baddog

Well, the thread is about crude oil prices and everything is blamed on Trump. As you said previously, breaking down the costs of what actually goes into shipping and refining, lots of people can’t imagine. I don’t think it’s off-topic to discuss some of the smaller people like me, who are still involved in the cost of getting product to the people. Heck, if I’m told it’s off topic, that’d be ok and I’d start another thread because I think it would be fun to pick your brain. Maybe others would join in with their life experiences. After all, life is nothing more than a collection of memories and I find myself reminiscing more and more. I have some good stories from back then and even during my subcontracting years during the 80s/90s.

Back in those days, to load the grain ship, she had to be maneuvered back and forth to level out the grain. The bow and stern mooring lines had to be loosened and tightened to move the ship to and fro. I had nothing to do with their mooring as Continental Grain Elevator was separate from Mobil, but they were next door and we were able to watch. They probably have better loading procedures today, but that’s how it was done in the olden days. Lol. Some of the smaller tankers that were not Mobil owned, had much smaller mooring lines. Their ropes were about 2” diameter and we called them “kite stringers”. Some ships had bow thrusters and were able to dock using just one tug. Bow thruster was a propeller located in the bow that moved the ship port or starboard. Only dealt with one of those. Mobil ships had 4” ropes for mooring. On the bow and stern, the ropes were accompanied with 1” cables. Had a special hook for the cables called pelican hooks. The ropes went in a simple hook because we were able to lift the rope out of the hook to sail. The pelican hook was specially designed to handle the weight of the cable and a release that would allow disengagement. All mobil ships coming in to dock had to pass up the docks and enter the turning basin where the tugs would turn the ship around before mooring so that she was heading out after loading. All ship traffic was not necessarily hauling in crude. Some were sailing in to load heating oil for up north. That was a regular trip. Had a ship named the Grigerosa which brought in Mexican crude. You could smell her before she rounded the bend……high sulphur content. I could go on but I’m sure this is boring to some. I think you have a great knowledge of the refining part. I picked up a little along the way. I was in my 20s when this took place.

I ran a line boat mooring the ships at Mobil in Beaumont back in the 70s. Like you said, the supertankers cannot come into port due to their draft, which in the Neches, is/was around 40 feet max. If my memory serves me, Galveston and New Orleans could handle the drafts (approx. 80’). We actually had the Manhatten visit our grain terminal in Beaumont. She was 1000’ long with a helicopter pad and an ice breaker bow. She only received a partial load and topped off in NO. Coming up the Neches to port, all ship traffic was halted for her to pass, same when she sailed. She also had some history that I won’t get into. The supertankers would stay in deep water and off load to the shuttle tankers which would pick up their pilot and tug, navigate up river (about a 2 hour trek) to Mobil docks in Beaumont, where I would run their mooring lines to the pilings. Mobil employees handled the dock mooring. I also had to release the lines for the ships to sail. We also handled stores. Those were good times. Sorry for the memory post.

Good to know. The Sox hit our best player in the ribs today. Thankfully Alvarez is ok…..as far as I know.

Onward Christian Soldiers……need to stop this…

How long before you get over the Astros? Lol

Dude. Stop crying. Look at this…. [Hidden Content]

Abreu likes making it interesting. I’ll die saying that, but I also think he is an excellent pitcher. Lol

I’ll take a split and a sweep anytime.

Saw it, and like everyone else, did not catch it. The insert box even had the correct count and changed after the third strike. lol. Good thing it wasn’t game changing.

Chalk it up to funding the war effort. You know, getting behind and supporting your country. A small price to pay.

And they have guidelines to prevent gouging.

I stand corrected. I fixed it.

Sounded like he needed to clear his throat.

What gets me is during the Bush/Obama high gas prices, crude oil was around $140 per barrel and gas prices were almost $4.00 in our area. Now, inching closer to $4.00 for gas, crude oil is around $100 per barrel. I thought there were percentages involved. Is it inflation?

I realize that’s a national average. When factoring in California, NY, and other blue states, the price goes way up. Some people are only concerned with their cost.