On Jun 29, 8:18=A0pm, Roger Blake <rogblak...@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote:
> That is because "our politicos" are largely to blame for the
> situation. Debasing of the currency to bail out ridiculously bad > bank
l=
oans and politicians steadfastly standing in the way of us > developing
our=
own considerable energy resources are primary > factors here. (Not to
ment=
ion that many politicians actually
> *want* high energy prices as a matter of policy.)
Our own "considerable" resources come in three cl*****:
About 4% (relative to world "proven" reserves) of it is exploitable
using conventional means and methods. This is about 20% of -our-
supply. This includes ANWR (proven), off-shore undrilled regions now
off limits (not proven, but likely) and existing fields that have not
been subject to modern - but very expensive - extraction techniques.
ANWR would take $3-5 billion and 3-5 years to extract - and at present
usage levels last ~19 months per USDOE figures.
About the same amount again is exploitable using known techniques but
will require highly unconventional preparations and equipment - i.e.
expensive. This would include very deep oil, oil under the arctic ice-
cap, and similar. Figure $350 - $600/barrel well-head costs and untold
environmental damage, and 4-10 years. $7-20 billion on top of all that
- all factored into that well-head cost.
And an unknown but pretty massive amount of oil is sitting right
there, easily exploited, absolutely proven to exist, and the means to
do so are very well known. Sadly, those means only make it practical
at $400 - $900/barrel - depending on the 'richness' of the oil shale,
oil sands or similar bearing strata. There are shale-oil plants
operating on an experimental basis right now.
Oil is a commodity. We are competing for it with every other user in
the world. We are also sending away out dollars to our competitors on
a massive, continuing and increasing basis. Is it any surprise that
our competitors (who in many ways want to be just like us) are using
those dollars which aren't much good for much else to buy more and
more oil for themselves?
Funny, funny thing how that works.
Peter Wieck
Melrose Park, PA
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