Hi Marc,
I agree “support” may have been too positive a word for Obama’s position on offshore oil drilling. Maybe he’s just willing to compromise to improve his political position. I’m really not sure about the details of that.
So, where do you get your data? Numbers I can find all say that 100B barrels is for ALL the arctic, and only about 1/3 of that is around Alaska. Most sources say 26-27B MAY BE off Alaska. Here are a few sources:
http://www.mms.gov/alaska/lease/hlease/PLANMAP.HTM
http://www.mms.gov/alaska/re/reports/rereport.htm
http://www.mms.gov/alaska/re/about/refocus.htm
http://tonto.eia.doe.gov/dnav/pet/pet_sum_crdsnd_adc_mbbl_m.htm
http://www.aspo-usa.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=398&Itemid=91
…
and search for this excellent PDF on mms.gov:
“Assessment of Undiscovered Technically Recoverable Oil and Gas Resources of the Nation’s Outer Continental Shelf, 2006″ Dude – it even has a “bar and whiskers” type graph! figure 5. Gotta love those.
Lower 48:
http://www.eia.doe.gov/oiaf/aeo/otheranalysis/ongr.html
Are you saying all these sources are “old” even with current dates? Are you in the oil industry that you have different info? My brother used to work on offshore rigs in the far east and in S. America for NL/Baroid.
Even if we got ALL 100B barrels and exported NONE, it is maybe 8 years worth of oil (current consumption is 7.6B barrels annually for U.S., and rising). Figure we only get Alaska’s 26B barrels and keep it all for ourselves (unlikely), how many years of consumption does that benefit us? 2? 3 at most? Do you consider it worth any environmental impact to prolong the agony of oil dependence for a few more years? Why not spend the exploration/extraction/production/distribution dollars on renewables with potential for growth instead of on a dead-end fossil fuel?
So, it’s really not significant in the big picture. And almost certainly won’t make any difference at the gas pump. Or in our dependence on imports. Like I said – it’s a distraction!
http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/story?id=5921494&page=1 is one of MANY articles in the MSM.
I know this is getting way off the thread of the original post, but oh well.
And finally: We do need all stakeholders in on the decision process, absolutely correct. Multiple viewpoints and opinions. I’m one of those folks who can take technical abstracts and break ‘em down for Joe Six Pack and his neighbor Jane Nickel Bag. I used to have that for a job, in fact, and it still comes in handy as I provide technology training to average end-users.
Down With Smart Scumbags!
