You'd think that at $70 or so a barrel someone would want to suck the oil up

[ThomWV]

How many thousands of barrels at seventy or so bucks per barrel does it take for someone to want the stuff? If nothing else you'd think it would make enough asphalt to repave half the roads in the country.

[Cleita]

1. They have to get it to the refinery. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe this

is where all the price fixing begins. If there is too much oil to store, they have to refine it and sell it. A glut of gasoline on the market would drive the prices way down. The greedy bastards don't want this. They see nothing wrong with destroying an ecosystem with their greed for profit.

[rrneck]

2. If it costs too much to grab it and clean it up

to get it to the refinery it won't pay to fool with it.

Of course, if the government had enough of a spine to force them to deal with it, maybe they would be more careful next time.

[havocmom]

3. Any truth to long held rumors that a lot of tankers are tied up holding oil off-shore

from various coastal refineries, waiting until the investors want to move it into the market?

Market manipulation is not unheard of, especially in fuels.

[rrneck]

4. I don't doubt it. nt