Heating Oil Production At Issue Source: Buffalo News Publication date: 2000-07-24

Rep. Thomas M. Reynolds, R-Clarence, and other congressmen are urging the country's large oil companies to increase production of home heating oil. Reynolds said he believes a shortage of home heating oil may have an even more severe effect on residents of Western New York and the Finger Lakes than has the rising price of gasoline.

The congressmen have sent a letter to the heads of ExxonMobil, BP Amoco, Chevron, Marathon, TOSCO, Shell, Texaco, Sunoco, Citgo Oil Co., Koch Industries and Valero, urging them to immediately begin to refine heating oil to replenish depleted stocks in the Northeast.

"Although many motorists have the ability to curtail their driving in order to avoid high gas prices, heating oil consumers cannot cut back on heating their homes during the cold fall and winter months," the representatives wrote to the oil companies, stating that heating oil stocks have fallen to dangerously low levels.

"Heating oil stocks today on the East Coast are 63 percent lower than they were in 1999, and nationally, distillate stocks are 22 percent below last year's level."

The congressmen said they wanted adequate reserves available on the East Coast by September.

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-- Martin Thompson (mthom1927@aol.com), July 26, 2000