• Latest
  • Trending
  • All
  • News
  • Business
  • Lifestyle
WH Spox Says Admin Has ‘No Working Theory’ on Why Oil Companies Aren’t Increasing Refining Capabilities

WH Spox Says Admin Has ‘No Working Theory’ on Why Oil Companies Aren’t Increasing Refining Capabilities

June 23, 2022
Mike Collins, Who Led Push For Laken Riley Act, Launches Run For Senate

Mike Collins, Who Led Push For Laken Riley Act, Launches Run For Senate

July 28, 2025
Leno Too Much Political Talk on Late Night Shows Not Good

Leno Too Much Political Talk on Late Night Shows Not Good

July 28, 2025
EXCLUSIVE: John Thune Shares His ‘Big, Beautiful’ GOP Sales Pitch For The Midterms

EXCLUSIVE: John Thune Shares His ‘Big, Beautiful’ GOP Sales Pitch For The Midterms

July 28, 2025
Robo-Bunnies Unleashed In Florida Everglades To Hunt Burmese Pythons

Robo-Bunnies Unleashed In Florida Everglades To Hunt Burmese Pythons

July 28, 2025
Political Violence Surging Under Trump Isn’t Exactly ‘Far-Right’ After All

Political Violence Surging Under Trump Isn’t Exactly ‘Far-Right’ After All

July 27, 2025
DAVID BLACKMON: Zeldin, Trump, Prepare Assault On EPA Endangerment Finding

DAVID BLACKMON: Zeldin, Trump, Prepare Assault On EPA Endangerment Finding

July 27, 2025
EXCLUSIVE: GOP Rep Touts How Alaska Is Key To Unleashing American Energy Dominance

EXCLUSIVE: GOP Rep Touts How Alaska Is Key To Unleashing American Energy Dominance

July 27, 2025
STEVE MILLOY: Big Beautiful Bill Already Paying Big Beautiful Benefits

STEVE MILLOY: Big Beautiful Bill Already Paying Big Beautiful Benefits

July 27, 2025
George Santos Reports to New Jersey Prison

George Santos Reports to New Jersey Prison

July 27, 2025
MICHELE STEEB: A New Chapter For America’s Homeless: Structure, Recovery, And Hope

MICHELE STEEB: A New Chapter For America’s Homeless: Structure, Recovery, And Hope

July 26, 2025
JAMES CARTER: America’s Capex Comeback

JAMES CARTER: America’s Capex Comeback

July 26, 2025
NEWT GINGRICH: Trump Boom Or Democrat Gloom

NEWT GINGRICH: Trump Boom Or Democrat Gloom

July 26, 2025
  • Donald Trump
  • State of the Union
  • Elon Musk
  • Tariffs
  • Congress
  • Faith
  • Immigration
Monday, July 28, 2025
  • Login
IJR
  • Politics
  • US News
  • Commentary
  • World News
  • Faith
  • Latest Polls
No Result
View All Result
IJR
No Result
View All Result
Home Commentary

WH Spox Says Admin Has ‘No Working Theory’ on Why Oil Companies Aren’t Increasing Refining Capabilities

by Bradley Cortright
June 23, 2022 at 9:22 am
in Commentary
250 2
0
WH Spox Says Admin Has ‘No Working Theory’ on Why Oil Companies Aren’t Increasing Refining Capabilities
491
SHARES
1.4k
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre is urging oil companies to “be patriots” and help bring down gas prices.

But when asked if the administration has a theory on why refineries have not already increased their capabilities, Jean-Pierre’s response was essentially that they have no clue.

On Wednesday, a reporter asked, “Is there a working theory that the administration currently has as to why the oil companies have not already increased their refining capacity?”

“You know, there’s no working theory on our part,” Jean-Pierre responded.

She continued, “Oil refiners’ margins have tripled since the beginning of the year. In just the first three months of the year, the biggest oil companies made $35 billion — four times — four times what they made in the first quarter of last year.”

“So they would have to speak to that themselves as to why they are not bringing up their capacity. Because again, the crude oil is there. We need them to refine that oil so that we could bring up the capacity and so, therefore, the gas prices could come down. That’s what we’re asking them to do,” Jean-Pierre added.

Watch the video below:

KARINE JEAN-PIERRE: "There's no working theory on our part" why the Biden administration's policies have hurt domestic energy production pic.twitter.com/QY6PxylAhn

— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) June 22, 2022

According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, the country’s refining capabilities are down sharply from pre-pandemic levels.

The Washington Post notes that over the past two years, five refineries have shut down, which has cut refining capacity by about 5%, or 1 million barrels per day.

It notes, “Oil refineries across the country are being retired and converted to other uses as owners balk at making costly upgrades, and America’s pivot away from fossil fuels leaves their future uncertain.”

Meanwhile, Jason Bordoff, founding director of the Center on Global Energy Policy at Columbia University, told the Post, “The problem is we are running the existing refineries at full power.”

“There is not a lot of ability to require industry to refine more than it already is,” he added.

Additionally, while the administration has pointed out that refineries’ profits are up, that comes after they saw heavy losses during the pandemic.

Chevron CEO Michael Wirth told the Post, “I don’t think you are ever going to see a refinery built again in this country.”

“In a country where the policy environment is trying to reduce demand for these products, you are not going to find companies to put billions and billions of dollars into this,” Wirth added.

It seems like it should not be that hard to develop a theory as to why refineries are not ramping up production.

After several shutdowns, there is not a desire to spend the time and money to build more refineries while the administration is pushing to transition to green energy, which would likely mean the end of their business model.

It seems the administration just wants to accuse oil companies of being greedy and use them as punching bags instead of trying to address the problem.

Tags: Gas PricesKarine Jean-Pierre
Share196Tweet123
Bradley Cortright

Bradley Cortright

IJR, Senior Writer He's written for Independent Journal Review since 2019.

Advertisements

Top Stories June 10th
Top Stories June 7th
Top Stories June 6th
Top Stories June 3rd
Top Stories May 30th
Top Stories May 29th
Top Stories May 24th
Top Stories May 23rd
Top Stories May 21st
Top Stories May 17th

Join Over 6M Subscribers

We’re organizing an online community to elevate trusted voices on all sides so that you can be fully informed.





IJR

    Copyright © 2024 IJR

Trusted Voices On All Sides

  • About Us
  • GDPR Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Service
  • Editorial Standards & Corrections Policy
  • Subscribe to IJR

Follow Us

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In
No Result
View All Result
  • Politics
  • US News
  • Commentary
  • World News
  • Faith
  • Latest Polls

    Copyright © 2024 IJR

Top Stories June 10th Top Stories June 7th Top Stories June 6th Top Stories June 3rd Top Stories May 30th Top Stories May 29th Top Stories May 24th Top Stories May 23rd Top Stories May 21st Top Stories May 17th