California’s Green Gas Shortages

“Gas prices in California have soared by 55 cents in a week to an historic high of $4.65 per gallon, about 84 cents higher than the national average. The immediate cause was a power outage at an Exxon refinery in Torrance. A Chevron refinery in Richmond that caught fire in August has also been operating at reduced capacity. The resulting fuel shortage has forced wholesalers to ration deliveries, and retailers that buy on the spot market to close.

“This gas crisis is self-inflicted, like so many problems in the state. Because California’s fuel regulations are the most stringent in the country, the state is isolated from other energy markets. Few refineries in the world can produce the unique reformulated gasoline blend that the state requires, and almost all are located in California.

“Over the last two decades four refineries in the state have shut down rather than invest in expensive upgrades to comply with fuel regulations. The biggest killer was a 2002 ban on the additive MTBE, which refiners had to replace with ethanol. The California Air Resources Board has estimated that this reformulated blend adds five to 15 cents to the cost of every gallon of gas, but Californians pay a premium whenever a refinery shuts down.

“The 14 refineries in California that blend its special fuel operate at nearly full capacity. So when a refinery experiences an unexpected outage or even routine maintenance, others can’t pick up the slack. And since importing the fuel via tanker can take up to six weeks, Californians are usually stuck paying higher prices until the refinery comes back on line.

…

“The cost of [looming carbon-penalizing] environmental regulations, which is baked into everything Californians consume, is one more reason that jobs are leaking to other states. In related news, Environmental Protection Agency chief Lisa Jackson says California is her model for the nation.”

Remember that CA’s gasoline tax is a percentage, not a fixed amount, so state coffers benefit from rising gas prices. Some might call it a “windfall”.

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/10/08/us/gas-prices-rise-again-overnight-in-california.html?pagewanted=all&pagewanted=print

Gas Prices Rise Again Overnight in California

By MICHAEL SCHWIRTZ

The average price of regular gasoline in the state jumped to about $4.65 a gallon on Sunday, 84 cents higher than the national average and by far the highest in the country, according to AAA’s Daily Fuel Gauge Report. Hawaii had the next highest average, at $4.41.

Prices have been rising for about a week and jumped by nearly 20 cents a gallon, to $4.49, overnight Friday. Prices rose to $4.61 a gallon on Saturday before climbing again on Sunday.

…

A power failure last week at an Exxon Mobil refinery in Torrance, Calif., was the immediate cause of the spike, though the plant had resumed normal operations by Friday. A Chevron refinery in Richmond, Calif. is still operating at partial capacity after a fire in August.

…

Gasoline prices in California are typically higher than in most of the country because of strict environmental regulations. Yet prices around the country remain high. Sunday’s national average was $3.81 per gallon of regular gasoline, about 42 cents more than a year ago.

http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/2012/10/08/world/middleeast/08reuters-iran-cyber.html

Cyber Attackers Target Iranian Oil Platforms, Official Says

By REUTERS

DUBAI (Reuters) – Cyber attackers have targeted communication networks on Iranian offshore oil and gas platforms in the past few weeks, but their attacks have been repelled, a state official was quoted as saying on Monday.

Iran, the world’s No. 5 oil exporter, has tightened cyber security since its uranium enrichment centrifuges were hit in 2010 by theStuxnet computer worm, which Tehran believes was planted by Israel or the United States.

Mohammad Reza Golshani, head of information technology for the Iranian Offshore Oil Company, told Iran’s Mehr news agency that a cyber attack had targeted the offshore platforms’ information networks.

“This attack was planned by the regime occupying Jerusalem (Israel) and a few other countries,” Golshani said, adding that Iranian experts were able to repel the attacks.

Love the headline, BTW.

Jason Cantrell, New Orleans city attorney, suspended after marijuana allegedly falls out of his pocket at courthouse

“The attorney was talking to a New Orleans police officer in magistrate court, where he was working on a private case, when a ‘marijuana cigarette flew out of his pocket,’ New Orleans Police Officer Garry Flot told the station. …

“According to the Uptown Messenger, Cantrell’s wife, LaToya, who is running for New Orleans City Council, issued a statement saying her husband had resigned and expressing her dismay over his ‘lack of judgment.’

"’I am very angry, embarrassed, and disappointed to learn about my husband’s bad decision and lack of judgment today,’ the statement says. ‘I absolutely do not condone his actions. He has resigned his position with the City Attorney’s Office, and he will accept the legal consequences as the judicial process takes its course.’”

Mmmmm. Butterfingers.

New Orleans assistant city attorney cited for marijuana violation, butterfingers

Business was brisk inside Orleans Parish magistrate court Monday afternoon as criminal defendants filled up the back rows while cops sat waiting to testify. That’s when a joint fell out of attorney Jason Cantrell ‘s pocket and onto the floor in front of NOPD officers.

Cantrell was cited and let go under a city policy for low-level marijuana cases, police said.

An officer said Cantrell was a first-time offender. He was issued a summons for simple possession of marijuana, said Officer Garry Flot, an NOPD spokesman.

Flot said Cantrell was talking to an officer when the joint flew.

Sources painted a comical picture of the incident, saying a pair of cops glanced at the joint on the ground, then at each other before making arguably the easiest collar in the annals of policework.