Why didn't the Japanese destroy the Pearl Harbor oil storage?

by dragonscribe

I have read that the US Navy maintained a large oil storage facility at Pearl Harbor, about 6 months supply for the Pacific fleet. If this had been destroyed, fleet operations would have been severely restricted for months. Did the Japanese consider that this might have higher value than some other targets, and why did they decide not to attack the oil field?

raerdor

The Japanese admiral Nagumo decided not to launch a third wave of attacks for a number of reasons.

The objectives of knocking out the fleet had been thought to have been achieved... save the American carriers were missing. Launching the third wave would have further exposed the only Japanese carriers to a counterattack by carriers, submarines, or land based aircraft. The American air defenses were mounting quickly... the second wave suffered twice as many losses as the first wave which benefitted from surprise. The third wave would have had to return in darkness in worsening weather, risking the experienced aviators who survived the air defenses and exposing the carriers if they turned on their lights.

His younger officers wanted him to attack, but Nagumo decided not to for these reasons. Remember that most of the Japanese flag officers thought it would be a short war... the Americans wouldn't have the stomach to dislodge the Japanese from their new holdings and would accept the new status quo.

http://archive.iwm.org.uk/upload/package/25/pearl_harbour/ph_3rdwave.htm