Energy Dept. Ready to Tap Emergency Oil

[jpak]

http://www.lasvegassun.com/sunbin/stories/bw-exec/2006/aug/07/080704567.html

0807dvs-bp-alaska The Energy Department is prepared to provide oil from the government's emergency supplies if a refinery requests it because of the disruption of supplies from Alaska, a department spokesman said Monday.

"We're taking a very serious look at this," said spokesman Craig Stevens, referring to the loss of nearly half of oil shipments from Alaska's North Slope because of a pipeline corrosion problem.

Stevens said the department will be in contact with BP Exploration Alaska Inc. and West Coast refiners later in Monday to assess the situation. "If there is a request for oil we'll certainly take a serious look at that," he said.

Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., often a critic of the administration's energy policy, said: "This is the appropriate and right thing to do. We're glad the White House's reluctance to use the Strategic Petroleum Reserve to prevent price spikes seems to have dissipated."

<more>

[Delphinus]

1. You've got to be kidding me?!

That's NOT what they're there for!

[Strelnikov_]

2. Gonna Be Tapping That SPR Harder Than A Reich Wing Suburbanite

hitting the credit cards pretty soon.

Problem is, what are we going to do when a real crises arises?

Maybe we should just let the 'market' make the adjustment on this one.

[megatherium]

3. If they try to use the SPR to make up the 2.6% of our oil supply

from Prudhoe Bay, would the SPR hold up through election day?

[phantom power]

4. Elections? What could this possibly have to do with elections...?

:evilgrin:

[bananas]

5. Does this mean no war with Iran?

I thought they were saving it for the war with Iran.
I guess the election in November is more important.