Drilling for our own oil, why not?

Fire-Starter · #1 07-29-2008, 10:28 PM

So I understand that there is plenty of oil out there for the U.S to go after and drill, but cannot??? why is this? This seems pretty simple to me, if we want to be independent of others for oil and have the option to do so by drillling in anwar,
or Outer Continental Shelf, why not. would this not

1: drive down the price of oil for us here in the U.S

2: Totally erase our dependance on others who can jack up the price at will.

Of course I am not in favor of wiping out life to do so, but is that REALLY an issue we have to worrie about, or just a bunch of babble.

Other nations are doing this yes? drilling? why aren't we, especially with our technology. Seems like a very simple answer to me. What is the holdup

bradjonesbass · #2 07-29-2008, 10:34 PM

this could get messy quick...

bmc · #3 07-29-2008, 10:41 PM

If you increase supply, prices will fall. People with vested interests in the oil business will lose. If you are in a position of power, and also have oil interests, where is the incentive to see prices fall?

Marcury · #4 07-29-2008, 10:47 PM

Even if we opened up new areas it would take @ 20 years for them to produce. That's not a timetable that helps us to be independent if that's what we need now.

GregC · #5 07-29-2008, 10:47 PM

It isn't nearly as simple as you think. Do some research to see why, that's as far as I'm gonna go on this.

Trevorus · #6 07-29-2008, 10:49 PM

Eh, it's quite an odd balance point. Lower prices, more sold and more profit by volume, Higher prices, less sold but more profit per unit. Oil is such a necessity that the fluctuating prices affect every other market. And there is really no other viable alternative at the moment. So we're sort of stuck at this impasse where oil prices go up, then every other product goes up, and then wages go up to compensate, then prices go up to adjust for that... It's a pretty crazy system.

But I do agree that local drilling would be better, as well as expanding our refining capability and decentralizing it as well. Here in IL, there are oil derricks here in the corn fields with no adverse effects to the surrounding plant life. One thing that gets me is that they often aren't running... I'm wondering what the reasoning is.

**cheezewiz** · #7 07-29-2008, 10:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Marcury

Even if we opened up new areas it would take @ 20 years for them to produce. That's not a timetable that helps us to be independent if that's what we need now.

Not true. Anyway, I certainly don't know the answer to the original question.

ADbassman · #8 07-29-2008, 10:51 PM

My argument is that we have other options that we're ignoring, like alternative fuels to oil. We're also polarizing the issue.

Edit: Yes, this will get ugly quick.

FingeringAm · #9 07-29-2008, 10:53 PM

wasnt there a law passed by carter(dont quote me on it tho it could be some1 else) that said we cant drill domestically - it was during the OPEC struggles and such - it was to insure that OPEC could keep the market stable or something idk

Trevorus · #10 07-29-2008, 10:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ADbassman

My argument is that we have other options that we're ignoring, like alternative fuels to oil. We're also polarizing the issue.

Edit: Yes, this will get ugly quick.

Alternative fuels are not a viable option. Ethanol stresses water supplies, and is not that energy efficient, nor cost efficient. Fuel cells won't work without a major rework of infrastructure and pretty major changes to car design.

I'm of the mind that earth has an oil production process, aka abiotic oil, but that's just me postulating.

bradjonesbass · #11 07-29-2008, 10:59 PM

drill here now, while exploring alternative energy sources at the same time. duh but maybe that's too simplistic. It's got to be one or the other right? Can't possibly be both. Gotta love politicians.

**cheezewiz** · #12 07-29-2008, 11:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bradjonesbass

drill here now, while exploring alternative energy sources at the same time. duh but maybe that's too simplistic. It's got to be one or the other right? Can't possibly be both. Gotta love politicians.

That makes sense. That's why it'll never happen.

bradjonesbass · #13 07-29-2008, 11:10 PM

I swear people lose all sense when they move to DC. Wait, compromise, huh?

Marcury · #14 07-29-2008, 11:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cheezewiz

Not true. Anyway, I certainly don't know the answer to the original question.

From the Committee on Natural Resources report to Congress: The Energy Information Administration (EIA) estimates that it will
require 8 to 10 years after opening ANWR before oil is produced from any new leases. Furthermore, it would be 20 years after opening ANWR before oil production reached its peak of only 780,000 barrels per day. Production at that level would start to drop within a short time.

syciprider · #15 07-29-2008, 11:18 PM

Let everyone else use up their oil first then we'll drill ours and fleece them back. Revenge is a dish best served cold.

**Mark Wilson** · #16 07-30-2008, 12:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by syciprider

Let everyone else use up their oil first then we'll drill ours and fleece them back. Revenge is a dish best served cold.

I like revenge like I like my soup.
Hot. With little pieces of crumpled up crackers.

**cheezewiz** · #17 07-30-2008, 12:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Marcury

From the Committee on Natural Resources report to Congress: The Energy Information Administration (EIA) estimates that it will
require 8 to 10 years after opening ANWR before oil is produced from any new leases. Furthermore, it would be 20 years after opening ANWR before oil production reached its peak of only 780,000 barrels per day. Production at that level would start to drop within a short time.

Well first, we aren't just talking about ANWR. What about offshore drilling? Secondly, most sources I've read say around 5 years.

jasonbraatz · #18 07-30-2008, 12:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cheezewiz

That makes sense. That's why it'll never happen.

No, it doesn't make sense.

Oil Companies have leased millions of acres in the US and Canada that they can drill any time they wish, and don't. Why? Because we don't have enough refining capability to do anything with it. The pushes for off shore drilling and ANWR are *scams* designed to give oil companies even more land and consolidate power even further, and they're going to pull it off because Americans are dumb as hell. It's all a political ploy so that the White House can point their fingers at congressional Dems and say "HIGH GAS PRICES ARE THEIR FAULT GUYS."

This is basically like the government saying they have a crack addiction, and the way to deal with it is to smoke more crack. In ten years we could either be just starting to get oil from ANWR or off-shore sites, OR we could be on our way to an oil free society, but it can't be both.

Fire-Starter · #19 07-30-2008, 12:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ADbassman

My argument is that we have other options that we're ignoring, like alternative fuels to oil. We're also polarizing the issue.

Edit: Yes, this will get ugly quick.

I hope this does not, I know there are plenty of people here at TB who have great insight into a vast array of subjects like this and could shed some light on this for me.

I am sure Economics has a lot to do with this, but it sure does not explain to me things like the price of oil per barrel going down but gas not do so at the pump, yet as soon as price per barrel goes up, we see it at the pump right away.

Fire-Starter · #20 07-30-2008, 12:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Trevorus

Alternative fuels are not a viable option. Ethanol stresses water supplies, and is not that energy efficient, nor cost efficient. Fuel cells won't work without a major rework of infrastructure and pretty major changes to car design.

Agreed.
I'm of the mind that earth has an oil production process, aka abiotic oil, but that's just me postulating.

Correct me if I am wrong, but isn't ETHANOL for what was suspose to be an alternative for fuel the reason why our food prices have shot through the roof. That seemes like a bad idea now after the fact.