This from today's Florida Trend:
Coastal Drilling - For or Against?
- Thread starter Miss Critter
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We don't need to drill for more oil, we need to stop wasting the oil we have.
Even if we did decide to start drilling today, it would take years for it to have an effect on prices because the infrastructure isn't ready for it.
Even if we did decide to start drilling today, it would take years for it to have an effect on prices because the infrastructure isn't ready for it.
I agree that we need to become more and more efficient in our use of oil and we need to press hard to find alternative sources. Hydrogen fuel cells seem promising, but an article I read today about Honda says that it will take many years and mass production for the cost of fuel cell vehicles to become affordable. Then, the price qouted as affordable was $93,000 per vehicle. I guess we still have a long wait for truly affordable hydrogen fuel cell vehicles.
However, announcing drilling in the Gulf would likely have an immediate effect on the price of oil. Oil prices are up due to current supply and demand issues PLUS the the fact that people believe supply will continue to be tight in the future. The announcement that the US (or any other nation for that matter) will begin tapping major new sources of oil will drive prices down in the short and long term.
The best thing we could do for oil prices is to announce we will immediately begin drilling for oil in the gulf, in Anwar, and off the California coast and we will begin exploiting the huge reserves contained in the oil shale in Colorado and Wyoming.
The US is being hypocritical when it asks other countries such as Saudi Arabia to drill for more oil to help us out when we are unwilling to drill on our own land. We need to go after our own reserves as quickly as possible.
I'm confliced on this. I think if we can be sure it was done safely without the risk of leaks, and as long as the rigs were far enough off the coast so that we couldn't see them, I think so. I grew up visitng Texas beaches though, and have enjoyed the fun filled process of scraping oil blobs off me feet. I would not want that here. But if the reserves out there were large enough, I might be willing to risk it.
Overall, I think the point is mute, much of Florida is against it, and by the time we did drill, electric hybrids will be all the rage. I would much prefer we start building nuclear power plants ASAP - we are going to need a lot of clean electricity to power all our cars.
Overall, I think the point is mute, much of Florida is against it, and by the time we did drill, electric hybrids will be all the rage. I would much prefer we start building nuclear power plants ASAP - we are going to need a lot of clean electricity to power all our cars.
I, of course, agree with Fisher.
I dont understand how we, the US, can depend so much on other countries to pump up the production of their oil when we have it here on our own land.
As far as the coast of Florida. I don't think that oil wells would be visible from the beaches we all love and dont the underwater structures make for a great ecosystem for the Gulf animals?
I dont understand how we, the US, can depend so much on other countries to pump up the production of their oil when we have it here on our own land.
As far as the coast of Florida. I don't think that oil wells would be visible from the beaches we all love and dont the underwater structures make for a great ecosystem for the Gulf animals?
Oil prices went up yesterday DESPITE the Saudis saying they would increase the supply because of the weak dollar.
A 93K fuel cell car isn't the only valid option for using less oil.
My major lack of sympathy on this issue comes from the fact that I can still fill my car for $30. Since it's 7 years old and getting more than 30mpg w/ my inefficient driving habits on 30-A, there is no reason why every car on the road can't be getting much better mileage.
A 93K fuel cell car isn't the only valid option for using less oil.
My major lack of sympathy on this issue comes from the fact that I can still fill my car for $30. Since it's 7 years old and getting more than 30mpg w/ my inefficient driving habits on 30-A, there is no reason why every car on the road can't be getting much better mileage.
That is great that you live and work so close to home. Unfortunately, some people have to drive for a living by commuting or delivering goods. I have been adding Techron to my gas tank and I now get one more mile to the gallon.
SB, why don't you start a new thread on other ways we could use less oil? I, and I am sure others, would like to read what we can do. I would be willing to look at other options - but giving up my big SUV is not one of them. I have made a decision to cut corners in other places to keep it and drive it.
TooFarTampa
SoWal Insider
I am wishy washy on this issue -- I am strongly against tar balls, however. I see some wisdom in drilling as part of a COMPREHENSIVE move toward energy independence, but tar balls washing up on FL beaches are the deal killer for me. I would be interested in knowing more about currents and how the beaches would be affected.
I say drill. The Chinese are in the Gulf drilling with/for Cuba. More will follow and here we sit. Also, drill in ABWR and in the Rockies. Environmental groups have been overreactionary in their predictions of diasters. For example, when the Alaskan pipeline was being debated, environmental groups assured us that the caribou would become extinct as a result of the impact on Alaska. In fact, the caribou have flourished during and since the construction of the pipeline. I am all for alternative fuels; meanwhile, let's lessen our dependence on foreign oil.
TraderX, I was also going to bring up the China in Cuba "issue". It seems to be another he said, she said. Some blogs say it is a hoax and then others are convinced of it. I for one don't trust either of these countries. What if China was drilling off the coast of Cuba and at a diagonal which tapped into the US's oil???
