On Mondayy’s broadcast of MSNBC’s “José Díaz-Balart Reports,” NBC News Correspondent Steve Patterson acknowledged that cuts in oil production are “one of the biggest contributing factors” in the recent spike in oil prices, but another major factor is “long-term, we’ve been sort of putting this stuff into the air” and creating climate change.
Patterson stated, “It’s the height of summer driving season with that dreaded summer blend and crude oil prices are a bit different with production being cut worldwide, that is one of the biggest contributing factors, but certainly, so too is the heat. It is, because, specifically, these refineries that you’ll find along the Gulf in places like Texas and Louisiana and on the West Coast are so overheated with repeated hundred-degree days that they literally cannot operate at full capacity, which means production at those refineries…they can’t operate because it’s so frigging hot at those places, which makes it really, really difficult, and, of course, spikes the price of gasoline. That is the largest contributing factor to the fact, of course, that, long-term, we’ve been sort of putting this stuff into the air, creating a climate of increased climate. It’s hotter in general, which means those refineries get hotter quicker. It’s a vicious cycle, Jose. And we’ve seen it repeated now. It was, of course, a lot worse last summer. The hope is it doesn’t spike even further, but as we’ve been speaking to experts, we expect at least another seven to ten-cent increase to maybe somewhere along $3.85 before the driving season ends. So, it’s going to get a whole lot worse before it gets better. That’s what we’re hearing.”
Follow Ian Hanchett on Twitter @IanHanchett