California’s Energy Crisis: Refinery Closures and Rising Oil Imports

In this episode of Energy Newsbeat – Conversations in Energy, host Stuart Turley and Ronald Stein discuss California's energy crisis, focusing on the state's declining oil production and refining capacity. They highlight how California's reliance on imported oil has grown to over 60%, creating a national security risk. Stein criticizes Governor Newsom's push to phase out fossil fuels without addressing the ongoing demand, and they explore how this policy impacts the state’s energy future. They also touch on global shifts in energy production, including China’s growing refinery capacity and the complexities of California's regulatory environment. Ronald is a great friend to the Energy News Beat podcast and a great resource. Please follow his energy discussions here: https://www.americaoutloud.news/author/ronald-stein-p-e/ "California is a national security risk" is a fantastic point that Ronald made, and it prompted us to record a follow-up with Mike Umbro, which is coming out of production in a few days. Having Mike Umbro and Ronald on the same podcast for a discussion on California energy is great! Highlights of the Podcast 00:00 - Intro 01:21 - Decline of California’s refining capacity 02:33 - California’s energy security risks 03:24 - Rising dependence on imported oil 04:36 - China’s role in refinery development 05:28 - Challenges with California's fuel blend 06:00 - Impact of tariffs on energy 07:04 - Challenges of U.S. energy manufacturing 07:17 - Importance of energy supply-demand balance 09:06 - National security implications of California’s energy issues 10:36 - Politics of Governor Newsom’s energy policies 12:50 - Addressing the supply-demand imbalance 13:23 - The importance of oil in essential industries 16:14 - Wind and solar limitations as energy solutions 17:25 - Ronald Stein’s article on refinery closures 18:16 - Energy policy and supply-demand discussions 19:02 - Fossil fuels’ irreplaceable role in society 21:04 - The role of natural gas and nuclear in California 23:11 - Closing remarks and future discussions Like this comment