Reason to drill for oil in Alaska?

Question

Since every time a storm brews in the Gulf coast area,oil prices go up,isn't that a good reason to drill up North?

Answer 1

NO!

And it's not because I'm an environmentalist or anything. I even work in the oilfield.

Here's the deal: Drilling right now for a short term drop in the price of oil or other petroleum product, such as gasoline, is very short sighted. Yes, oil is expensive and yes, its price is being driven by factors other than normal supply and demand. But we are just seeing the tip of the iceberg as far as prices and demand go. As time goes on, the oil reserves will be harder to find and the price will keep increasing.

So, the real way to go is NOT to drill our reserves. Keep them as reserves. Deplete the OTHER GUY'S reserves first. Then when the real pinch comes, guess who still is sitting on some real reserves? And guess who will be able to demand top dollar (and I do mean _dollar_) for their oil?

We have to learn to think longer term here folks. Using our reserves now and, even worse, thinking that the strategic oil reserve is a fix, is just setting us up to be in a weaker position, not a stronger one.

Answer 2

The fundamental reason to drill even more in Alaska is that the oil companies will have more product to put onto the world's oil market.  Note that recently in Congress there was a proposed bill to require the oil companies to  ship the current Alaskan oil to only America.  It was defeated by the Republican minority in the Senate because moving a bill to a vote requires 60 members of the Senate to agree, not just a majority.

That is, even if they drill more in Alaska or other coastal areas, the oil is not used exclusively for American consumers.  It is just put on the world market where it can be consumed by anybody.

Answer 3

Alaska has the largest deposits of oil known on the earth.The area has the look of a waste land with no ice . The scam is that it suits the oil criminals to half way bent to the tree huggers.They make tons of money off domestic oil when oversea oil producers cut back or raise prices.They are not trying to help citizens ,they are looking out for themselves.I know it sounds harsh but it seems like america has had 200 years of sellout leaders and it's a miracle that the working folks have survived at all.

Answer 4

If they were given the go-ahead to start drilling today, it would be 6 - 10 years before any of that oil would appear on the market.  Then, it would only represent less than 5% of the total consumed in the US by today's numbers.

It's not a quick answer to today's prices.

Besides, it would only be exported like so much more of the oil that we do get from Alaska so wouldn't do us any good anyway.

Answer 5

maybe

Answer 6

yes.

Answer 7

Most of the oil produced in Alaska is shipped elsewhere, like Japan and Asia.Drilling in ANWR is ludicrous because if we used that oil exclusively, it wouldn't supply our needs for ONE year.  That's not our salvation. Destroying the habitat of over 1 million caribou to me is not worth it.

Answer 8

Oil companies are drilling for oil in Alaska already - I just wish ANWR was open in order to see if there is oil there.

Far better would be to drill the offshore basins of California which may be richer by far than Alaska.

Answer 9

yes but the layers of ice keep some drilling from starting

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