Here is the official data:
http://www.eia.doe.gov/oil_gas/petro.../gasoline.html

Go there, then to the Production XLS file under History. Gasoline
production is up substantially in the past 20yrs as you would expect from
the increased number of cars and increased population.

The reason no new refineries have been built is that it is cheaper to expand
existing ones because they already have all the infrastructure for bringing
crude in, the real estate is already owned and they are often close to large
markets. The return on capital by increasing capacity at an existing
refinery might be double the return of building a new refinery. It doesn't
take a genius CEO to figure that one out. Is enviornmental and other
regulation a factor? Of course it is, but is not a big factor when
considering a multi-billion dollar refinery.

Mike
MU-2


"Matt Barrow" wrote in message
...

"Mike Rapoport" wrote in message
ink.net...

(You mentioned that refining capacity has grown despie the reduced number
of actual refineries)

(18.6 Mbbl in 1981 vs 16.8Mbbl today)

http://www.investors.com/editorial/I...0051010&view=1