Exactly, most ridiculous thing I ever heard, a race to burn up oil that would have been used a generation or two later when the Sardis and whatnot run out, and it's as cheaply as possible in order to facilitate waste at an expedited pace.
They're even burning off natural gas as it comes up with oil wells because it's not worth capturing due to its low current market value.
All this to appeal to the 4x4 and SUV vote.