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The Democrats' Shale Game
IBD ^ | April 11, 2008

Posted on 04/11/2008 5:53:08 PM PDT by Kaslin

Energy: A North Dakota field holds at least 4 billion barrels of oil and possibly much more. But its Democratic senator demonstrates his party's schizophrenia on energy, preaching independence while doing nothing to achieve it.


The price of crude hit a record $112 a barrel last week, just about the time the U.S. Geological Survey released its assessment of the oil and gas potential of a region known as the Bakken Formation.

The USGS estimates that the shale formation straddling western North Dakota and Montana contains 3.65 billion barrels of technically recoverable oil.

The oil is trapped in a thin layer of dense rock nearly two miles beneath the surface. The USGS estimate may be conservative and is based on current technology.

Leigh Price, a USGS scientist, authored a study before his death in 2000 estimating that the entire formation, which extends into Saskatchewan and Manitoba, may hold up to 500 billion barrels of recoverable oil, an amount that dwarf's the 16 billion barrels in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR).

The technology to retrieve it is sophisticated. Rather than sitting in large underground reservoirs, the oil is trapped in microscopic pores of rock, and companies must force pressurized fluid and sand into the earth to break the pores in the rock. The extraction technology and production process also is not cheap.

In a press release announcing the study results, North Dakota Democratic Sen. Byron Dorgan said:

(Excerpt) Read more at ibdeditorials.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Editorial; Government; US: North Dakota
KEYWORDS:

1 posted on 04/11/2008 5:53:08 PM PDT by Kaslin
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To: Kaslin
The only thing "good" about the price of oil at the pump is the American people will eventually get sick and tired of being held hostage to OPEC and the environmental wackos.

Congress will rue the day they sat on their ass and did NOTHING while the price of oil drives down our standard of living.

Thankfully, it will be a democratic congress will will bear the wrath of an over burdened pissed off people

2 posted on 04/11/2008 5:59:13 PM PDT by Popman
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To: Kaslin

The recoverable number will go up dramatically if prices keep up. Hopefully once the infrastructure is in place extraction prices will go down.


3 posted on 04/11/2008 6:04:03 PM PDT by utherdoul
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To: Kaslin
if you could find a way to turn seawater into crude oil, it wouldn't be allowed.

It's no longer a game of the simple, sound reason of economics. It's now a game of the hyper-emotional fervor of religious passion: Global warming.

See tagline. The next bubble is The Collective Insanity.

4 posted on 04/11/2008 6:07:49 PM PDT by the invisib1e hand ( If you can keep your head when all about you are losing theirs and blaming it on you...)
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To: Kaslin
Dems are owned lock stock and barrel by green luddites who do not want oil used, do not want coal used, do not want shale used, do not want tar sands used, do not want nuclear power used, do not even want rivers to power perfectly clean electric power from dams. They want human beings to die and be damned, to make way for more insects and rodents.
5 posted on 04/11/2008 6:16:48 PM PDT by JasonC
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To: JasonC
They want other human beings to die and be damned, to make way for more insects and rodents.
6 posted on 04/11/2008 6:19:44 PM PDT by sionnsar (trad-anglican.faithweb.com |Iran Azadi| 5yst3m 0wn3d - it's N0t Y0ur5 (SONY) | UN: Useless Nations)
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To: Kaslin
We need a good bumper-sticker....something like:

Like High Gas Prices??

...Keep voting for Democrats.

7 posted on 04/11/2008 6:23:42 PM PDT by Mogollon (Vote straight GOP for congress....our only protection against Obama-Clinton, or McCain.)
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To: Kaslin

The oil shale and tar sands in Utah and Colorado were said to have a great future when oil was $19.00 a barrel . They still have a great future and will always have a great future . I expect several more fortunes to be made by taking oil shale companies public and then letting them die a quiet death . There is no shortage of oil .


