What's the point of drilling for more oil, if the oil companies won't build refining capacity?

They keep shutting down refineries instead of building more, because they make more money that way. Shouldn't they be required to expand refining capacity before we let them drill for more?What's the point of drilling for more oil, if the oil companies won't build refining capacity?
The refineries will come when the oil is drilled and available. Look how far we have come in the last ten years because we would not allow drilling in the US. If we start now, at least 10 years from now we will have something. No reason not to look at alternative fuels in the process. We are a big enough country that we can support all sorts of energy exporation. Atomic energy, water power, solar power. wind power, etc,What's the point of drilling for more oil, if the oil companies won't build refining capacity?
Because there's very little oil left in the USA, and even if we dill and refine more, it just means we will run out sooner. There's not an infinite supply of oil in the ground, and the USA and Alaska have been pretty thoroughly prospected. So it doesn't make sense to make any major increase in refining capacity, since it would just be surplus in a few years.





However, there IS a problem with Nimbys preventing existing refineries from being upgraded and improving their capacity. That's a problem in a lot of industries over much of America, and it is one of the reasons some manufacturing has fled the country.





In any case, the oil industry isn't ';shutting down refineries'; to make more money. They would be perfectly happy to find more oil and sell it if they could, but the reality is, it's not really practical in the USA.
Why do you shop around for shoes instead of just going to one store more often?





The more places you shop, the better deals you find.





I say drill everywhere there is potential oil. They can begin in my backyard.