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Energy

Electricity and the Price of Oil

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By Paul Ausick Published
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WTI crude oil is trading down about 1.6% this morning at around $85.70 primarily due to the lack of demand for crude from two large refineries that were shut down due to Hurricane Sandy. Gasoline prices are lower as well as demand has dropped.

Until electrical power is restored to the Phillips 66 (NYSE: PSX) and Hess Corp. (NYSE: HES) refineries in New Jersey, the refineries will remain out of production.

And the long lines we’ve seen for gasoline are also due to the lack of electricity. Gasoline stations need electricity to run their pumps. No electricity, no gasoline.

The other factor holding down crude and gasoline prices is the inability of people to get to work. As long as people aren’t driving to and from work, demand is stunted and prices will remain low.

The situation is only temporary, of course. The crude and the gasoline are available, they’re just in the wrong places.

Paul Ausick

Photo of Paul Ausick
About the Author Paul Ausick →

Paul Ausick has been writing for a673b.bigscoots-temp.com for more than a decade. He has written extensively on investing in the energy, defense, and technology sectors. In a previous life, he wrote technical documentation and managed a marketing communications group in Silicon Valley.

He has a bachelor's degree in English from the University of Chicago and now lives in Montana, where he fishes for trout in the summer and stays inside during the winter.

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