Bob A very informative post and I'll admit I learned some interesting facts from it. Now I have a question for you. The Alaska pipeline started up in 1977 and it pumps Approximately on a average 988,984 barrels of crude per day. Now that oil is pumped to Valdez, Alaska where its loaded on to tankers to ship to the USA. Is the Alaska pipeline pumping 100% of the crude or if not why? Would it be that the cost is to prohibitive because of the tankers that have to ship the crude to the USA or is it because of the cost involved in distilling the crude. If the last refinery was built in (1976?) and since we seem to have unlimitive money resources, even if it cost billions to build another refinery, why not put that money to good cause instead of buying our oil from other countries. Sure in the short run we would be in a hole, but in the long run it seems that we would be ahead.