macromicro.me&#x2F;charts&#x2F;41674&#x2F;us-strategic-petroleum-reserve" rel="nofollow">https:&#x2F;&#x2F;en.macromicro.me&#x2F;charts&#x2F;41674&#x2F;us-strategic-petroleum...

    1. safety1st · · focus · HN ↗
      The counterpoint is that the US is producing more crude domestically than ever with more efficient drilling technology:

      <a href="https:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.oilmonster.com&#x2F;article&#x2F;more-productive-wells-spur-us-crude-oil-production-higher&#x2F;5538" rel="nofollow">https:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.oilmonster.com&#x2F;article&#x2F;more-productive-wells-spu...

      Insofar as I can tell what&#x27;s really reflected here is a difference between Democrat and Republican policy positions. The Democrats want to minimize domestic environmental impact and be a net oil importer. Let someone else handle the dirty work of drilling. The Republicans are less concerned with the environmental impact and want to increase exports, oil jobs and economic sovereignty. With higher domestic production and less dependence on foreign states, such a large petroleum reserve is unnecessary.

      I prefer the Republican position. It sucks to harm the environment. But it sucks more to enable some of the regimes we import oil from. They frequently are not close allies. We frequently end up immersing ourself in wars and other entanglements over this foreign oil. You want to stop the wars, you have to stop the dependence on imported oil. (To be clear I&#x27;m not arguing that Republicans will start less wars, or are a more moral party. I am arguing in favor of domestic oil production because it removes a justification for war.)

      The Democratic position exports the moral hazard to a place where Americans don&#x27;t see it. Takes it out of their backyard. But frankly that is an immoral approach which both parties have taken repeatedly and it has undermined the health of the nation. The other case where this takes place at an absolutely massive scale is exporting certain types of jobs to other countries where labor standards are lax, and where slave labor takes place. People out there killed themselves while making iPhone or your shoes because the working conditions in those countries were so horrible. I am willing to pay a little more for shoes and buy a little bit fewer luxury goods so that I don&#x27;t enable slave labor. Move the jobs back onshore where we can regulate the well being of the workers. We can&#x27;t control it if it&#x27;s in another country.

      1. NewJazz · · focus · HN ↗
        The primary Democratic position is demand reduction, not importing. Also plenty of democrats have allowed drillibng and pipelines.
        1. leonidasrup · · focus · HN ↗
          Even top Democrats supported natural gas fracking.

          &quot; President Barack Obama used his State of the Union speech to underscore the role of natural gas in transitioning to a lower-carbon nation, the White House indicated tonight.

          According to a White House briefing document issued in conjunction with the speech, Obama’s agenda for natural gas includes a call for Congress to work with the administration to create new “Sustainable Shale Gas Growth Zones” to help “regions come together to make sure shale gas is developed in a safe, responsible way that helps build diverse and resilient regional economies that can withstand boom-and-bust cycles and can be leaders in building and deploying clean energy technologies.”

          &quot;

          <a href="https:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.politico.com&#x2F;blogs&#x2F;politico-now&#x2F;2014&#x2F;01&#x2F;obama-touts-natural-gas-in-speech-182137" rel="nofollow">https:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.politico.com&#x2F;blogs&#x2F;politico-now&#x2F;2014&#x2F;01&#x2F;obama-to...

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