Comments by 99Splash
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Posted on March 24 at 1:33 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Unfortunately there is not much we can do except increase efficiency in our everyday lives. In theory we are supposed to be able to write to your representative about a complaint and then the law making process starts and some time later there is a result, but we live in the real world and if you want to see how the law making system works look up "VECO". Not all politicians are dishonest but the ones who are eventually will have a say in any legislation. You could organize a protest but the local population is hardly enough to even matter to a huge company like Flint Hills, we could boycott Flint Hills refined products but they mostly produce jet fuel and fuel for the GVEA power plant next door so about all we can boycott is heating oil and diesel, our local gasoline comes from Nikiski
On Fuel prices
Posted on March 23 at 5:49 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Actually the NGL's are being stripped out of some of the oil that flows throgh the pipeline everyday out at Flint Hills. They refine the oil and take out HAGO for the GVEA gas turbines next door, and they also take out the diesel, jet fuel and now naptha, anything that is lighter they re-inject into the pipeline. I wouldnt think that the cost to construct the facilities to pull out the natural gas and get it to market would be more expensive than building a 400 mile pipeline, but the problem is that natural gas will compete with heating oil and if the gas is 1/3 the price of heating oil per BTU Flint Hills will not be able to gouge FBKS for $3.70/gal for heating oil anymore.
On Promoters of small-diameter pipeline predict lower Fairbanks fuel costs
Posted on March 23 at 5:29 a.m. (Suggest removal)
If the price of heating oil doesnt level off the state is going to have to use the $629,700 to add a wing to the courthouse to handle all of the bankruptcies and forclosures that will start coming in.
On Skyrocketing energy prices prompt Fairbanks leaders to look for alternative
Posted on March 17 at 6:57 p.m. (Suggest removal)
To me the worst thing about high oil prices is not $4 or $5 a gal gas it is the $4-$5/gal heating oil. Last year I whined about the $2.50+/gal heating oil but at least the bill came with a jar of vasaline or k-y (which ever you prefer). Last week I had fuel delivered for $3.70! As gas prices rise we can adjust our driving habits and such to save money but we cant just turn off the heat in the middle of winter, sure you can save some money by using wood heat but the price of wood is rising also. My dads fuel bill was higher than his house payment for Dec and Jan!
I am wondering, is there any home owners that spent more for gas than they did for heating oil?
Posted on March 17 at 10:11 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Earthquakes and cold weather dont affect a Nuc plant anymore than they affect a conventional power plant. The Nuclear power plant on a Navy submarine easily handles 30 degree angles and I believe they are designed to handle up to a 60 degree angle.
Posted on March 17 at 10:08 a.m. (Suggest removal)
The price of oil (and gas) will continue to rise as long as we (the consumers) keep buying gas. Unfortunately we are currently forced to buy gas because oil companies have managed to hide/buyout competing forms of energy to power automobiles for the last 100 years. The oil companies have to cover alternative energy because if we can power an automobile with something other than gas they will go broke. Here is something to think about. Other than the internal combustion engine in a car name 3 other uses for gasoline.
Posted on March 17 at 3:13 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Nuclear energy when operated by trained and competent people is extremely safe. I say this because I was a qualified operator of a nuclear power plant in the Navy. The Navy has at least 50 nuclear power plants in operation presently and to my knowledge they have never has an accident, other than the sinking of the Scorpion and Thresher. Nuclear power has a hard time getting support because people immediately think of nuclear weapons, 3 mile island and chyernoble. The other problem with Nuc power is the what to do with the spent fuel (nuclear waste). Many people say we cant bury it in the ground but what they dont realize is that the uranium that fuels the reactor is mined from the ground and is actually more radioactive when it is mined than after it is used in a reactor.
Posted on March 17 at 2:55 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I will first say that I am all for drilling in ANWR. But even if the oil fields there are developed I don't believe it would change the price of oil. From what I can tell is that currently the price of oil is not high due to a shortage of oil but due to speculators inflating the price of oil believing that current worldwide events MAY cause an oil shortage, which seems like a load of bull, the middle east does not seem any more unstable now than it was 5 years ago.
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Posted on March 24 at 11:27 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Something that I do not understand is why Alaska does not have its own refineries. The permanent fund is an account that belongs to the people of Alaska and there is over $37,000,000,000 in there. It seems like a good way to use that money would be to build a refinery and then use our royalty oil and refine products for use in Alaska and create some competition for Flint hills and tesoro. It is ridiculous that Flint Hills is using Alaska royalty oil which is bought at a price below market, and then does not discount the refined products locally. All flint hills produces is jet fuel and diesel so according to supply and demand then heating oil prices should be much lower but since Flint Hills has a monopoly north of the Alaska range they can basically charge whatever they want, if we dont want to pay $4/gal for heating oil your only choices are to either leave or buy a good chainsaw.
Another use for the permanent fund could be to build our own natural gas pipeline. The state could tell the oil companies to pack sand, we build our own ALL ALASKA gas pipeline to supply Alaska residents and then either sell the excess on the open market.
On Fuel prices