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Podcast: News For Reasonable People
Episode: CA Oil+Gas Industry Beyond Point of No Return - Interview with Petroleum Expert Mike Ariza
Description: California is about to lose 22% of its gasoline production when Valero Benicia shuts down—on top of the 20% already gone from Marathon and ConocoPhillips closures. Let that sink in. We sat down with Mike Araiza, former Valero controller and petroleum expert, who breaks down exactly why California's refinery death spiral is creating a national security crisis. We're talking 40%+ of fuel coming from overseas (hello, Singapore, India, and countries buying Russian crude), maxed-out ports, military bases at risk, and gas prices heading to $8-12 per gallon by summer 2026. Meanwhile, Newsom's "solution"? Begging someone to buy refineries after 25 years of regulatory wa...