Kurt Lykins
ON THE RECORD · 8 verbatim quotes · every quote source-verified
“The midwest is different form the coasts or even the Gulf, primarily in the [lower] number of oil refineries and how it can respond in times of crisis. If you have water access you can bring tankers in with additional oil,”
Kurt Lykins · said date not stated · reported 2026-10-03
Lykins explains why the midwest is more vulnerable to diesel supply disruptions than coastal regions.
“Any school district that’s using last year’s budget needs to refine that upwards,”
Kurt Lykins · said date not stated · reported 2026-10-03
Lykins warns school districts relying on last year's budgets to adjust them upward due to rising diesel costs.
“That’s the best-case [scenario].”
Kurt Lykins · said date not stated · reported 2026-10-03
Lykins describes the scenario of prices normalizing but the Strategic Oil Reserve still needing to be replenished as the best-case outcome.
“So, it’s hard for the midwest to respond.”
Kurt Lykins · said date not stated · reported 2026-10-03
Lykins says the midwest struggles to respond to fuel supply crises due to its lack of water access for tankers.
“We’ve drawn down 172m barrels. Although the prices for gasoline and diesel have been rising, drawing down from the reserve has given some stability to prices,”
Kurt Lykins · said date not stated · reported 2026-10-03
Lykins discusses the drawdown of the Strategic Oil Reserve and its effect on stabilizing fuel prices.
“Let’s say everything goes back to normal – we still need to build up the [Strategic Oil] Reserve and that’s going to slow the drop in prices for consumers,”
Kurt Lykins · said date not stated · reported 2026-10-03
Lykins says even in a best-case scenario, rebuilding the Strategic Oil Reserve will slow any decline in consumer fuel prices.
“The issue is when we are no longer able to do that, the stability will no longer be there. We’re getting ready to go into a high diesel demand season in winter.”
Kurt Lykins · said date not stated · reported 2026-10-03
Lykins warns that once the Strategic Oil Reserve can no longer be drawn down, price stability will disappear ahead of winter's high diesel demand season.
“The sad thing is that this increase is not the same across school districts – rural districts are going to be even more impacted because they transport more students over further distances.”
Kurt Lykins · said date not stated · reported 2026-10-03
Lykins notes that rural school districts will be hit harder by diesel price increases because they transport more students over longer distances.