Cuba and China are gearing up to drill for oil about forty-five miles off of Florida. It's particularly ironic when the world's last true believer in communism has a more sound energy policy than the US. Needless to say, I can hardly wait for the Democrats to advocate the lifting of the embargo on Cuba so that we can buy oil from them. The self-same oil that we ourselves have elected not to drill for.
There is help, perhaps, on the way. The "No Excuses" energy bill, introduced before Memorial Day is getting a big push to be voted out of conference and to the floor of the House of Reps. by Congressman Wahlberg of Michigan. It advocates not only drilling but nuclear and alternative energy as well. The congressman is basically tired of the Democratic leadership tying the bill up in committee so that nothing will be done and wants it out on the floor for the full House to debate. Details below.
The second link makes a note of Nancy Pelosi's comments on what the Dem's have done to alleviate our energy problems. She cites their authorizing the Justice Department to have the power to sue OPEC, an action that I'm sure has Riyadh, Tehran, and Dubai just paralyzed with fear.
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“Scientists are people who build the Brooklyn Bridge and then buy it.” Wm. F. Buckley, Jr.
The size of ANWR as compared to various US states.
1. ANWR 19.0 million acres
Portion of ANWR permanently closed to development (Wilderness & Refuge) 17.5 million
2. West Virginia 15.5
3. Maryland 6.6
4. Vermont 6.1
5. New Hampshire 5.9
6. Massachusetts 5.3
7. New Jersey 4.9
8. Hawaii 4.1
9. Connecticut 3.2
Area proposed for exploration 1.5 million
10. Delaware 1.3
11. Rhode Island .7
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“Scientists are people who build the Brooklyn Bridge and then buy it.” Wm. F. Buckley, Jr.
The size of ANWR as compared to various US states.
1. ANWR 19.0 million acres
Portion of ANWR permanently closed to development (Wilderness & Refuge) 17.5 million
2. West Virginia 15.5
3. Maryland 6.6
4. Vermont 6.1
5. New Hampshire 5.9
6. Massachusetts 5.3
7. New Jersey 4.9
8. Hawaii 4.1
9. Connecticut 3.2
Area proposed for exploration 1.5 million
10. Delaware 1.3
11. Rhode Island .7
An interesting observation. Larger than West Virginia. However, how much of that is covered with oil?? Even the pro-drill ANWR sites say:
1) Takes 15+ years to start getting oil out of it if we start today.
2) Takes 15-30 years to drain.
3) At a 30 year drain, it will provide a WHOPPING 5% of our oil at CURRENT levels. We put more than that in ethanol.
4) If you could miraculously drain it overnight, you would be able to provide oil for the US for a WHOPPING 1.2 years. No TWELVE... 1.2-1.5 at high estimates. Pfft.
So, 15 years of effort and energy to get a 5% relief at the pump for 30 years? SO you are going to spend 15 years to get a nickel off of every dollar (which likely will be even less than that as it is not a direct return and not every drop of crude becomes gas).
Get a grip. It does not help. It cannot help. It will not help. It is political and graft and the PRO-DRILL advocates present this as some great relief... it is not.
We are beyond ANWR. Find another solution.
Here is a PRO-DRILL ANWR site. Take a look for yourself. Now, LOOK AT THE FACTS PRESENTED... and lack thereof.
CD...the same arguments were advanced to stop progress here 12 years ago...that oil would be coming on line NOW if we had gone after it. Ditto with the refineries and nuke plants we SHOULD have been building...ditto with offshore drilling.
1. We NEED fossil fuels now and will need them in the future.
2. We can get them in an environmentally friendly manner while we buy time for other technologies to develope and become competitive choices.
3. Our ENEMIES sell us oil today and use the $$ against us. Every US oil dollar is one THEY don't get. PLUS they have LOW environmental standards so it is better for the planet if WE get the oil.
4. Production of US oil means US jobs and tax revenues. ALASKANS want it by a 3/4 majority.
5. The wilderness will not be harmed.
6. We don't KNOW how much oil is REALLY there. All we have is the esimates. Check the original estimates on the bakken field vs. the current estimates now that techology exists to take advantage of it.
We've been stymied by environmentalists for 20 years from investing in our own country's oil and gas reserves and forced to burn coal instead of building clean nuke plants and stymied by NIMBY's and activists from building the refinery capacity we need. Now those chickens are home to roost and we're NOW being told that it will take too long to develop those things.
We are the only country in the world that acts like this. What is wrong with us?
ERPS...no...that is 15-30 years we can LEASE that right to an oil company so that we can USE the public resource. We get the lease money and the taxes on each barrel...they get to make an average 8% profit. How do you propose to use this public resource otherwise? Keep it in the ground? have the government do the drilling? Since it is public...do Alaskan citizens get a vote?
ERPS...no...that is 15-30 years we can LEASE that right to an oil company so that we can USE the public resource. We get the lease money and the taxes on each barrel...they get to make an average 8% profit. How do you propose to use this public resource otherwise? Keep it in the ground?
