Heating oil companies run out in some areas

Source: Times Union Albany, NY Publication date: Feb 08, 2000

WASHINGTON -- The soaring price of heating oil isn't the only problem facing New York this winter. Some of the state's heating suppliers say they are also facing an oil shortage that is forcing them to set quotas for customers.

Several heating oil companies on Long Island and in Westchester County were without oil for all or part of three days last week, industry officials said Monday. Although no customers were stranded without fuel, there was some scrambling to keep the limited supply flowing. "This is the most severe energy crisis since the Arab oil embargo of the 1970s," Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., said Monday.

Schumer used the fresh evidence of a shortage to renew his call for the Clinton administration to dip into the nation's 570 million- barrel strategic petroleum reserves. U.S. Energy Secretary Bill Richardson has declined to do that, but on Sunday, White House Chief of Staff John Podesta said the administration was looking at what options were available.

The wholesale price of heating oil has jumped 133 percent in five weeks, Schumer's office said. The retail price of heating oil has reached $2.50 a gallon, compared to $1.20 a gallon that it cost this time last year.

Four out of nine major Long Island heating oil terminals -- Riverhead, Plainview, Inwood, and Oceanside -- were without oil for at least half of last week. Terminals in Cold Spring Harbor, Glenwood, Holtsville, Oyster Bay and a second terminal in Inwood were faced with shortages severe enough that they set up quotas for customers purchasing oil, according to the Oil Heat Institute of Long Island.

In Westchester County, West Vernon Petroleum and Rad Energy were without oil for three days last week. Castle Oil in the Bronx was empty on Thursday while one of the five bayside terminals has been dry much of the week, according to Professional Fuel, a distributor in Westchester County.

John Maniscalco, executive vice president of the New York Oil Heating Association, said he didn't expect any customers to be left without heat, but said the shortage was feeding the price increase.

A severe and lengthy cold snap, combined with the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Companies decision to cut back on supply has fueled the supply problems, Maniscalco said.

Publication date: Feb 08, 2000 ) 2000, NewsReal, Inc.

Link:

http://beta.newsreal.com/cgi-bin/NewsService?osform_template=pages/newsrealStory&ID=newsreal&storypath=News/Story_2000_02_09.NRdb@2@12@3@340&path=News/Category.NRdb@2@7

-- Carl Jenkins (Somewherepress@aol.com), February 09, 2000

Answers

But it isn't over yet...

-- Mad Monk (madmonk@hawaiian.net), February 09, 2000.

But NOT any refinery or pipeline problems. Garranteed there are no problems on our side of the pond. Nope. We are OK. Its the weather and the Arabs. Yep.

-- ..- (dit@dot.dash), February 09, 2000.

Link

-- Henry Howfambofergilfer (howfambofergilfer@hotmail.com), February 09, 2000.