One big thing that could have helped decrease our need for oil was not in
the energy bill, increased fuel efficienct standards (CAFE). But it did
include an extension of a provison that extends how long automakers receive
fuel economy credits so a way to keep the weak CAFE standards even weaker.
As to ANWR:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/07/25/AR2005072501707_2.html
Bush has pushed to open Alaska's Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to oil
drilling, to tap what geologists say is one of the few remaining areas of
the country that hold promise for major new production. Without that new
drilling, net oil imports would be 68 percent in 2025, according to the
Energy Department's Energy Information Administration. With drilling in the
refuge, net oil imports would account for 64 percent of consumption in 2025,
according to the EIA.
The middle east only accounts for 4% or our oil? I think not.
May 2005, oild imports per day from the middle east were 2,355,000 barrels
(1,526,000 from Suadi Arabia) verses 13,495,000 barrels imported in total.
http://www.eia.doe.gov/pub/oil_gas/petroleum/data_publications/petroleum_supply_monthly/current/pdf/table37.pdf
(and that only counts Bahrain, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and
United Arab Emirates. as part of the middle east)
Going by:
http://www.doi.gov/news/030312.htm
ANWR can only produce 1,400,000 barrels a day, otherwise known as way less
then our middle east imports.
----- Original Message -----
From: "Greg Sevart" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: "The Hardware List" <[email protected]>
Sent: Thursday, August 18, 2005 8:04 AM
Subject: Re: Re: [H] Gas prices
>
...but given that we produce something like ~40% of our oil
DOMESTICALLY, and the majority of the remainder comes from Canada,
Mexico, and Venezuela, we wouldn't need to replace 100% of our oil
consumption with oil from the ANWR.
Even if we only replaced 50% of are imported oil, that would merely
double the six months to a year.
Drilling for oil in the ANWR would NOT significantly reduce our dependence
on foreign countries for oil. Therefore, his statement is correct: it
would not provide energy independence. However, it COULD dramatically
reduce our dependence on *middle eastern* countries. Unless estimates of
oil in the ANWR have significantly changed in the past few years, or our
imports from the middle eastern regions have increased dramatically, I am
absolutely positive that the 30 year figure is correct.
That being said, I have mixed feelings on drilling in the ANWR. It
would be 5-12 years before any useful oil came from it
Not to mention that because it would involve drilling trough permafrost,
it would be North of $80/barrel oil or more. That won't help us with the
price at all.
It wouldn't be near $80/barrel. Like I said, I did a lot of research on
the ANWR in spring of 2002. At that time, with gas prices what they were
then ($1.40?), there was still a lot of economically viable oil. With the
price of oil triple what it was then, there's a lot more. But again,
drilling in the ANWR isn't that great of an idea.
Greg
