Global Refining System Has Little Spare Room Left
Listen to the story
Oil refineries turn crude oil into fuel. Fuel types include diesel and gas. Right now, refineries around the world are very busy. They have little spare room left. This means they cannot make much more fuel.
There is a diesel problem. The world does not have enough diesel. This problem is getting worse. It comes before winter. In winter, people need more diesel. They use it for heat and travel. This time is called peak demand.
Because of this, gas prices may stay high this fall. This can happen even if crude oil prices go down. Usually, when crude oil is cheap, gas is cheap too. But this time, it may be different.
The reason is the refineries. They cannot make enough fuel fast enough. There are only so many refineries. They cannot make fuel without limits. So, even cheap crude oil may not lower gas prices soon.
Vocabulary15 words
- refineries
- places that turn oil into fuel
- crude oil
- oil before it is made into fuel
- diesel
- a type of fuel used in trucks and machines
- spare room
- extra space to do more
- peak demand
- the time when people need the most of something
- fuel
- something burned to make power or heat
- gas prices
- how much fuel costs at the pump
- crunch
- a big shortage; not enough of something
- capacity
- the most a place can make or hold
- shortage
- not having enough of something
- winter
- the cold season of the year
- stabilize
- to stop changing and stay steady
- global
- about the whole world
- system
- a group of parts that work together
- worsen
- to become worse
Quiz
Answer key
1. They turn crude oil into fuel 2. A diesel shortage 3. True
Fill-in-the-blank listening
Play the audio again and fill in the missing words as you listen.
Oil _____ turn crude oil into fuel. Fuel types include diesel and gas. Right now, refineries around the world are very busy. They have little _____ left. This means they cannot make much more fuel.
There is a diesel problem. The world does not have enough diesel. This problem is getting _____. It comes before winter. In winter, people need more diesel. They use it for heat and travel. This time is called peak _____.
Because of this, gas _____ may stay high this fall. This can happen even if crude oil prices go down. Usually, when crude oil is cheap, gas is cheap too. But this time, it may be different.
The reason is the refineries. They cannot make enough fuel fast enough. There are only so many refineries. They cannot make fuel without limits. So, even cheap crude oil may not lower gas _____ soon.