Why neither party is serious about solving the growing gas crisis

JEWISH WORLD REVIEW.COM ^ | MARCH 25, 2005 | MAX BOOT

[CHARLITE]

Imagine what would happen if Al Qaeda were to hit the giant Ras Tanura terminal in Saudi Arabia, where a tenth of global oil supplies are processed every day. Prices could soar past $100 a barrel, and the U.S. economy could go into a tailspin. As it is, high oil prices provide money for Saudi Arabia to subsidize hate-spewing madrasas and for Iran to develop nuclear weapons.

Both Democrats and Republicans know this, but neither party is serious about solving this growing crisis. Democrats who couldn't tell the difference between a caribou and a cow grandstand about the sanctity of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, even though 70% of Alaskans are happy to see a bit of drilling in this remote tundra. Republicans, for their part, pretend that tapping ANWR will somehow solve all of our problems. If only. A government study finds that, with ANWR on line, the U.S. will be able to reduce its dependence on imported oil from 68% to 65% in 2025.

How to do better? Biking to work or taking the train isn't the answer. Even if Americans drive less, global oil demand will surge because of breakneck growth in India and China. The Middle East, home of two-thirds of the world's proven oil reserves, will remain of vital strategic importance unless we can develop alternative sources of automotive propulsion and substantially decrease global, not just American, demand for petroleum. An ambitious agenda to achieve those goals has been produced by Set America Free, a group set up by R. James Woolsey, Frank Gaffney and other national security hawks.

[maestro]

.....Prices could soar past $100 a barrel, and the U.S. economy could go into a tailspin......

This has NOTHING to do with domestic U.S.A. Refineries?

This wouls NEVER hurt NAFTA trucking.

/everything is relative to 'gold' and Social Security

[conservative cat]

I have heard hybrids have very expensive batteries. I can't imagine having to spend 3K+ just to get the battery changed.

[Revolutionary]

It is just enough worry to get ANWR opened up.

This summer the Strategic reserve will be filled up, making another million barrels of oil a day available to the market.

Canadian oil sands and U.S. shale oil is potentially available at about $30 a barrel if the price looks like it is going to stay high.

If we could stabilize Columbia and free Venezuela from its Marxist ruler, that would stabilize the price of oil at the mid to high 20's all by itself. There is the dilemma; there is plenty of oil, but uncertainty and instability are preventing it from being on the market.

In two or three years oil will go to about $30 a barrel and stabilize. It will probably drop to $40-45 a barrel by the end of summer. There is a $10-15 speculative bubble in the price.

[techcor]

As I always post on these threads. The answer is coal gasification. China should be starting up a plant later this year. The technology is much more efficient than it use to be so it is now economically competitive. The estimate was that they could produce gas for around $1.35. Good enough for me.

[TheLion]

In addition to "coal gasification", the Depolymerization process developed by New World Technologies is a direction we should be heading.

[techcor]

the Depolymerization process developed by New World Technologies

That's the technology to turn turkey guts, etc. into oil isn't it? That's great and everything but the collection of stuff to then turn into oil isn't in place like it is for oil. I definitely think it should be developed but coal as a source of gas is what the oil producers fear.

[TheLion]

You can throw anything into the hopper to make oil with the depolymerization process. The only think it can't handle is nuclear waste.

I agree with you about coal. Don't we have a lot of it?

[techcor]

The only think it can't handle is nuclear waste

Speaking of nuclear waste. Google on "Putting Nuclear Waste To Work." A scientist modified an engine so that nuclear waste could be used as a fuel while it is being "cooled". Pretty interesting.
There should be centuries worth of coal to use.

[CHARLITE]

Thank you all for your very educated, illuminating replies. It is essential that we overcome the liberals' extremist environmentalism. Don't you agree?

[TheLion]

You would think that with the price of oil now, these alternatives could get off the ground....especially coal.

[techcor]

I wish the MSM would do more stories on other energy sources such as coal gasification. The conservative view is so simple : allow companies to manufacture energy conservation devices and allow drilling on our land. The liberal view is to outlaw drilling on our land and give some federal assistance to the developers of energy conservation devices so that they can take credit for it later. Hands down the conservative way is the better way.

[techcor]

China is working on it. And if their plant opens up in the fall and gets publicity , I would sell oil stocks short.

[Mind-numbed Robot]

You can throw anything into the hopper to make oil with the depolymerization process.

Not only would that provide all the oil energy needs it could take the farmers off welfare and solve many waste disposal problems. What are we waiting for? I promise I won't invest in it. That would kill it for sure.

[Joe_October]

....give some federal assistance to the developers of energy conservation devices ....

Once a business gets money from the Feds, the only thing it will produce is PowerPoint presentations.