Trump to Meet with Refiners over Fuel Prices This Week, Source Says

Dow Jones
2 hours ago
 

U.S. President Donald Trump will meet at least 10 refinery operators and fuel distributors on Tuesday to discuss possible actions to lower gasoline prices and increase U.S. refining capacity, an industry source familiar with the matter said Sunday.

Refining company executives include those from Chevron, Marathon Petroleum, Valero Energy and PBF Energy, the source said.

American Petroleum Institute, the largest U.S. oil and gas trade group, did not provide a comment in response to a question. American Fuel and Petrochemical Manufacturers, another trade group representing refiners, did not respond to a request for comment.

It is uncertain what additional measures can be done to slash gasoline prices.

The latest Energy Information Administration data showed U.S. refinery utilization rose to an eight-year high of 97.4% of capacity during the week of Aug. 21, even as the end of the summer driving season approaches.

While the U.S. has massive refining capacity and access to abundant crude supply, it is not immune from the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz because refined products are priced internationally -- refiners will deliver fuel to markets that have the highest crack spread.

A six-month-long Middle East conflict, Russia's product export ban amid persistent attacks on its refineries by Ukraine, and sharply reduced Chinese fuel exports have led to the worst global energy disruption.

The Trump administration has already released most of its committed 170 million bbl of crude oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, sending the SPR's stockpile to the lowest level since 1982.

To lower shipping costs, the White House has also waived the Jones Act, requiring goods -- including petroleum fuel -- moved in U.S. coastal waters between American ports to be carried on U.S.-flagged and -owned ships that are constructed in the U.S. and crewed by U.S. citizens.

Meanwhile, experts recently said any attempts by U.S. policymakers to ban gasoline exports would fail, and consumers will eventually pay higher prices as refiners produce less.

Late Friday, President Trump confirmed that the U.S. reached a deal with Venezuela to secure control of a big chunk of the Latin American country's oil reserves, estimated at 300 billion bbl -- the world's largest proven reserves.

 

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