From Pajamas Media:
With virtually no warning, the Islamic Regime declared gas rationing in oil-rich Iran, sparking furious protests across the country.
[…]
PJM’s Ardeshir Arian, who has been following developments closely by phone and on the Internet, reports that unrest sparked by government gas rationing continued all night. The rioting, mainly in Tehran, but also in other cities, spread beyond the gas stations to government banks and government-run supermarkets, which were ransacked by ordinary people. It took hours for security forces to gain control and some forces fled the scene to safety.
[…] The Baztab news site claims that reporters with cameras in hand covering the unrest were attacked. This took place out of fear that security forces were photographing protesters in order to identify and arrest them.
This latest will, of course, give yet more false hope to those who’ve been waiting for that one big Iranian “student” uprising — but alas, such seems unlikely.
I have to wonder, though, why an oil rich country would feel compelled to ration gas.
So far, I’ve come up with two possibilities: 1) the mullacracy has let the refineries fall into disrepair, and nothing in their Korans tell them how to deal effectively with problems arising in vacuum distillation, FCC, ROSE (solvent deasphalter), HF alkylation, catalytic reforming, hydrodesulfurization, isomerization, sulfur recovery and product blending units; or 2) this is some really rather hamfisted attempt to justify their “need” for “nuclear energy” — the belief being that some Iranian apologists in the West will actually point to this incident in order to advance such an argument.
Seems implausible, sure. But then, the mind of the Western apologist is able to contort itself into the most unfathomable of positions when the alternative is the realization that sooner or later, some kind of action is going to be necessary — and it might involve more than just throwing on a headscarf and eating a plate of dates in a show of diplomatic resolve.
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video here
“But then, the mind of the Western apologist is able to contort itself into the most unfathomable of positions when the alternative is the realization that sooner or later, some kind of action is going to be necessary  and it might involve more than just throwing on a headscarf and eating a plate of dates in a show of diplomatic resolve.”
To be sure. It may need some saxaphone playing and singing in a Jazz Club. That or some mint tea drinking and chat.
MJ;
Don’t forget an international conference on the fiction of the Holocaust and the overwhelming evil that is Zionism. When in doubt or unrest, blame it on the JOOOOOOOS!
I’m pretty sure that since the jihadis took over in 1979, their refining capacity has been going downhill. It’s so bad that they actually import gasoline and have for a while.
This is from 2004.
but OPEC’s second biggest oil exporter must import a billion dollars worth of gasoline this year owing to waste and smuggling.
Yup. They raised the price to $0.42 per gallon. Let it burn!
Another possibility? Stockpiling.
“I have to wonder, though, why an oil rich country would feel compelled to ration gas.”
Inflation.
The real answer is that it costs about $1.20 to produce a gallon of gas in Iran, but State-mandated price controls fix the retail price at 38 cents.
Price-fixing => shortages => rationing.
Why they thought that they were exempt from economic law is an open question.
Obviously they are rioting because there’s no windfall tax on oil companies. That would solve everything.
Most of the hawks I have heard or listened to re: the bombing of Iran cite the Iranians absolute lack of refineries. They have oil for export, but few facilities for refining that oil. Seems ironic.
There is one other alternative: they are rationing civilian gas to maintain strategic reserves in anticipation of a possible US military strike….
Seems to me that this action testifies more to Iran’s need for more refining capacity than nuclear reactors…
It’s pretty hard to put neutrons in your gas tank…
Seems a basic part of any economy… the ability to move goods and services around your country. Internal combustion being the currently most efficient way to do that (more bang for buck).
But then in a mullahcracy, you don’t WANT your folks moving around and buying things and doing things… other than hating the Joooos, oh, and the great Satan… always hate the great Satan.
They have oil, but you can’t run your car on that.
Gasoline must be refined, and they lack the refinery capacity, so must buy gasoline back on the open market. They also keep the price of gas artificially low, so they take a huge loss when selling refined products — they have the unpleasant choice of raising the price or rationing. Neither would be popular.
