Drilling ANWR!!

[Jenks]

passed today 51-49.

let the drilling begin.


WASHINGTON - The United States Senate has taken a major step towards allowing drilling for oil in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.

The Senate voted 51-49 on Wednesday to stop opponents from removing a provision from next year's budget allowing drilling in the refuge. That means opponents cannot use a filibuster to block attempts to open ANWR to oil exploration and drilling.

[Yao]

Re: Drilling ANWR!!

Sure, why not piss on everything for the sake of money.

Goddamn pricks.

[Jenks]

Re: Drilling ANWR!!

Yao, have you actually read into this or are you just responding with a kneejerk environmentalist reaction?

[Yao]

Re: Drilling ANWR!!

If you provide a link I can read into it. And will.

All I make up out of aforementioned is that it is now possible to get permission to drill in a reserve...the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.

I still remember Bush's fight to get clearance for drilling in some Indian inhabited refuge in Alaska, too.

Correct me if I'm wrong plz...don't wanna be spewing BS here :wink:

[Jenks]

Re: Drilling ANWR!!

It's practically a barren land. Snow and rock.

It's the largest untapped oil resource in north america, capable of producing more oil than any of the lower 48 states.

If some caribou have to relocate or adapt, it's a sacrifice i'm willing to make.

The oil we could tap from that land will help reduce our dependancy on foreign oil, plus put pressure on OPEC to lower prices.

Cost/Benefit.

Benefits outweigh the costs imo.

[darkmark]

Re: Drilling ANWR!!

It's the largest untapped oil resource in north america, capable of producing more oil than any of the lower 48 states.

Yeah, so? Saudi Oil will be what's on the menu because it's just so cheap and easy. No doubt that big oil will get tax breaks to "explore" drilling there which are in turn used to bolster profits.

[thesightless]

Re: Drilling ANWR!!

of course they get tax breaks. they deserve them think about it.
if they can lower thier costs of operating, then they can charge less.

the best thing to come outta this would be if they found a supply big enough to supply the world like the mid east does, that way we can leave the whole fucking region to itself rather than getting involved and bringing more shit and scrutiny upon ourselves, just think if oil went down a lot. the world's economies could benifit so much.

[sammwalk]

Re: Drilling ANWR!!

There's only an estimated 10.4 billion barrels. We import about 2.6 million barrels per day from the Mideast. This Arctic reserve would last only 20 years even if we split our current Mideast consumption between ANWR and the Mideast, 10 if we cut off importation from the Mideast completely. So, it really doesn't rid us of Mideast dependency at all.

Plus, even if we were completely oil independent, we would still be inextricably linked to the Mideast because of Israel. There is no magic bullet.

[fishingnut]

Re: Drilling ANWR!!

I thought the reason gas is costing so much was because of the refinement. and all the different gases that have to be made for individual states.

[BSully828]

Re: Drilling ANWR!!

There's only an estimated 10.4 billion barrels.

That estimate is nearly 10 years old. Since then drilling techniques and equipment have advance considerably - but a reevaluation of the region hasn't been done due to the fact that the area was declared a wildlife reserve. Modern technology allows us to drill deeper and longer than before (no sexual innuendo intended), and the processes have been refined enough over the last ten years to make the drilling/refining more complete and efficient.

Think about it - do you think they'd be going through all this trouble for just 10.4 bil barrels? As sammwalk pointed out, it wouldn't last more than 10-20 years and then we'd be back to square one. The costs alone would make it an economical waste of time - G Dub's oil pals would probably spend more money setting up shop than they'd make from distribution. If that's the most they could get from ANWR they would leave it to the caribou and focus on the ranges off the north coast of South America.

This vote just allows for a reevaluation of the area, it doesn't mean that they're flying in the Clampetts and putting them right to work. They could go there and find out that its still as unfeasible as it was 10 years ago and leave the place alone, or they could find an even larger reserve than they originally thought. Either way at least we're exploring alternative options to feed our oil dependency.

These alternative options will loosen the stranglehold that OPEC has on the world oil market. How many times has Bush been bashed about his ties to the Saudi royal family, now here's an opportunity to cut some of those ties and he's still getting bashed. A new source of oil, no matter how big or small, will go far in terms of balancing out the world oil market. Even if this reserve only lasts us 20 years as some estimate, who knows what technological breakthroughs will occur during that time. Look how far fuel economy has come in the last 20 years - affordable hybrid cars, greater city/hway mileage for most models ect.. ect.. It may only last 20 years, but that could be time enough to develop a new mode of energy - one that allows us and the world to drop this voracious consumption of oil.

This isn't a magic bullet, I agree, but it's a step in the right direction.

[Yao]

Re: Drilling ANWR!!

To some extent, yes. But I strongly disagree with Jenk's remarks on relocating 'just a few caribous'. If it's a refuge or reserve, it means that there's something of value to the planet out there, and if so, it would be fucking arrogant to put your own interests first. Unless you really don't care about our own habitat, namely: this planet.

I'm no green tree-hugging environmentalist, but I do advocate a little more caution in the way we handle natural resources: we're making our own presence here a problem to nature, and I don't believe we can do that without consequences.

[Jenks]

Re: Drilling ANWR!!

^hippie

[Yao]

Re: Drilling ANWR!!

Thanx. Here, smoke some pot. Let's all be happy! Wanna borrow my GF?

[iddasc]

Re: Drilling ANWR!!

Yeah, smoke a pot

[fishingnut]

Re: Drilling ANWR!!

i don't really care if they take the oil, i just don't want them to have an accident and ruin the enviroment.