8 posted on 04/11/2008 6:29:04 PM PDT by kbennkc (For those who have fought for it , freedom has a flavor the protected will never know)
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To: Mogollon

mmm, it’s good. Why don’t you have some made up? I’ll buy one.... (Like high gas prices? Keep voting for Democrats).


9 posted on 04/11/2008 6:30:22 PM PDT by bboop (Stealth Tutor)
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To: Kaslin

That’s half a trilion dollars worth of oil. The gs mentioned in the article is worth about as much. OF COURSE the Donks don’t want us to ge it. That kind of boost to the economy sould gut their victimhood constituency!


10 posted on 04/11/2008 7:08:11 PM PDT by piytar
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To: Mogollon

Love it


11 posted on 04/11/2008 7:33:20 PM PDT by fedupjohn (If we try to fight the war on terror with eyes shut + ears packed with wax, innocent people will die)
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To: utherdoul
...Hopefully once the infrastructure is in place extraction prices will go down.

It won't matter, the US economy will be in shambles and virtually collapsed by the time any of that oil gets to market. And the oil companies will just cap off the wells for another day.

12 posted on 04/11/2008 7:47:42 PM PDT by CapnJack
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To: utherdoul

At a $112 a barrel, we could hire a million Chinese to dig with spoons and still be profitable.


13 posted on 04/11/2008 7:49:52 PM PDT by ChinaThreat (s)
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To: Kaslin

btt


14 posted on 04/11/2008 7:56:57 PM PDT by Cacique (quos Deus vult perdere, prius dementat ( Islamia Delenda Est ))
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To: sionnsar
I have had my own run in with an arrogant enviro-wacko neighbor. It amazes me how out of whack some people are. He would rather have assorted bugs and other pests running rampant and piles of dead and dying wood for them to feed on.

The thing that got my blood boiling today was that he thought I couldn't work out a straight line. According to him, his property line veers over and takes part of our driveway.

What started it all was that there was this dead tree that is right on our driveway that fell over. There was about 3 foot part of the trunk left. Someone could hit that at night if they weren't paying attention. I get out the trusty chainsaw and put on a new blade and cut it off and buried it.

About 10 seconds later, he comes up and asks me not to cut anything else. I ignore him. There are some other small dead trees right by our driveway. We are going to have the back yard filled in and I figured it was a good time to get rid of deadwood.

I got this lecture about how those decaying trees were on his property and he liked them there. I cut them up anyway. I asked him about how he can want breeding grounds for all kinds of pests. I got some nonsense drivel.

He showed me the property line which was a large pine tree which always seemed to be right. It is a good few feet away from our driveway. I stood right in line on the side of the road as he demonstrated the "line". And he still had the nerve to come and say the property line veered over and part of our driveway was his. I have never heard of such a thing in a typical suburban neighborhood. How can property line somehow veer over at a sharp angle?

I never heard a peep about anything before until I fired up the chainsaw for the common good. He laughed at me when I mentioned the obvious safety problem and if anything happened I would point to him. He said "no you won't" in a very condescending tone.

By this time, I was burning mad about how this jerk comes over here and gives me a lecture about landscaping and aesthtics when there is nothing but vines and weeds overrunning his yard.

My wife was around and helped my not get really steamed and tried to reason with him. He was still in his mindset that the property line veers off several feet and takes a piece of the driveway.

Other arrogance I got hear was that he did some surveying at one time. Wonderful, I remarked, as I mentioned I have pipeline experience myself. Apparently it wasn't good enough.

Anyway, my wife found the official notarized plot showing boundries and there aren't any diagonal lines. I would like to see his. I will be surprised if I do.

Sorry for the rant but I am still a bit ticked off but cooling off.

15 posted on 04/11/2008 8:17:16 PM PDT by wally_bert (Tactical Is Still Missing A Chair!)
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To: wally_bert

Good example of how libs define their own truth, and have no problem with declaring control over others property.

