Sacramento Bee: Shell denies greed spurs the closure
By Dale Kasler — Bee Staff Writer
Wednesday, May 19, 2004
BAKERSFIELD – In the furious debate over California’s gasoline prices, the Shell Oil refinery in Bakersfield – a forlorn mess of pipes and boilers on a state road choking on truck fumes – usually got overlooked. Until Shell decided to close it.
Set for an Oct. 1 shutdown, the refinery produces just a sliver of the state’s motor fuel but has been embraced as a cherished resource by economists, elected officials and consumer advocates. They say losing the refinery could be devastating in a market where the balance between supply and demand is extraordinarily delicate.