Well, this better pass!

[leftisthater]

ARCTIC OIL[<----LINK]

In Congress, the issue has been cast by supporters as an effort to lessen the United States' reliance on foreign oil. The debate pits the nation's energy needs against protection of one of America's last truly wild places.

[Emphasis added]

What the heck is the point of worrying about "America's last truly wild place," if that means sacrificing our security by being dependent on foreign oil from less-than-friendly countries? It just doesn't make sense.

Yes, I would love to see a day when our vehicles ran on nothing but solar power. But right now, they aren't. I don't have the ingenuity to make it happen and I'm sure a lot of the tree-huggers, driving around in their old, emission-burning Jeep Cherokees don't have it either. So, until we have it, maybe we can get our own oil and stop spending over $3.00 a gallon just so jihadists can have another source of revenue with which to fund their fight against the Great Satan.

[tits]

There was a debate on the BBC last week between an English oil spokes person and an American environmentalist. The man was optimistic about the oil future and the availability for the next 50 years. He was arguing that we should explore off all of our shores and utilize the Alaskan fields while exploring what will replace the hydrocarbon reliant internal combustion fuel sources now used for power plants and autos.

The environmentalist argued that we must not explore off shore or in ANWR and that we have sufficient supplies now.

The oil man at one point challenged the environmentalist with the standard argument: what is he willing to do without, lights, transportation, or food?

Right now, the power industry is at a cross-roads. We all realize that hydrocarbon and carbon based fuels are the major sources of "green house gases" and we all realize that we love our lifestyle. Fewer realize just how finite the fuels are. The Russians brag that they have more oil and coal than they can sell in 100 years. However, the real need is to find a way to move away from our reliance upon carbon based fuels for our power.

There are a multitude of promising sources, the question is to how to make them reliable and inexpensive.

Great item leftie!

[Sailor]

Well, maybe the current crisis will convince Congress to get the rigs moving up north.

Or maybe not.

A couple of years ago on the THC boards we discussed a possible source of a petrochemical similar to very light crude, easily distilled for heating oil and diesel. I still have the link to the company and check on them occasionally.

www.changingworldtech.com/

Their pilot plant at a turkey slaughtering plant in Carthage MO has produced a couple hundred barrels per day. According to the site it is being modified and upgraded and will produce up to 500 barrels per day once back on line. The turkey plant produces "Butterballs" and the other plant produces oil.

I also spoke with my brother in Michigan. The gas companies are busier than a bunch of hungry gophers putting down natural gas wells all over the northern half of the lower peninsula. Over 100 new wells in Alpena county alone with similar numbers in nearly every other county up there, but no fanfare. He knows about it because he drives for one of these outfits, 12 to 16 hours a day 6 and often 7 days a week.

My understanding is that the fields are under the Huron Aquifer but not particularly hard to get to. Lots of gas that's been known about for 50 years or so, just not under high pressure like the better known fields are. The high price natural gas brings in now makes large scale production economically attractive.