Property line disputes with idiots like this are the most frustrating thing on earth.


16 posted on 04/11/2008 8:30:16 PM PDT by Wiseghy ("You want to break this army? Then break your word to it.")
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To: the invisib1e hand
if you could find a way to turn seawater into crude oil, it wouldn't be allowed. It's no longer a game of the simple, sound reason of economics. It's now a game of the hyper-emotional fervor of religious passion: Global warming.

The problem with your statement is that evaporating ocean water is the #1 cause of Global Warming! So the sooner we dry those oceans up, the better!

17 posted on 04/11/2008 8:41:13 PM PDT by Bommer (Hmmm who to vote for? A Far leftist? A Radical Leftist? Or a Republican that enjoys being a Leftist?)
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To: Mogollon

Like High Gas Prices??

...Keep voting for Democrats.

****************************************

Republicans did nothing with their power.


18 posted on 04/11/2008 8:56:53 PM PDT by ROTB (Our Constitution [is] for a [Christian] people. It is wholly inadequate [for] any other. -John Adams)
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To: Wiseghy
Tell me about it. This is established neighborhood, not some new development. It will probably get worse before it gets better. I may get a chalk line tomorrow and run a straight line for anyone to see. I will even give a little wiggle room. Anything dead or dying on my side is fair game. He can cry all he wants. My chainsaw is pretty loud and sounds good in spite of it being an antique.

He claims he has a chainsaw. It is probably frozen from lack of use or a wimpy electric. I have never heard one running over there. Something else that I forgot to mention is that he is still mad at a former resident (at least 6 or 7 years before moving in (add another 6 or so) for building a fence in the backyard.

A couple of years ago, we had all of the pines dropped in the front and backyard and apparently he cried about that. Never mind that some were dying from the inside and if they ever fell would do real damage to someone's house no matter which way it went.

It just boggles my mind. If the termites, ants, and other pests would stay in his yard, it would suit me. However, they go where there is food and shelter and dead trees are apparently good eating.

19 posted on 04/11/2008 9:05:25 PM PDT by wally_bert (Tactical Is Still Missing A Chair!)
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To: wally_bert
Also for my nerves, I went to the backyard and cut down anything small or annoying and kept my saw running full blast. I half expected him to come bolting over but it never happened. I would have called the county mounties for him trespassing. I don't invite myself on other people's property and tell them their business.

I also said a few choice words and comments for him to hear. I get damned tired of having to respect everyone's feelings all the time and get run over in return.

20 posted on 04/11/2008 9:16:46 PM PDT by wally_bert (Tactical Is Still Missing A Chair!)
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To: ROTB
Besides free 10 times as many tyrannized slaves as Lincoln, and you know, useless trivial stuff like that...
21 posted on 04/11/2008 9:31:46 PM PDT by JasonC
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To: ROTB

Your comments are misleading. The Energy Act of 2005 has some good elements. The rats and rinos killed other useful provisions. Conservatives never had a Senate majority. Given the Senate’s filibuster rules, conservatives never came close to effective control. The rats have consistently voted in a block for terrible energy policies. We are seeing the fruits of their obstinancy and terrible policy choices. The energy future only looks worse unless rats change their tune. I am not optimistic.


22 posted on 04/11/2008 10:18:58 PM PDT by businessprofessor
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To: Mogollon


---<>---<>---<>---<>---<>---<>---

     Like High Gas Prices??

  ...Keep voting for Democrats

---<>---<>---<>---<>---<>---<>---

Really, really good election year bumper sticker.

23 posted on 04/11/2008 11:33:05 PM PDT by AFPhys ((.Praying for President Bush, our troops, their families, and all my American neighbors..))
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To: Popman
Thankfully, it will be a democratic congress will will bear the wrath of an over burdened pissed off people

Judging from past experience with the retarded GOP PR machine, that hardly seems likely.

