On Offshore Oil Drilling, the Ball Is Now in Congress's Court

MC CAIN

HE SEYING HE KNOW HOW TO WIN WARS, ( IN PLURAL ) WIN WARS ,

IN HOWMANY WARS MC CAIN WAS ? ( NONE, NO ONE ) HE WAS SHOT DOWN BEFORE HE EVER SHOT ONE SHOT.

HE WAS TAKE PRISIONER, , UNTIL THE WAR ENDED, SO WHAT OTEHER WAR HE FOUGH ? NONE. AND HE KNOW HOW TO WIN WATRS ? WHAT WARS? HE IS A BIG BULLSHITER, HE IS DESPERATE TO WIN, SO ARE TELLING THIS TALES STORIES, HE DON'T KNOW NOTHING, IS

FANTASITING , ,,THE OMLY THING HE IS, IS ANOTHER BUSH, THAT IS REAL.

Offshore Drilling

First, I take the liberty of doubting the solar plant hydrogen numbers. Second even if true, you will please pay for my new fuelcell car, cause I can't afford it.

Next, these are a few of the Frequently Shouted Misconceptions I have tried to give my opinion on. These few seem to apply to the local paranoia:

Misconception #3. We can’t drill our way out of the problem.

In fact, we have already begun to do exactly that. Drillers don’t need permission from Congress everywhere. Wherever drilling is allowed, production already has ramped up significantly. One of the most active areas is the deep water (over 1000 feet) Gulf of Mexico where estimates of recoverable oil have gone from 150 million barrels in 1985 to 15 billion barrels of proven reserves now and estimates of 25 to 40 billion more to come (Zuzek). Thirty years ago this area was considered impossible to exploit. New exploration techniques and new drilling technology (boldly going…) have made this happen, though it is still quite risky and expensive. Drilling is expanding nonetheless, because the potential rewards are equally large.

Misconception #4. There is not that much oil offshore

Tell it the Brazilians. They have recently discovered two “Saudi” sized oilfields off their shores. Brazil has gone from importing almost all their fuel to energy independence by a combination of both ethanol and oil exploration in a few decades. They now become energy exporters and will be rich beyond their dreams. There is every reason to suspect that the same sort of resources exist off our own shores, but we are not going to find out if we don’t look.

People who have not been paying attention will tell you that it was Ethanol alone. The overall road transport sector (Including trucks and busses) in Brazil uses only 20% Ethanol (2006 figures - Wikipedia). Before you say that it is more environmentally safe, ask yourself how much Amazon rainforest was burned to make room for all that sugarcane.

Misconception #5. We should stop using oil and use alternatives.

Why does it have to be one or the other? We need ALL those options. Alternatives are already being developed. With oil prices up, many alternatives are becoming economically competitive. Many will undoubtedly become more efficiently produced and continue to grow in use. But, the fastest way to get energy prices down is to produce more oil. If and when alternatives are cheaper, faster and cleaner oil will not be able to compete. But, that has not happened yet.

The oils shock of 1978-79 led directly to more coal use, especially for electric generation and more natural gas for home heating instead of fuel oil. Those alternatives are also growing in use this time – with no act of congress required.

Misconception #8. We are safe from oil spills if we have no offshore drilling.

As you may have heard, oil tankers are far more likely to spill on your coast than an oil platform (which generally use submarine pipelines to transport oil). California has 21 refineries (1,856,000 barrels/day -Wikipedia) that are supplied, in part, by foreign oil transported in tankers. Some 750 tankers pass under the Golden Gate Bridge every year. New Jersey has a similar situation (780,000 barrels/day). Florida doesn’t seem to have refineries but remember that tankers pass Florida on their way to refineries in Texas (4,692,000 barrels/day) and Louisiana (2,946.000 barrels/day), Mississippi (364,8000 bbl/day) and Alabama (148,700).

So, which situation do you prefer:

A. Tankers coming and going in your ports or passing by your coast, bringing no oil-lease revenues and no jobs.

B. Platforms sending oil in much safer pipelines bringing billions in lease revenue and lots of jobs.

And remember, you must have one or the other and you have option A. already, by default.

