president Maduro captured after US strikes

[UltraBudgie]

Americas refineries require Venezuela's heavy crude, so...

Um, no. American refineries are merely some of the only ones in the world that can handle the crappy crude Venezuela tries to peddle. It's on par with the Canadian garbage. To sell it anywhere else they have to actually import light sweet crude to mix it with or else it's useless to just about everyone. That's what their deal with Iran was about, you know. Why else do you think either of them would need the other's product?

[IDELB2006]

Venezuela wasn’t even in the top 5 countries of oil imported to China.

That's just a piece of the puzzle. They supposedly observe the restrictions on Russian oil, Iran will be on our side soon. Its just a matter of time.

[ElitePlebeian]

Putins reaction is pure comedy; “Latin America must remain a zone of peace, as it declared itself in 2014. Venezuela must be guaranteed the right to determine its own destiny without any destructive, especially military, interference from outside,”

[UltraBudgie]

Putins reaction is pure comedy; “Latin America must remain a zone of peace, as it declared itself in 2014. Venezuela must be guaranteed the right to determine its own destiny without any destructive, especially military, interference from outside,”

I see—sort of like Russia did with Cuba way back when.

Speaking of Cuba...

[andy06shake]

Um, no. American refineries are merely some of the only ones in the world that can handle the crappy crude Venezuela tries to peddle. It's on par with the Canadian garbage. To sell it anywhere else they have to actually import light sweet crude to mix it with or else it's useless to just about everyone. That's what their deal with Iran was about, you know. Why else do you think either of them would need the other's product?

Maybe i should have said your Gulf Coast refineries.

Because configuring them or retooling to process another sort is going to cost an arm and a leg. 

Thats just the truth.

Not suggesting the Iran deal is not also on the table.

But those refineries do indeed seem to require heavy crude to turn a profit, which was coming from Canada, was it not?

Could that now change, and said heavy crude now come from Venezuela?

Can't see why not.

[Sky727]

[UltraBudgie]

Maybe i should have said your Gulf Coast refineries.

Because configuring them to another sort is going to cost an arm and a leg. 

Thats just the truth.

Not suggesting the Iran deal is not also on the table.

But those refineries do indeed seem to require heavy crude to turn a profit, which was coming from Canada, was it not?

Could that now change, and said heavy crude now come from Venezuela?

Can't see why not.

Yes I'm no expert but we're really only talking about Port Arthur, on the Gulf Coast; as far as I know that's by far the major heavy crude refinery area in the US. They don't have to retool to handle different grades, that was old tech and those processes have been replaced. Modern refineries like TotalEnergy can adapt dynamically. Even subtracting the geopolitics, it's an interesting field of economic study.

[Lrrr]

[Video: https://youtu.be/3u03glXSvQw]

How does AI slop help the proceedings?

[andy06shake]

Yes I'm no expert but we're really only talking about Port Arthur, on the Gulf Coast; as far as I know that's by far the major heavy crude refinery area in the US. They don't have to retool to handle different grades, that was old tech and those processes have been replaced. Modern refineries like TotalEnergy can adapt dynamically. Even subtracting the geopolitics, it's an interesting field of economic study.

Problem being Port Arthur isn't the only heavy crude hub affected. 

Google would also seem to suggest that Houston, Beaumont, and other Gulf Coast refineries rely on that type of heavy crude to survive.

And yes modern refineries can adjust some, but they're not magic.

Switching from light to heavy crude, or from one heavy crude source to another costs loads.

And affects the margins and bottom lines.

Saying the old tech is gone is a bit of an oversimplification.

"TotalEnergy" might be flexible, but even dynamic systems have limits.

So, it's not just geopolitics, the type of refinery designs, and logistics tightly control and impact profit margins.

[FlyersFan]

For anyone interested in the WOO-WOO aspects of life ....

Many years ago, a Catholic mystic named Maria Esperanza of Betania Venezuela prophecied that World War III would start in Venezuela.   "It will come from here ..." she said in Venezuela.    She predicted other things and has many mystical experiences attributed to her including apparitions of Mary and Jesus.   The Church has 'approved' the apparitions saying they are 'worthy of belief'  (they did their investigation process).   I have been to Betania Venezuela .. and Caracas ... in 1994.   I believed that she is an authentic mystic at the time but now I"m neutral .. having read some negative reports.   Anyways .. for anyone into the WOO-WOO ... World War III comes out of Venezuela.