One can only hope that if McCain does get in the White House, he drives a stake through the heart of the losers running the show at the RNC.

24 posted on 04/11/2008 11:37:23 PM PDT by Rome2000 (Peace is not an option)
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To: wally_bert

The property rights position is simple: Whoever own the land, does what he wants.

Check your plat map and see where it really lies. you say your wife did. You should know what property you really own then. If you own the tree stump, you can tell him “Well, it’s my tree stump, but if you want it, I’ll sell it to you.” lol.

otherwise, ignore the fool.


25 posted on 04/11/2008 11:49:51 PM PDT by WOSG (Solve all the world's problems .... Just build more nukes already.)
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To: Popman

“Thankfully, it will be a democratic congress will will bear the wrath of an over burdened pissed off people “

DEMOCRATS ARE TO BLAME FOR HIGHER OIL AND GAS PRICES

... that is a headline, alas, that is both true and will never be seen in the mainstream media.

Congress has done diddly for years about ANWR.

I would love to see the Congress Dems get tossed out over the fact that they are anti-energy freaks, but the sheeple dont see it.


26 posted on 04/11/2008 11:52:11 PM PDT by WOSG (Solve all the world's problems .... Just build more nukes already.)
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To: ROTB

“Republicans did nothing with their power.”

Wrong. The Republican 2005 Energy did many good things - one of which was to salvage Nuclear Energy. If Daschle was still in charge, there would be no more nuclear power plants on the horizon.

The GOP won some battles, lost others.

The real problem is the Democrats.


27 posted on 04/11/2008 11:53:54 PM PDT by WOSG (Solve all the world's problems .... Just build more nukes already.)
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To: WOSG
I plan to ignore the old fool even more than usual. It is the arrogance that gets me. I think I will get that chalk line today and run a line from the holy survey point to the road and mark it. I was so wound up I didn't get to sleep until 3 or so in the morning. Usually people don't get to me like that but this was special.

If I get any more grief, I will tell him to get a surveyor at his expense. Naturally he will say I should and at my expense and he will be dead wrong because I won't do it.

Someone has to take a stand against arrogant know it all's who think they are in charge of everyone and everything. I refuse to be bullied and ordered around. I am going to do everything I can to make a nice yard. It doesn't have to be manicured, just nice. The previous owners let some things go and over time I have gone a long way to fixing them or we have had contractors come in for the big stuff. Nothing serious for the most part, just a lot of fine tuning. I am not some leftover hippie.

28 posted on 04/12/2008 4:35:01 AM PDT by wally_bert (Tactical Is Still Missing A Chair!)
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To: WOSG
I would love to see the Congress Dems get tossed out over the fact that they are anti-energy freaks, but the sheeple dont see it.

I think the 2010 Congressional elections will make 1994 Congressional shift look like a walk in the park

The American people are slow to "get it" and slow to anger, everybody I know is pissed and getting very frustrated with high energy and food prices.

Everybody standard of living is being diminished and Congress will take the wrath as they should

29 posted on 04/12/2008 5:32:27 AM PDT by Popman
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To: Mogollon
Like High Gas Prices??

...Keep voting for Democrats.

Exactly....

The Rats are NOT interested in solving our energy problems.

We could find a 500 years supply of refined gasoline ready to use and they would make it off limits.

30 posted on 04/12/2008 7:33:29 AM PDT by SteamShovel (Global Warming, the New Patriotism)
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To: JasonC

I was talking recently. Point taken though, thank you.


31 posted on 04/14/2008 11:29:31 AM PDT by ROTB (Our Constitution [is] for a [Christian] people. It is wholly inadequate [for] any other. -John Adams)
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To: businessprofessor; WOSG

Points taken. I yield, I am under-informed. Thank you.


32 posted on 04/14/2008 6:24:20 PM PDT by ROTB (Our Constitution [is] for a [Christian] people. It is wholly inadequate [for] any other. -John Adams)
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