Reprise - California's Dependence on Amazon Rainforest Oil: Newsom's Crude Reality
CA oil production cutbacks & regulations accelerate Amazon rainforest destruction
Above: Oil extraction operation in the Amazon rainforest. Source: NBC.
Preface
California plays an outsized role in the destruction of Amazon rainforests. About 66% of the oil exported from the Amazon rainforest goes to the United States, with the lion’s share (50%) of global Amazon oil exports going to California. On average, 1 in 9 gallons pumped in California is derived from the Amazon. Everything from airports, to delivery trucks, and gas stations run on Amazonian crude oil. But the price of powering the “Golden State” is high – and Indigenous communities halfway across the world are footing the bill.
Source: Stand.earth
Newsom’s Warped World: Amazon Biodiversity and the California Economy Be Damned
Gavin Newsom’s policies, in the name of Zero Carbon 2045, have curtailed much of the production of CA heavy crude oil that CA refineries are designed to digest and process. As shown below, foreign oil sources for California have increased to about 61 %, while California and Alaska local supply sources have decreased to 23 % :
Cali oil production goes down, Amazon oil imports go up. Source: California Energy Commision.
Because of the ass-backwards Newsom regulations, CA imports increasing amounts of heavy crude oil from Ecuador and the Amazon region, making California the biggest consumer of oil extracted from the Ecuadorian rainforest. Currently, between 1 in 7 to about 1 in 9 gallons of gas pumped in California comes from Amazon rainforest crude. Rainforest oil consumption is increasing every year as Newsom curtails California crude oil production with more regulations and Kooky Senate Bills such as 1137, which prohibits the issuance of well permits and the construction and operation of new production facilities within a health protection zone (or HPZ) of 3,200 feet from a “sensitive receptor”.
Alert! Stop the oil industry and report a “sensitive receptor”
“How Sensitive Receptor Mapping Can Protect Vulnerable Places and Populations”
Sensitive Receptor Identification Form: Use this online form to share input on places that may, or may not, be a sensitive receptor as outlined in Senate Bill 1137.
Above: this is a real screenshot from the Sensitive Receptor Narc Page.
But that is just an appetizer, in yet another People’s Republic Stunner, this was recently announced:
“California Energy Commission Proposes State Takeover Of Oil Refineries”
An excerpt:
‘Californians Deserve a Strategic Transition Away from Petroleum Transportation Fuels’
Just as Chevron Oil company announced that it is moving its headquarters to Houston Texas from San Ramon California, California Energy Commission regulators announced proposed government controls of the petroleum industry, ostensibly in order to combat future energy price surges, according to a report released August 1, 2024 by the California Energy Commision (CEC).
Despite California’s radical and very accelerated green agenda which does not include oil and gas as fuels, the CEC fully expects some of California’s nine oil refineries to be shuttered due to falling demand, which would give the remaining refineries increased pricing power and raise the possibility of a surge in gas prices, the study said.
Which refinery is next to close? California refineries open, idle and closed
Open =16
Idle = 3
Closed = 29
Source: California Energy Commision
Senate Bills such as 1137 also lead to the closing of oil wells and thus curtailment of oil production as it becomes too expensive with little profit. For those interested, there are approximataly 30,000 idle oil wells in CA, and that number is expected to continue to increase, mostly hurting local economies and increasing job lay-offs in the oil industry, as well as supporting retail outlets.
More Economic Blows to Californians and California Municipalities
Above: view of Long Beach, California, a desireable place to live and work……but Newsom’s crusade against oil threatens it’s revenue foundation.
California has sustained substantial economic blows due to Newsom’s anti-oil crusade, and that includes loss of jobs, supporting retail businesses, and the demolition of city and county budgets due to the lost oil revenues. One example is Long Beach, California, a now vibrant city, but with future in dire straights due to oil production cutbacks, regulations and oil field closures; as recently reported in the Long Beach Post article: Long Beach stands to lose $301M in oil proceeds over the next decade, audit shows.
To quote:
“Long Beach will lose hundreds of millions in revenue from crude oil and gas production by 2035, a severe hit that will impact everything from public safety to mental health to maintenance and recreation along the coast, a new audit shows.”
So how will Long Beach make up the shortfall? New taxes of course!
Amazon Crude Oil Consumption in California:
“You Want to Go on Vacation or Not?”
Lets go on a Hawaiian vacation. No problem, we got the rainforest fuel!
So What is the Fate of all that Refined Amazon Crude Oil in Cali?
123 MILLION GALLONS of jet fuel from the Amazon rainforest was consumed by major airlines at LAX and SFO in 2020. The Top airlines are American Airlines, Delta, United, Southwest, Alaska Airlines.
13 MILLION GALLONS of diesel from the Amazon rainforest was consumed by food and beverage delivery services in 2020. The top companies are Pepsi, Sysco, U.S. Foods, Reyes Holdings, and UNFI.
39 MILLION GALLONS of diesel from the Amazon rainforest was consumed by parcel delivery services in 2020. The top companies are Amazon.com, UPS, and FedEx.
43 MILLION GALLONS of diesel and gasoline from the Amazon rainforest was consumed by major supermarkets for their fleets and retail fuel stations in 2020. The top supermarkets are Walmart, Costco, Kroger, and Albertsons/Safeway.
1.9 BILLION GALLONS of gas and diesel from the Amazon rainforest was sold by major oil companies in California in 2019. The top retailers include Arco, Chevron, Shell, 76 (Phillips 66), and Valero. Unbranded gas is the largest share of gas sold in the state, illustrating that real change will require state action to reduce gasoline consumption, not just actions by brands.
Source: Amazon Watch
Amazon Dreamin - French Laundry Béarnaise ?
Destroying California’s Economy
“Net-Zero 2045 brought to you by Newsom and BlackRock”
Source: Governer Gavin Newsom
Click-Fest and Some Photos
Linked Fates: How California’s Oil Imports Affect the Future of the Amazon Rainforest
Crude reality: One U.S. state consumes half the oil from the Amazon rainforest
Send cash Unkle Gavin, please?
Powered by gas stoves and Amazon oil
Gavin’s Covid Dinner Selection
A special Demi-glace sauce.
Most states going green and countries for that matter seem to forget where the money comes from to keep them alive - sure ain't wind and solar or their beloved batteries!!! And sooner or later they will bankrupt the taxpayers and then all the small business!
Ok, yes that is happening already! Then they will put the ones who speak out in jail and seize their assets just because they can!
Texas hasn't forgotten about that oil and gas , kinda looks like it, but- they just can't get ahead of the problem! I guess the profits from oil and gas are funding the Texas Energy Fund, which will be set to increase in 2025! Just mark my words on that!
Well all these hypocritical states with California in the lead don't care if they they outsource to the Amazon or anywhere else, as long as it is the cheapest - I'm surprised they are not bringing it in from Venezuela or Iran via ship transfer!
California never was green, never will be, and should just 'fess up to that little and move on!
But this country seems to be turning into a bunch of media cackling clowns and no reality on the facts of life other than you lie on your a$$ (literally and metaphorically) and get to run the world!!!
The real world doesn't run that way, but I guess - who am I to judge!
Thanks for stopping by Pablo, bravo on that comment, pretty much distills it!
I would only add that there is influence geopolitics involved in the sale and purchase of the oil that somehow helps the USA strategically (?).
However, the real tragedy is the damage wrought on the economy via loss of tax revenue, workers laid off, and debasement of the entire goods and services food chain that depended on California oil.