Drilling for Oil in Alaska....

[burton2019]

Should we do it, and why? Would it be in our best interests, in the long run? Im actually kind of up in the air on this issue. I have mixed feelings.

[burton2019]

Heres 10 reasons for drilling....


1. Only 8% of ANWR Would Be Considered for Exploration Only the 1.5 million acre or 8% on the northern coast of ANWR is being considered for development. The remaining 17.5 million acres or 92% of ANWR will remain permanently closed to any kind of development. If oil is discovered, less than 2000 acres of the over 1.5 million acres of the Coastal Plain would be affected. That¹s less than half of one percent of ANWR that would be affected by production activity.

2. Revenues to the State and Federal Treasury Federal revenues would be enhanced by billions of dollars from bonus bids, lease rentals, royalties and taxes. Estimates on bonus bids for ANWR by the Office of Management and Budget and the Department of Interior for the first 5 years after Congressional approval are 4.2 billion dollars.


3. Jobs To Be Created Between 250,000 and 735,000 ANWR jobs are estimated to be created by development of the Coastal Plain.

4. Economic Impact Between 1977 and 2004, North Slope oil field development and production activity contributed over $50 billion to the nations economy, directly impacting each state in the union.

5. America's Best Chance for a Major Discovery The Coastal Plain of ANWR is America's best possibility for the discovery of another giant "Prudhoe Bay-sized" oil and gas discovery in North America. U.S. Department of Interior estimates range from 9 to 16 billion barrels of recoverable oil.

6. North Slope Production in Decline The North Slope oil fields currently provide the U.S. with nearly 16% of it's domestic production and since 1988 this production has been on the decline. Peak production was reached in 1980 of two million barrels a day, but has been declining to a current level of 943,000 barrels a day.

7. Imported Oil Too Costly In 2004 the US imported an average of 58% of its oil and during certain months up to 64%. That equates to over $150 billion in oil imports and over $170 billion including refined petroleum products. That¹s $19.9 million dollars an hour! Including defence costs the number would be nearly a trillion dollars.

8. No Negative Impact on Animals Oil and gas development and wildlife are successfully coexisting in Alaska 's arctic. For example, the Central Arctic Caribou Herd (CACH) which migrates through Prudhoe Bay has grown from 3000 animals to its current level of 32,000 animals. The arctic oil fields have very healthy brown bear, fox and bird populations equal to their surrounding areas.

9. Arctic Technology Advanced technology has greatly reduced the 'footprint" of arctic oil development. If Prudhoe Bay were built today, the footprint would be 1,526 acres, 64% smaller.

10. Alaskans Support More than 75% of Alaskans favor exploration and production in ANWR. The Inupiat Eskimos who live in and near ANWR support onshore oil development on the Coastal Plain.

[PVVikeFan]

I think it would be a huge mistake to let an oil reserve like that go untouched. Especially when you consider how the world is being held up by the Middle East producers.

[burton2019]

But how long will that oil last in America. Isnt our gasoline consumption one of the highest?

[pvfan]

Until we develop alternative fuel sources were going to be held hostage by the arab world.

[1inStripes]

Drill it. As long as it is maintained properly it will be an economic boom for the country and that area.

Also, there have been positives to oil in Alaska. Caribou populations have thrived since the building of the pipeline because they can use its warmeth in the coldest months.

[sup-rbeast]

Scientists at Purdue University have developed a hydrogen fuel cell that runs on only a fill of pellets ($65) and water. Furthermore, when the government gives the OK to market it, existing cars will be able to be converted for $900-$1200. That is for the tank (which includes the hydrogen mechanisim, and hydrogen injectors to replace fuel injectors). The technology provides approximately the same horse power from any engine that it gets off gas. But, the technology is currently being held up in bureucratic red tape. (So much for the GOP's smaller government). As far as ethanol goes, there was an article earlier this week where they were doing a report from a factory close to the mexican border that produces tortilla chips, tortillas, etc. The article said that in the next 7-9 months the price of corn is set to triple, thus tripling the cost of corn-based products. The price is being affected by the competition of 1)ethanol producers, 2)farmers who feed corn to their live stock, and folks who use corn to produce products for human consumption. The way I see it, until our government gets its head out of its a$$ and starts taking care of its own citizens instead of worrying about disposing rulers of other countries, we will pay a steep price for any energy source we use. That Purdue hydrogen cell system is the most viable of any option I have seen or read about. But, knowing our government, if it was sold to the public, the government would stand by and watch the price of water go to $3 per gallon...go figure.