Misconception #9. Offshore drilling kills marine life.

Oil platforms have been proven to increase both the numbers and diversity of marine life by acting as artificial reefs. Fishermen actually seek out the rigs for that reason.

What does kill marine life is farm-country fertilizer run off that spills out into the Gulf of Mexico and has created a “Dead Zone” the size of the State of New Jersey. With more crops planted for the “green fuel” ethanol, the Zone is expanding. Attempting to replace all the oil in our economy with biofuels will accelerate this process enormously.

There is no energy source that has zero impact on the environment. Telling me biofuels are better is nonsense while farm run off is having such a devastating effect on my local environment..

Offshore drilling

The United States consumes 8 billion barrels of oil a year, about 5 billion of that is imported. The 18 billion barrel offshore reserves would supply the total American needs for about 2 years or equal 6 years of domestic production (not 10!) It would take 10 years to start production and from deep waters the cost would be three times as much as from accessible land.

In contrast, solar power plants for hydrogen production can be built in 4 years and can produce a “gallon gasoline equivalent (gge)” quantity of hydrogen for $5.00/gge, which, when burned in fuel cells which are twice as efficient as the internal combustion engine correspond to $2.50/gallon. In addition, this energy supply never runs out, is free and clean.

prof. Béla G. Lipták, President, Lipták Associates PC

Editor of Environmental Engineers' Handbook

84 Old N. Stamford Rd., Stamford, CT 06905

Tel: 203-357-7614, Fax: 203-325-3922,

E-Mail: Liptakbela@AOL.COM

"LIPTÁK FUEL CELL" DRAWING: http://www.controlglobal.com/Media/0807/CG0807_LLfig1.jpg

"LIPTÁK FUEL CELL" ARTICLE: http://www.controlglobal.com/articles/2008/223.html

BOOK TITLED: THE WORLD'S FIRST SOLAR-HYDROGEN DEMONSTRATION POWER PLANT: http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_ss_w_h_/202-3468536-3096655?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=+bela+liptak+Post+Oil+energy&x=16&y=25

ARTICLES CONCERNING THE ENERGY CRISIS:

http://www.controlglobal.com/articles/2007/300.html

ALL MY BOOKS:

http://a9.com/bela%20liptak?c=1&src=amz

Wow

Some people are really strange. I'm going to tackle a couple of the comments on this article. First off, to the commenter who thinks OPEC will reduce its capacity... so what? Hello! Even if the price stays the same, at least our American dollars will be going to American companies. This will increase domestic jobs and stop funding countries like Iran. This would be a great thing. Open your eyes.

The same person also says that the oil companies aren't drilling on the leases they already have and speculates that the companies are making this choice. Thats ridiculous. If you have oil that you can sell, you would sell every last bit of it while the prices are this high. Even if the price drops a bit from increasing supply, overall the oil company makes out. 1 barrel at $145 or 2 barrels at $100... do the math and stop with your kindergarten reasoning. The ONLY reason oil companies aren't drilling on the leases they have is because there isn't oil to be had on those leases. Thats why its called oil EXPLORATION and not oil PUMPING.

All I ask you to consider is this- would you rather we give our billions of dollars to a country that will use it to build weapons and armies to destroy us (Iran), or would you rather we give the billions of dollars to US companies, which will create jobs and increase tax revenues by hundreds of millions of dollars without costing a dime out of the average person's pocket?

Off Shore Drilling

The way I see it the oil companies are not using the leases they already have, why will they suddenly start drilling in these new lease areas? Isn’t this new oil to be sold on a world market? We can drill and what’s to keep OPEC from reducing output and countering this progress. Iraq just announced it will almost double its production in a few years, did anyone see a decrease in the cost of a barrel of oil?

We are getting close on renewable fuels, from cellulosic ethanol, to diesel from algae, to bacteria based diesel , these industries will create jobs, recycle waste, compete with big oil and allow control of our energy costs. We only need to replace 20% of our fuel needs with renewable to see a real difference in fuel costs. We need a government that pushes this new industry and breaks the grip of big oil on our energy costs.

