Posted on 07/06/2008 2:30:19 PM PDT by Josh Painter
How often have you heard Democrat politicians and liberal environmentalists argue that it makes no sense to drill for oil domestically because it will take at least ten years before we will see any of that oil?
Let's put that old canard permanently to rest, shall we? According to a report from APRN, Alaska's Public Radio Network, it's been done in just half that time:
Pioneer Natural Resources Company has brought a near-shore oil production unit on line. Pioneer spokesman Tadd Owens says the first barrel from the Oooguruk facility was sold yesterday. The unit lies northwest of the Kuparuk river, inside the barrier islands of the Beaufort sea. Owens says Pioneer is the first independent to bring new operations on line and they did it quickly — from exploration to production took only 5 years. He says the plan is for 40 wells to be on line within 3 years.So why do they insist that it would take ten years before we see any oil from new domestic drilling? Since I'm at a loss to understand the liberal thought process, I can only guess.
One, it's a nice, round number which would tend to discourage those, now a majority, who want to see the U.S. domestic oil industry revived. "Ten years, wow, that's like a whole decade, dude!"
Two, perhaps wanting to inject a grain of truth into the big lie, they grabbed the number from the history of the Trans-Alaska Pipeline, a nearly 800-mile project which was almost ten years in the making, from the 1968 confirmation of a major oil find in Prudhoe Bay to 1977, when a tanker sailed out of Valdez carrying the first load of North Slope crude.
We could speculate on their research (or lack of it) and motivation for not being fully forthright about the length of time required to bring in an oil field, but that's not the point. The point is that a field in Alaska was made to produce in just five years from when it was explored. Given the harsh Alaskan climate, one is led to wonder how long it would take to bring fields in the much less demanding conditions of the lower 48 into production.
Consider that the the Elm Coulee oil field in Montana, part of the Bakken Formation, was only discovered in 2000, yet it had produced 32 million barrels of oil just six years later and has produced about 65 million barrels to date. That was done using horizontal drilling tecniques and other new technologies to meet the unique challenges of the formation.
Five years. That's not a long time to have to wait to bring in an oil field. It's just a year longer than a single presidential term and a year less than a senator's term. Hmmmm...
Drill here. Drill now. Pay less. One by one, the Democrats' weak arguments against domestic drilling are being shot down and exposed for the bunk that they are. We shouldn't even be having this discussion. We should be getting about the business of reviving the American domestic petroleum industry. Wouldn't you just love to see an APEC, consisting of the United States, Canada and Mexico, organized to give the OPEC monopoly a little friendly competition?
- JP
Hat Tip: Maggie Thornton
The defeatist Democrats say:
Drilling now won’t do anything to lower your gas prices for years.
Buy that logic nobody should ever attend College beacuse it won’t do anything to raise your income for years.
Yes, that logic makes NOTHING worthwhile — Medical school, any degree, frankly; practicing violin; hopes and dreams. Ahhh, I get it — nihilism.
Also keep in mind that the ANWR site is just 80 miles from the existing Prudhoe Bay site and the Trans Alaska Pipeline. They can probably construct a leg to ANWR very quickly
There have been hundreds of examples where full well production has been brought in in as little as 4 months, and midwater platforms in as little as 24 months.
Saying, “We can’t drill our way out of high gas prices”, is like telling a guy stranded in the desert who hasn’t consumed food for 2 weeks that he can’t eat his way out of starvation.
Having been in the oil business for 32 years, I can assure that the democrats are full of crap. At the higher prices of today, it takes us about 6 months to a year to put our lease blocks together (depending on the play), another 3 months to drill two exploratory wells, and another 2 or 3 years to develope large fields. That is a fact. We are heavily invested in the Woodford Shale Play in Oklahoma, and the Fayettville Shale Play in Arkansas, and the primary 3 year leases are being vested—development will continue for the next 2 years, so these ignorant a$$holes that talk about 10 years are full of it.
Having been in the oil business for 32 years, I can assure that the democrats are full of crap. At the higher prices of today, it takes us about 6 months to a year to put our lease blocks together (depending on the play), another 3 months to drill two exploratory wells, and another 2 or 3 years to develope large fields. That is a fact. We are heavily invested in the Woodford Shale Play in Oklahoma, and the Fayettville Shale Play in Arkansas, and the primary 3 year leases are being vested—development will continue for the next 2 years, so these ignorant a$$holes that talk about 10 years are full of it.
(How often have you heard Democrat politicians and liberal environmentalists argue that it makes no sense to drill for oil domestically because it will take at least ten years before we will see any of that oil? )
What? The Democrats lie to the American people?
Shirley you jest.........
Thanks for affirming what I believed already.
They are saying that we could put a man on the moon and return him safely in 7.5 years when we had no idea how we would do it. BUT we cannot drill 50 miles off shore and deliver the crude safely to a refinery when we know exactly how to do it?
If the government infused a lot of money, technoglogy and manpower, this project could be sped up like the Santa Monica Freeway following the earthquake. It was rebuilt in record time.
For those hoping to become doctors, don’t do it, it will be at least 10 years before you see anything from it.
It’s not just oilfields that need drilling.
You mean the Rats were lying, again?
If you like $5/gal, Thank Congress. If you want $10, Vote Obama.
Pray for W and Our Troops
What is the scoop on Gull Island, in Alaska? Is it for real?
Or developing new drugs?
Old German Saying: A job begun well is half done.
The saddest part about the Democrat, Socialist, and liberals is that they will do all they can to ensure it takes as long as they predicted.
Here is a question for anyone to answer.
Which will take more time?
A - The time Democrats will talk about how long it will take to benefit from drilling
Or
B – The time it will take to benefit from drilling.
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