Actually, that was some sarcasm on my part. I've actually changed my opinion on drilling in ANWR. I previously thought it wasn't worth the risk for the environmental degredation that I thought was probably going to occur back then. I think the drilling companies have gotten better at their jobs and the argument that it might actually be better for the environment if we do it, instead of someone else, holds some weight with me and the argument that it's Amercian jobs and a little less money that's not going to the middle east holds a lot of weight with me.
__________________
Ray
S.V. Nikko
1983 Fraser 41
La Conner, WA
CD,
I don't know where you're getting your estimates from but I'll take another 5% any day. That's 5% less that we give our friends across the ocean. If we had started 15 years ago we'd have access to that oil now instead of sitting here scratching our heads and watching everyone else tap the oil off our coast.
erps,
If you do want the oil companies leasing the fields how do you intend to do it. I agree with Cam, the oil is a public resource that the public should be allowed to use. What the Dems did yesterday is a perfect example of why we are in the mess we are in. It's time to start doing something, even if it's not the total solution.
Actually, that was some sarcasm on my part. I've actually changed my opinion on drilling in ANWR. I previously thought it wasn't worth the risk for the environmental degredation that I thought was probably going to occur back then. I think the drilling companies have gotten better at their jobs and the argument that it might actually be better for the environment if we do it, instead of someone else, holds some weight with me and the argument that it's Amercian jobs and a little less money that's not going to the middle east holds a lot of weight with me.
CD...the same arguments were advanced to stop progress here 12 years ago...that oil would be coming on line NOW if we had gone after it. Ditto with the refineries and nuke plants we SHOULD have been building...ditto with offshore drilling.
1. We NEED fossil fuels now and will need them in the future. You will NOT get them now. You will notice NO difference for over a decade. It willdo NOTHING to solve our problems NOW. And I doubt at current growth it will even supply 5% in 15 years.
2. We can get them in an environmentally friendly manner while we buy time for other technologies to develope and become competitive choices.What time are you talking about? It provids almost NOTHING to our current use... that is CURRENT use.
3. Our ENEMIES sell us oil today and use the $$ against us. Every US oil dollar is one THEY don't get. PLUS they have LOW environmental standards so it is better for the planet if WE get the oil. I am not bringing environmentalism into this. This has nothing to do with environmentalism, save the walruses, clean white snow... nothing. I am telling you that if I thought it was a stop gap measure at least for a while, I would be cool with it. But it cannot touch our current use. Refine coal to oil, build nuke plants, plant corn or other ethanol sources, invest in new technologies like solar and wind.... but oil here is not the answer. Proportionate to our needs, there is none.
4. Production of US oil means US jobs and tax revenues. ALASKANS want it by a 3/4 majority. Alaskans want jobs and money. Cannot blame them for wanting it.
5. The wilderness will not be harmed.Here is that environmental thing again. This has nothing to do with environmental impacts. I honestly think they could go in there and drill that with minimal impacts on the environment. The Caibou and polar bears have NOTHING to do with my argument.
6. We don't KNOW how much oil is REALLY there. All we have is the esimates. Check the original estimates on the bakken field vs. the current estimates now that techology exists to take advantage of it. The current estimate from the PRO drill site is 'Recoverable oil estimates ranges from 600 million barrels at the low end to 9.2 billion barrels at the high end'. We burn almost 8 billion barrels/years RIGHT NOW! Let's say it is twice their current estimates. That is about 2 years of oil.
We've been stymied by environmentalists for 20 years from investing in our own country's oil and gas reserves and forced to burn coal instead of building clean nuke plants and stymied by NIMBY's and activists from building the refinery capacity we need. Now those chickens are home to roost and we're NOW being told that it will take too long to develop those things.
We are the only country in the world that acts like this. What is wrong with us?
Just because I am on the same side as the environmentalists does not mean that environmentalism is the reason I am against it. Build the nuke plants, build more hydro plants, invest in the ethanol industry, invest in changing coal to oil, invest in solar and wind and more efficient technologies. DO it NOW... not investing in something that will only give a 5% relief 15 years from now and take 15-30 years after the initial 15 years to recover. That is the better use of our financial resources a a country.
ERPS...no...that is 15-30 years we can LEASE that right to an oil company so that we can USE the public resource. We get the lease money and the taxes on each barrel...they get to make an average 8% profit. How do you propose to use this public resource otherwise? Keep it in the ground? have the government do the drilling? Since it is public...do Alaskan citizens get a vote?
See my responses in red above.
- CD
__________________ Sailnet's best looking and smartest EX-Moderator!!!!
CD,
I don't know where you're getting your estimates from but I'll take another 5% any day. That's 5% less that we give our friends across the ocean. If we had started 15 years ago we'd have access to that oil now instead of sitting here scratching our heads and watching everyone else tap the oil off our coast.
erps,
If you do want the oil companies leasing the fields how do you intend to do it. I agree with Cam, the oil is a public resource that the public should be allowed to use. What the Dems did yesterday is a perfect example of why we are in the mess we are in. It's time to start doing something, even if it's not the total solution.
The estimates are from USCG, DOI, and independent assesments. Incidentally, I am using a PRO-DRILL site... not the others.
__________________ Sailnet's best looking and smartest EX-Moderator!!!!