Offshore Drilling

There is an extremely dangerous game being played by the White House, Congress, and certain activist organizations that is placing the economy and the security of America at great risk. As a matter of national security and as a significant boost to the American economy, it makes no sense to not assure and achieve hydrocarbons energy independence.

America faces a very dark future as rapidly-increasing energy costs threaten to bankrupt the entire economy, bringing about a depression with no end.

Dr. Roy Cordato from the conservative think tank John Locke Foundation said. "This is a government driven scarcity," Dr. Cordato added. "It's driven by laws that has kept the United States off the exploration market."

With the exception of waters off Alaska and every Gulf Coast state but Florida, most of the nation's Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) is off-limits to energy exploration up to 200 miles offshore, thanks to a moratorium that Congress has inserted into an appropriations bill every year since 1982. Drilling has developed to the point that there is little danger of spillage or contamination. There is no reason to prevent drilling on our continental shelf.

The other major source of energy is the shale oil deposits out west. It has been estimated that the shale deposits contain more oil than all the reserves in the Middle East.

We need a "Manhattan Project" of energy development. We're crazy not to be using our own resources. Much has changed since the 1982 offshore drilling moratorium was enacted. Drilling technology has advanced over the past quarter-century. Oil companies can drill more efficiently in deeper water with significantly less risk to the environment. "Compared to worldwide tanker spill rates, outer continental shelf operations are more than five times safer,'' according to the Department of Interior's Minerals Management Service. Domestic drilling would also create a huge economic boost to America.

Both US political parties cling to long-standing positions on energy - then blame their colleagues across the aisle for blocking their efforts.

Here is a viable American Energy Plan. One neither party will have the courage to implement as they are beholden to various special interests; http://www.strategicnine.com/STERLING-AMERICAN-ENERGY-PLAN.htm

Off Shore Drilling

Off shore drilling is not the total solution, but it is a key component of the total solution. Psychologically, it will have an immediate impact on oil futures. It will also send a signal to OPEC that we are serious about our oil-independence. What is it bout this that the Democrats cannot understand? Is ideological dogma more important than the welfare of the US? I wonder! By the way, I am an Independent.

O ya let's rely on the American Industrial Machine to fix this problem. Corporations like exxon-mobile, making record profits, are obviously looking out for the best interest of the American public. In my opinion there is no positive benefits from off-shore drilling. In the short term it will do nothing to alleviate the staggering pump prices, actually that's not my opinion that is direct from the Department of Energy, and long term it will only perpetuate America's "addiction to oil." If America can't begin to take a stand against using fossil fuels at a time when pump prices are killing our economy, oil money goes to fund rogue states, and global climate change is at a critical point when will we, as a country, take a stand and use Americas Industrial Machine to innovate and American ingenuity to conserve? Until the Republicans and Democrats are ready to let the American people know there is no easy way out of this energy crisis and the American public is willing to listen, we will find no solutions. No piece of legislation or oil field off the coast of South Carolina will fix the problem.

I too will never vote Democrat again if this moratorium isn't lifted and the American Industrial Machine isn't allowed to fix this issue. Drilling, CTL, Cellulosic Ethanol... Full speed ahead. We need fuel now... I'd like to see a politician explain to his/her child why there no more food on the table because 1/3 of his/hers' check goes to putting gas into the tank. Its easy for them to not care, they are rich, they are devoid of morals, and any of them can be bought or bewildered... We deserve better.

Off Shore Drilling

Off shore drilling is going to take some time to get oil coming to us, however, we would not be near as dependent on other countries for oil. If the Democrats vote this down, I will never vote for any of them again and I was going to vote for Obama. I am tired of you people playing tug a war with the American people. We need help and that is what we put you people in Washington to do. HELP US! Quit fighting like 2 year olds! These are our lives you all are playing with. You're set, we aren't. I will campaign harder than ever against the Democrats if you all don't stop this crap!