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Only if oil is necessary to win.
Otherwise, he loses. Then goes extinct.
For example, if the generation of the 1970's took the lesson of the Oil Embargo to heart, and cut BACK petroleum consumption, look at how many problems we would have avoided:
[] Two Asian Wars
[] Countless incidents over oil
[] Animosity of many peoples
Current consumption per capita
USA: 68.672 bbl/day per 1,000 people (Importing 34.2 bbl/day)
AUSTRALIA: 47.284 bbl/day per 1,000 people
NEW ZEALAND: 38.486 bbl/day per 1,000 people SWITZERLAND: 32.417 bbl/day per 1,000 people
GERMANY: 29.805 bbl/day per 1,000 people
United Kingdom: 29.008 bbl/day per 1,000 people
RUSSIA: 20.215 bbl/day per 1,000 people (Net exporter)
If USA had zero imports, domestic production of 34.42 bbl/day per 1,000 people would place it near the consumption rate of Switzerland.
What does Switzerland do to consume so little petroleum for its high standard of living? Electric traction rail, for one thing. Switzerland's rail network is one of the world's most densely concentrated rail systems.
Just think what could have happened if the trillions spent on invading two Asian countries was used to rebuild urban rail mass transit and electrify mainline railroads? (Other than to bankrupt GM, that is to say...) [] Avoided polluting cities with smog [] Avoided traffic congestion [] Avoided economic decline [] Avoided wasting land for superhighways and expansion [] Avoided spending billions and billions of our wealth on imports
jetgraphics !!! ...
Indeed ... Just imagine the extraordinary results from such a series of events as you suggest !
John Lennon's song "IMAGINE" comes to mind ! Would have been bloody
wonderful if it could ave worked out this way mate !
We definitely missed the boat on this one and then some !
Nevermind the fact the oil would still be sold the highest bidder and we wouldn't make a dent in our demand with new drilling.
They just don't get it.
Apparently some folks think that oil produced in the U.S. is some how cheaper than the oil produced in other places and if we would just produce more domestic oil, the price of oil would be cheaper. Of course as you point out, oil is sold on a global basis and the basic price of oil from the middle east is the same as oil produced in the U.S. Another problem for most folks is that crude oils are not created equal. Drilling for just any old kind of oil doesn't cut it. For example you could drill in California until the cows come home and if most of the oil that is produce in California Heavy Crude about the only thing that will come of it will be cheaper prices for paving your driveway with asphalt.
Apparently some folks think that oil produced in the U.S. is some how cheaper than the oil produced in other places and if we would just produce more domestic oil, the price of oil would be cheaper. Of course as you point out, oil is sold on a global basis and the basic price of oil from the middle east is the same as oil produced in the U.S. Another problem for most folks is that crude oils are not created equal. Drilling for just any old kind of oil doesn't cut it. For example you could drill in California until the cows come home and if most of the oil that is produce in California Heavy Crude about the only thing that will come of it will be cheaper prices for paving your driveway with asphalt.
This is true. The only way drilling is going to have any impact on our gas prices is if we pass laws saying that oil cannot be sold outside the United States, which isn't going to happen.
Apparently some folks think that oil produced in the U.S. is some how cheaper than the oil produced in other places and if we would just produce more domestic oil, the price of oil would be cheaper. Of course as you point out, oil is sold on a global basis and the basic price of oil from the middle east is the same as oil produced in the U.S. Another problem for most folks is that crude oils are not created equal. Drilling for just any old kind of oil doesn't cut it. For example you could drill in California until the cows come home and if most of the oil that is produce in California Heavy Crude about the only thing that will come of it will be cheaper prices for paving your driveway with asphalt.
Another issue that some folks seem not to be aware of or just ignore is that deep offshore wells are only possible as a result of the higher prices being paid for oil. If the price of oil ever fell back to the level of oil in the "good old days" those wells will just not be profitable to drill.
This is true. The only way drilling is going to have any impact on our gas prices is if we pass laws saying that oil cannot be sold outside the United States, which isn't going to happen.
Quote:
Originally Posted by ovcatto
They just don't get it.
Apparently some folks think that oil produced in the U.S. is some how cheaper than the oil produced in other places and if we would just produce more domestic oil, the price of oil would be cheaper. Of course as you point out, oil is sold on a global basis and the basic price of oil from the middle east is the same as oil produced in the U.S. Another problem for most folks is that crude oils are not created equal. Drilling for just any old kind of oil doesn't cut it. For example you could drill in California until the cows come home and if most of the oil that is produce in California Heavy Crude about the only thing that will come of it will be cheaper prices for paving your driveway with asphalt.
