Offshore Drilling

[toasty]

Seems like whether or not we lift the ban on offshore drilling is the issue of the day. What are people's thoughts? Most every analyst I've seen agrees that it isn't going to have a short-term impact on oil production/prices, that we're probably looking 5-10 years into the future before we see any effect, but that doesn't necessarily mean it isn't worthwhile.

I kinda go back and forth on it. We're never going to be completely weaned off of oil, so the less we have to rely upon folks in the mideast to supply it, the better off we are. On the other hand, I think some proponents of the offshore drilling view it as the primary component of our energy policy, which seems awfully short-sighted. Global demand is increasing, and by the time we get our production ramped up, I question whether it will have much impact in the bigger picture -- prices will still be sky-high.

More importantly, though, it takes our eye off the bigger need to start finding other ways to create energy here at home. Bush acknowledged a while back that our country is addicted to oil. Well, you don't cure addiction to oil by manufacturing more oil. More oil might serve as a methodone clinic of sorts for our addiction, but eventually, we've got to get our jones some other way.

[Garrick]

Re: Offshore Drilling

i say drill. i believe it would do so much more than help with gas prices. our economy is much better off being less dependent on the middle east. we are supposedly sitting on the largest sum of oil known in the world. to echo your sentiments, though, i agree that it may cause a delay in creating other means of energy.

the one thing that really concerns me is the structural integrity of the earth and it's crust. if you leave a huge hole in it from sucking up oil, will the infrastructure ever give away? there haven't been any catastrophic cases yet, but if there ever were..........

[thesightless]

Re: Offshore Drilling

shoulda been done a long time ago. but a drunk captain on an exxon ship ..........


its a damn shame that our country is not capitolly investing in alternatives. honestly, there are some really efficient methods out there, primarily farming kinetic energy off ocean waves, sea based solar power, etc. a simple capitol investment now is only helping the long term.

[Jenks]

Re: Offshore Drilling

the one thing that really concerns me is the structural integrity of the earth and it's crust. if you leave a huge hole in it from sucking up oil, will the infrastructure ever give away? there haven't been any catastrophic cases yet, but if there ever were..........

seriously? i could write long response to this explaining why that isn't even remotely possible, but i'll just sum it up with this: the earth's crust already has way more holes in it that drilling is going to create- it's called the ring of fire.

[Garrick]

Re: Offshore Drilling

^ yeah seriously.. i've never asked the question and i'm not a scientist! you cleared in up for me. i really have no more concerns so lets get the fuck out there and drill. and lets stop worrying about the polar bear too while we're at it and strike up some oil in alaska too, ffs.


ring of fire! now i know... that is huge!

[ddr]

Re: Offshore Drilling

just another political stunt to get people elected.

problem is, the morons of the country will eat it up and elect the person that they feel will save them money.

and yea, i have heard that this will not have any impact for another 5+ years... but people dont listen to that.

[day_for_night]

Re: Offshore Drilling

it WONT have any impact in the next 10 years let alone the next 5. Offshore projects are huge, complex, and exceptionally long undertakings. I work with several large offshore fields worldwide (not going to say which ones). From the time they find a good prospect, drill it, complete it, build the rig, and get all the infrastructure set up is 10-20 years. That means if they let every state have a free-for-all on offshore drilling (which would cause huge inflation in an already tight offshore market), they wouldn't be producing jack shit for a decade.

this is moron politicians who have no clue what the hell they're talking about pretending they do.

having said that...yes, please do open up states drilling. my company will be in there like white on rice

[Garrick]

Re: Offshore Drilling

this is not just a political stunt to get elected. this is a genuine issue.

[Lorn]

Re: Offshore Drilling

I would support opening up drilling offshore or on land. The US is a huge country with vast untapped resources.

[shosh]

Re: Offshore Drilling

what are you guys talking about? of course it will have a big impact, and an immediate one to be exact. it will provide another source of oil and because the market will be aware of another source coming up, it will decrease prices even now or in the immediate future.

[toasty]

Re: Offshore Drilling

what are you guys talking about? of course it will have a big impact, and an immediate one to be exact. it will provide another source of oil and because the market will be aware of another source coming up, it will decrease prices even now or in the immediate future.

You do understand that there's a lag between declaring, "I'm a-gonna drill for oil!!!" and actually obtaining oil, right? A significant lag?

[Jenks]

Re: Offshore Drilling

We can't keep saying, "it won't help us now, it'll take 10 years" etc.

If Bill Clinton had allowed offshore drilling, we'd be seeing the benefits of it right about now, which would be excellent timing given the current state of affairs.

I'm eleventybillion percent for alternative energy sources, but we are never going to be completely off of oil as mentioned above- time to tap our own resources rather than going to the middle east for it.

It would be nice if there was some kind of condition to offshore drilling like- every dollar spent drilling offshore must be matched for renewable energy research or something. pipe dream, i know.

[thesightless]

Re: Offshore Drilling

We can't keep saying, "it won't help us now, it'll take 10 years" etc.

If ANYONE had allowed offshore drilling, we'd be seeing the benefits of it right about now, which would be excellent timing given the current state of affairs.

It would be nice if there was some kind of condition to offshore drilling like- every dollar spent drilling offshore must be matched for renewable energy research or something. pipe dream, i know.

EXACTLY. well put, if we keep putting it off, we will never see the benefit. if we do it now, the benifit will come sooner as opposed to NEVER. spend the fucking money now, and create a LONG TERM solution or support. i.e. capitol re-investment

like the manufacturing company that bit the bullet and spent its reserves to purchase a few new machines, that while expensive and not cost effective today, generate revenue for years and years.

i have been extremely interested in the kinetic energy ideas floating around, particularly the city sidewalks and roads, the ocean waves, wind farms on oceans.

and honestly, its a bit star trek now, but who knows in 5-10 years, but building a solar power farm in space is quite viable. 24 hours of energy, convertable to microwave, and then transportable.

[day_for_night]

Re: Offshore Drilling

and garrick. oil isn't just sitting in a big cavern down there when they drill.

its under large pressures and trapped between the rocks themselves in tiny pores. the oil flows through rock based on its porosity and permiability. the size of the reservoir is just its volume times the porosity times the permiability (and some constants).

when they pump the oil out, other fluids rush in to replace the oil (can be water or gas). now there are often injection wells that inject fluids or C02 to increase production by forcing the oil in the direction they want.

[Garrick]

Re: Offshore Drilling

[MS] = continuing education.