ENB PUB Note: A great article from Ronald Stien, author and friend of the Energy News Beat podcast. He raises some significant points regarding Ukraine, Russia, and California. The key point is energy infrastructure. I still feel that the best way to end the Ukraine war is to get President Putin to the table with a deal not tariffing India and China. And that Zelensky and the UK and the EU are pushing us to WWIII intentionally. I also think that Governor Newsom’s war on oil and gas has caused a significant national security risk, and it is going to be a disaster. Additionally, providing Ukraine with long-range missiles is a mistake; given Zelensky’s history of corruption, we cannot trust his judgment.
Like the biblical story of Goliath vs. David, the underdog Ukraine is attempting to place a dagger into the heart of Russia’s military and economy by attacking Russia’s oil refineries and pipelines.
Ukraine has launched a bold and unprecedented aerial counteroffensive against Russia that targets its critical oil infrastructure, which is the foundation of its military domination. Ukraine understands that Russia’s military and economy are heavily reliant on its oil refinery infrastructure for transportation fuels and the numerous other products demanded by its military and economy.
Ukrainians know that just electricity generated from wind and solar, so-called renewables, are incapable of supporting the products and fuels demanded by the Russian military and economy.
Ukrainians recognize that the “weak link” to Russia’s strength is its oil refinery infrastructure, i.e., targeting these sites for destruction severs the heart of their supply chain or products and fuels to support their economy and the war efforts against the underdog Ukraine.
Russia’s oil infrastructure has taken a hammering after a string of explosions knocked out three major oil and gas pipelines. Ukraine has also stepped up drone strikes on Russia’s refining backbone, with at least half a dozen refineries disrupted in recent weeks.
In recent months, Ukrainian forces have intensified attacks against Russia’s energy infrastructure in an effort to put economic pressure on Moscow and undermine its ability to finance the war.
The “8-N” oil pipeline control station sustained multiple strikes, with a fire erupting near its pumping station and tank farm, according to Ukraine’s military. The strike was conducted overnight on Sept. 7 by Ukraine’s Missile Forces and Artillery and the Unmanned Systems Forces, in coordination with other branches of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
The “8-N” facility is part of the Steel Horse oil pipeline complex, which has a pumping capacity of 10.5 million tons and is considered strategically crucial for transporting fuel to Russian forces, according to Ukraine’s General Staff.
Ukraine’s top drone warfare commander, Robert “Madyar” Brovdi, said the “8-N” facility is also strategically important for transporting oil products from Belarusian refineries to Russia, particularly from the Mozyr and Novopolotsk refineries.
In America, the 131 refineries in the country are supporting the demands of the 350 million residents of the USA and all the military bases for transportation fuels and chemicals to make more than 6,000 products used daily.
With no pipelines over the Sierra Mountains, California is an energy island separated from the crude oil supply and the infrastructure of oil refineries within the other 49 States.
- California’s 15 refineries support the state’s 40 million residents’ demands for fuels and products based on fossil fuels.
- The other 116 refineries in America support the other 310 million residents in the country.
- All refinery sites can easily reach and exceed 1,000 acres of real estate.
Activities in California may be a prelude to a coming attraction for Americans, i.e., activities that pose a national security risk for all those living in America.
Over the last several decades, California’s passion to transition away from fossil fuels has overregulated and overly burdened just the SUPPLY of oil production and refining, but has not reduced the increasing materialistic DEMANDS of the State for more than 6,000 products and transportation fuels made from those fossil fuels. Thus, China is savoring the future with its many refineries coming online to meet the DEMANDS of California.
Just last year, in October 2024, Phillips 66 announced that it would close its Wilmington-area refining complex this year, which will further reduce the state’s gasoline, diesel, and aviation fuels production capacity, wiping out more than 8% of the state’s crude oil processing capacity. Losing another 1.3 billion gallons in annual gasoline output will only worsen the state’s supply challenges to meet the demands.
The recent announcement that the Valero Benica Refinery in Northern California will be closing by the end of 2026 was disappointing, but shockingly, a prelude to more closures in the future. The Valero refinery at Benicia represents almost 9% of the state’s crude oil processing capacity to meet the materialistic demands of the state’s residents.
The underdog Ukrainians who are attacking Russia’s oil refineries and pipelines are sending a strong message to America’s national security team, as America’s crude oil infrastructure of refineries and pipelines has similar vulnerabilities.
Please share this information with teachers, students, and friends to encourage Energy Literacy conversations at the family dinner table.
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