But this is not a surprise — it was proposed a year ago and put off for feat of precisely this sort of unrest.
the mullacracy has let the refineries fall into disrepair…
Most likely it. The Economist had an excellent article a few months back on how state-owned oil firms have atrocious records on upkeep and reinvestment in their domestic production and refining. Venezuela is a “shining” example in this regard.
Hey, and speaking of Hugo, didja see yesterday’s Wall Street Journal article about how engineers and technicians fired from the Venezuelan state oil company are flocking to Canada to work the tar sands in Alberta? Nothing like driving away your skilled labor, Hugo.
We should be encouraging such labor to get to the U.S. Illegally, of course, unless they want to be stuck in an INS maze for the next seven years.
They’re probably on the verge of releasing their shiny new electric cars, which will run just wonderfully on that new electricity they make with weapons grade uranium.
Any minute now…
I look forward to seeing the Western apologists explain why the technical issues involved in producing nuclear fuel are somehow less daunting and irrespondible than those involved in refining gasoline, such that nuclear power is an acceptable alternative.
Pablo, will those use the same technology as their supersonic submarines and their invisible seaplanes?
The fact that they are rationing gasoline probably means that they are stockpiling for military and infrastructure use in case they are attacked.
They are doing this even though it is causing unrest at home, which means they are truly worried about the possibility of coming attacks.
As for refineries, we in the US don’t have the best track record for upkeep of our refineries either, which is why we see the price spike each spring for the switchover from making heating oil to gasoline is always marred with incidents and accidents.
It’s all based on their newfound admiration for Jimmy Carter.
“E-e-e-e-cellent, Smithers!”
Annie, our refining capacity has remained remarkably consistent over the past 30 years, despite increasingly complex formulation requirements, environmental regulations, and widely variable prices. The technical know-how hasn’t evaporated, nor has the investment capital (though it may be diverted to other ends when investment returns in refining are poor).
Somehow, I don’t think Tehran’s shortages are due to their strict environmental policies or the fact that their capital is tied up in promising tech startups.
Squid, you nailed it. Completely different scenarios/cases. I think everyone here captured a piece of the gas rationing. They could be moving to a “war” footing, not having the refinery capacity and Phinn’s reason of price fixing. Hey progs…Is this what we’re hoping for? Internal dissent to crush the mullahs? Hopefully, it comes to that.
The answers to most refining problems can be found in the Perry – Chemical Engineer’s Handbook. A sizable tome that chemical engineers revere like a sacred text.
Apart from the rise in oil, several aspects of the Tehran goverment outrage the citizens — its monomanical obsession with Israel; its refusal to cooperate with Europe and the rest of the world, and its limitation of civil rights. Most oppose the advancement of nuclear energy because it would do little for the economy and alienates the country from the international market. Iran has never had enough refineries, U.N. embargoes limit their access to foreign refineries, and those it does have are in disrepair — thus the shortage. The best way to unify the country and solidify the government’s hold on power would be if the United States invaded. Such aggression on our part would be seen, obviously, as an invasion to conquer and control their oil at the expense of their humanity — the citizens need only look to our handling of Iraq as proof we don’t care about their dignity, self-determination or freedom. Our most effective opposition has been international cooperation with isolating Iran — a this present protest proves.
Apart from the rise in oil, several aspects of the Tehran goverment outrage the citizens — its monomanical obsession with Israel; its refusal to cooperate with Europe and the rest of the world, and its limitation of civil rights. Most oppose the advancement of nuclear energy because it would do little for the economy and alienates the country from the international market. Iran has never had enough refineries, U.N. embargoes limit their access to foreign refineries, and those it does have are in disrepair — thus the shortage. The best way to unify the country and solidify the government’s hold on power would be if the United States invaded. Such aggression on our part would be seen, obviously, as an invasion to conquer and control their oil at the expense of their humanity — the citizens need only look to our handling of Iraq as proof we don’t care about their dignity, self-determination or freedom. Our most effective opposition has been international cooperation with isolating Iran — a this present protest proves.
Actually they have quite a bit of refining capacity.
