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California refiners dreaming of heyday
US downstream sector in key state feels the pain of high costs, an environmental squeeze and the effects of broader market trends
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Crude quality issues are an often understated risk to energy security, highlighted by problems at a key US refinery
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Shifting demand patterns leaves most populous nation primed to become downstream leader as China and the West retreat
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The strategic importance of vast untapped oil and gas reserves and key shipping routes has come in from the cold
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US policies may have lasting effects in sectors such as energy, that rely on predictable rules and long-term planning
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Lower oil prices fuel US driving season
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US Refining Phillips 66 Marathon Oil
Charles Waine
18 February 2021
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US refining put on ice

Blizzards in Texas have dramatically halted downstream activities, leaving opportunities for facilities still running

Arctic conditions across the US Gulf Coast have forced downstream companies to declare force majeure and shut in more than 3.6mn bl/d of refining capacity. In the shale patch, intermittent blackouts and power outages have caused widespread supply disruptions as temperatures plummeted to their lowest level in more than 50 years. Almost one-third of US production has been impacted by the cold snap, the largest on record. And while WTI broke the $60/bl ceiling in early February, the hit on refining demand has helped stabilise the oil price, preventing any sudden acceleration due to the knocked-out production. “Given the 3.6mn bl/d refinery capacity shut-in, with refineries estimated to have rec

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