The Impact Of Environment Regulation On The Petroleum Industry From 1970-1990 In The U.S.

During the Second World War,oil became the main fuel of American transportation industry,and gradually surpassed coal to become the most energy consumption form in America.However,while oil has created an American industrial miracle,it has also caused environmental problems one after another.Ecological damage caused by oil exploration and exploitation,leakage during transportation,loading and unloading,and pollutant discharge during processing,refining and use have caused great harm to air,water,aquatic organisms and human beings.In the 1970s,the American government set up environmental administrative agencies such as the Environmental Quality Commission and the Environmental Protection Agency,and promulgated environmental protection laws such as the Clean Air Act and the Clean Water Act to strengthen environmental control.Strict environmental control has increased the production cost of the oil refining industry,and the oil industry has used this as an excuse to constantly challenge the EPA.In the short term,strict environmental control increases the burden on the oil industry,while in the long term,environmental control forces the oil industry to eliminate backward production capacity,adjust industrial structure,promote technological innovation,develop clean fuels,and achieve the environmental goal of “clean air” and the political goal of energy independence.According to the research ideas and logic,the main contents of this paper are as follows:In the introduction,firstly,the academic value,practical significance,research status at home and abroad,data sources,research methods and innovations of the research on the impact of environmental regulation on the oil industry in the United States from 1970s to 1990s are explained in a comprehensive way.Chapter ? macroscopically describes the historical evolution of the rise and development of American oil industry,and analyzes the historical characteristics of the development of American oil industry.In 1859,the birth of the first oil artesian well in Pennsylvania opened the prelude of American oil industry.The development and utilization of petroleum has attracted a large amount of capital investment,which makes the whole industry scale expand continuously.In the mid-20th century,the number of American cars increased rapidly,and the development of automobile industry led to the rapid growth of oil consumption.However,with the maturity of oil exploration,domestic oil exploration activities began to shrink.In 1970s,American diplomatic,political,economic,environmental and other factors affected the oil industry,and completely changed the American oil industry.From 1980s to 1990s,the petroleum industry experienced large-scale integration,and the expansion of the refining industry stopped,instead,the development direction was to close backward production capacity,technological transformation and environmental protection upgrade.Chapter ? analyzes the air and water pollution caused by American oil industry and the environmental control of American oil industry in the early days.Oil pollution poses a great threat to American urban environment,people's health and life safety.Before the 1970s,the United States had begun to control pollution,but little success was achieved.Chapter ? sorts out the regulatory requirements of the National Environmental Policy Law,the Clean Air Law and the Clean Water Law on the pollution emissions of the oil refining industry and the response of the oil industry.In 1970s,under the legal framework of National Environmental Policy Law,Clean Air Law and Clean Water Law,the United States made regulations on refinery construction permit,air pollutant discharge standard and wastewater discharge standard.Under the pretext of high pollution control costs,the oil industry fought against the EPA and urged Congress to amend the law.In the process of game between EPA and petroleum industry,the path of environmental control is gradually changed to market regulation,and the cost and benefit of enterprises are taken into account while pollution is controlled.Oil companies have gradually changed their attitude towards environmental control.Chapter ? discusses the influence of environmental regulation on oil refining industry.Firstly,taking the proposed refinery in Portsmouth as an example,this paper analyzes the contradictory relationship among politics,economy and environment in the United States in 1970s.Secondly,it analyzes the influence of environmental regulation on the cost,industrial upgrading and technological innovation of oil refining industry.Chapter ? explores the difficult historical process of removing leaded gasoline in the United States and the regulatory requirements of the Clean Air Act of 1990 on fuel.When the Clean Air Law was revised in 1990,a series of plans aimed at purifying gasoline were added.About methyl tert-butyl ether,an additive in gasoline,caused a debate between EPA and petroleum industry,environmental protection organizations and state governments.The harm of methyl tert-butyl ether to human body was finally confirmed,and this debate promoted the popularization and use of biofuel-ethanol gasoline.