Major refineries include: Abadan (400,000-bbl/d capacity); Isfahan (265,000 bbl/d); Bandar Abbas (232,000 bbl/d); Tehran (225,000 bbl/d); Arak (150,000 bbl/d); and Tabriz (112,000 bbl/d). Gasoline demand is forcasted to be growing at around 11.4 percent per year. Other crude oil refineries are in Kermanshah, Shiraz and Lavan Island.
Oil refineries are huge distilleries of highly volitile compounds. If they are not maintained on a regular basis, nasty things happen.
“I look forward to seeing the Western apologists explain why the technical issues involved in producing nuclear fuel are somehow less daunting and irrespondible than those involved in refining gasoline, such that nuclear power is an acceptable alternative.”
I fear you are spot on, Sobek.
“the citizens need only look to our handling of Iraq as proof we don’t care about their dignity, self-determination or freedom.”
Yeah. All that crappy electing their own government, freedom to own property and do business without the mullahs confiscating or banning it – no more massacres of Kurds and Marsh Arabs, ugh! No wonder they would think; our building schools, hospitals, infrastructure and the like, training their army and police as professionals, and dying on behalf of their freedom from becoming a proxy of Salafist, Wahabbis and The Iranian mullocracy is just another example of how we hate ’em…
This blog has it’s little theory of why the Iranians are rationing gasoline, and I have mine.
You see, I believe is Cheney. It has come to my attention that the man’s infamous “undisclosed location” where he spends all his time in between fund raisers, and Lawyer shooting is actually THERAN.
Why do I believe this you ask? Preposterous you say!! Not quite. I just follow the standard guide line by the Right. I manufacture my facts, mix them with delusion, and presto!! We have a new theory to run with.
So here it goes.
Lately Bush has given to call Ahmadinejad’s …. “Ajmi Boy” (Remember Kenny boy?). Bush has “looked into his eyes” and seen trust in them, and as a result he has “decided” that there are no WMD’s in Iran, and besides even if they were, he only invades countries that don’t actually have them, so there is nothing for Ajmi to worry about.
As a result Bush said to Ajmi “I am sending you The Dick for you to hold (you know that Bush has a way with words), and while you are at it you guys can strike a deal with Dick’s good old pals from Exxon- Mobile and send your refined gas to Europe where gas sales for $5.00 /Gallon”. “Ajmi you would’t want to continue to give away your gasoline to your country man for 12 cents per Gallon” “That’s too Liberal”, and our own motorists here in America are going to start looking at you as our next President, and that’s a no-no my friend.
Just live it to “My Dick” ERRRR excuse me, “The Dick”, Ajmi. He makes your Ayathollas look like Altar Boys when it comes to ruthlessness in persuit of the mighty buck.
OH and don’t forget. If you need some advice on how to torture your Grandma, just ask the Dick. The guy was a Chinese sadist in another life.
So there.
Looked at that a bit ago… and the answer is: both! Yes, the mad mullahs not only don’t do upkeep on their refineries, but they then put older, and harder to maintain oil online because they can’t get anyone to invest in sinking new wells. Plus they have not led a successful oil expansion project since 1979…
The mullahs may not upkeep their refineries, but I’m not sure you’re correct about investment, exploration and expansion in Iran.
Norsk Hydro, OMV, Sinopec, and an India consortium of ONGC have all been doing just that.
“more false hope to those who’ve been waiting for that one big Iranian “student†uprising ”
I’ve long been skeptical of the possibility of internal regime change in Iran, but now I’m beginning to wonder. If the oil flow falters, as we’re hearing it might in the near future, I don’t think they can keep the bulk of the armed forces loyal. They might not last a week without oil money.
And the CIA is in there making mischief, for whatever that’s worth. They can’t all be preening victim-playing idiots sending their lying husbands on secret public missions to generate outraged NYT editorials attacking Bush, right?
They’re saving up for the inevitable sanctions. Dear god, I would have hoped this was blatantly obvious to someone running a political blog.
Which, if they’d bothered to maintain sufficient refining capacity, would preclude a need for importation of the vast majority of their gasoline, and rationing would be completely unnecessary.