Refineries aren't hurting. They're still refining enough oil to keep them well paid.
Artificially driving up prices is the sole reason for the bust cycle. Everything is still the same as it was before the bust cycle. Same producing wells, same pipelines pushing oil/gas. The only thing that's really changed is the amount of oil/gas being produced. And since there's still no shortage of oil/gas being produced, the only thing left are the artificial means of increasing price. "Speculation." Speculation drives the oil futures market up. The oil companies use that excuse to increase their ppb.
They used to use supply and demand. But since we have so much oil/gas now, and everyone knows it, they can't use that excuse any longer.
The business end of this, with their record profits, is everyone at the top gets their bonuses in the millions. And the oil companies put money back to start the next bust cycle. And they're going to need it, because all those oil field hands gotta get paid when the boom cycle starts back. The oil companies will use this money for more drilling, more pipelines (New and replacements). They do this so they don't lose their profits. It's sort of like a savings account.
It's just business. Blaming the president is just a way for them to prolong the bust cycle and make even more profit. In a short time, enough people will figure this out and when the pressure starts being put on the oil companies (which is where it should be to start with), they'll begin their boom cycle. Ramp up production. Prices will start coming down. And things will go back to normal until the next bust cycle.
This ain't rocket science. We seen OPEC do it for many MANY decades. It's the sole reason the government gave oil companies so many incentives to find and produce more oil in the 70's, 80's and 90's. So OPEC wouldn't have such a huge effect on our economy. Apparently bust cycles are necessary to oil companies. Investors have to get paid. CEO's have to get their million $$$ bonus, new drilling rigs and new pipes have to be paid for. Increase in oil field wages. etc etc etc<<<< Increases in overhead. This is simple stuff.