What you're both missing or ignoring, is the impact more domestic production has on our trade deficit. A lot of people are not aware of the vicious cycle that exists:
--------
Higher oil prices (*or the more we import*) increases our trade deficit --> which weakens the US dollar --> which fuels even higher oil prices and higher prices on EVERYTHING [Back to step 1 in the cycle]
--------
The US currently imports about 400 Million Barrels a month, or about $40 Billion in dollars that leaves the country. That is close to our entire trade deficit on a monthly basis. If we close that gap through increased domestic production, it will lead to a stable dollar and prices for EVERYTHING will be cheaper for US dollar earners. There's no telling where oil prices will be heading, I think $200-$300 a barrel in the future, but you must understand the relationship oil plays on our trade deficit to truly realize why we need to drill more here. Even if it just keeps the price at $100 Barrel for the next 15 years, that will be a major success which can be achieved through starting drilling projects NOW!
I'm sure this has been gone over on this thread. Here are some facts.
1. We don't know if there is enough oil to drill in the United States to make a difference.
2. Oil companies say that if all of their drilling restrictions were removed today, then it would take at least 4 years before a single drop of that oil would reach the market. Thats not a green company talking, its the oil companies themselves.
3. Most of the experts agree, there isn't enough easily accessible oil in the United States to drill to even lower market prices by 2%.
4. There are other options that are oil related, such as shale, that are accessible without drilling that oil companies aren't going after because there isn't enough money in it for them.
So no, drilling is not the short or long term solution. We should start converting cars to electrical usage, trucks to natural gas, and start using shale for domestic oil production, and start looking at other sources of domestic oil. We can use coal, wind, and nuclear for the increase in electrical demand, as well as working to better the electrical grid.
These aren't "green" solutions, they are real, regular solutions that don't benefit the oil companies but would help us at home. The problem with the "drill here, drill now" people is that they think that drilling in the United States will bring that oil here to home. Oil is a world wide commodity, and because the middle east, northern Africa, and South America have large supplies of oil, they will continue to have a great effect on the market. There simply isn't enough of a domestic supply to make that big of an impact on the oil market.
Lets get real about our situation folks. If bad regions control 60% of the worlds oil, then increasing production in the 2% that we control isn't going to make much of a difference in the oil market price.
Another issue that some folks seem not to be aware of or just ignore is that deep offshore wells are only possible as a result of the higher prices being paid for oil. If the price of oil ever fell back to the level of oil in the "good old days" those wells will just not be profitable to drill.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Memphis1979
I'm sure this has been gone over on this thread. Here are some facts.
1. We don't know if there is enough oil to drill in the United States to make a difference.
2. Oil companies say that if all of their drilling restrictions were removed today, then it would take at least 4 years before a single drop of that oil would reach the market. Thats not a green company talking, its the oil companies themselves.
3. Most of the experts agree, there isn't enough easily accessible oil in the United States to drill to even lower market prices by 2%.
4. There are other options that are oil related, such as shale, that are accessible without drilling that oil companies aren't going after because there isn't enough money in it for them.
So no, drilling is not the short or long term solution. We should start converting cars to electrical usage, trucks to natural gas, and start using shale for domestic oil production, and start looking at other sources of domestic oil. We can use coal, wind, and nuclear for the increase in electrical demand, as well as working to better the electrical grid.
These aren't "green" solutions, they are real, regular solutions that don't benefit the oil companies but would help us at home. The problem with the "drill here, drill now" people is that they think that drilling in the United States will bring that oil here to home. Oil is a world wide commodity, and because the middle east, northern Africa, and South America have large supplies of oil, they will continue to have a great effect on the market. There simply isn't enough of a domestic supply to make that big of an impact on the oil market.
Lets get real about our situation folks. If bad regions control 60% of the worlds oil, then increasing production in the 2% that we control isn't going to make much of a difference in the oil market price.
If Alex Jones say what's true about oil, and that the world oil reserves, especially those of the U.S., are grossly underestimated to keep OPEC in control (remember, the U.S. military is the OPEC enforcer), then whenever a new technology starts to come up, or more efficient technology starts to come around, then the Saudis will sink the price of oil to kill this new technology, and to prevent drilling in the U.S.
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