Americans Say Screw The Environment

Elective Decisions ^ | July 7, 2008 | Chris Davis

[Ron Jeremy]

WHats not spoken of is the already drilled wells on the north slope that are CAPPED... CAPPED?.. Many wells CAPPED.. And already known legal licensed leased fields with fairly shallow oil available NOW..

So you think the owners of the wells just sort of randomly cap them despite the fact that they are profitable?

Wells have decline curves, at a certain point, it is no longer productive to produce them, even if there is oil still in them. Contrary to popular opinion, oil doesn't just sit in a pool waiting to be sucked out. It sits in complicated geological formations that are often difficult to get at in a cost effective manner.

[writer33]

Stop it with the depressing stuff, hosepipe.

[marron]

Oilfield operators have to obey environmental rules same as everyone else.

Critters live out in oil fields, unmolested. The occasional pickup rolling by, the occasional work-over rig doing its thing doesn’t bother them a bit.

[llandres]

“When things are tough, luxury goods are left behind.”

ah, we Americans. Why does it always seem to take a crisis for people to wake UP and come to their senses? much like 9/11. and yet, what short memories we have - when that particular crisis is past (whichever one it is), people soon forget, relax and revert to the same pre-crisis thinking.

[llandres]

They just showed me a program on PBS promoting the neat things one can see and do hiking and biking around in Lost Angeles.”

Oh, tell me about it - and tonight they reran Larry King with the CEO of Chevron on, trying to talk sense to LK and callers, but...not a prayer. Know how LK ended the show? With a segment of Ed Begley, Jr. interviewed, on all the “practical, important” things everyone can do to make a difference - reminded me of Jimmy Carter’s famous “wear a sweater” speech.

[writer33]

Critters live out in oil fields, unmolested. The occasional pickup rolling by, the occasional work-over rig doing its thing doesn’t bother them a bit.

I have no doubt in your sincerity. Been out to a bunch of rigs when I was a kid in Texas. I saw those deckhands working, wildcatting like they were supposed to do.

[E.G.C.]

BTTT

[Gritty]

BTTT

[writer33]

Thanks for the bump, E.G.C.

[writer33]

Thanks for the bump, Gritty.

[bravo whiskey]

What makes it satire?
It’s not 100 percent factual. That’s the difference, but thanks for reading. I appreciate it.

guess that means the drive-by media are satire. we know they aren’t close to 100% factual.

[hosepipe]

[ So you think the owners of the wells just sort of randomly cap them despite the fact that they are profitable? ]

Yes.. You are assuming beneficial Nationalistic intentions.. If the price goes up, way up, it lifts all boats(economically) and you need not drill anything.. And when you DO drill you're setting higher in the economic water..

You are so nieve.. And thats ignoring all the raw politics involved.. Not to speak of the matter it is obscene that Washington D.C. OWNS(controls,manipulates,politicizes) ANY LAND in the STates AT ALL.. The federal gov't OWNS MOST OF ALASKA..Alaskans DO NOT..

[hosepipe]

[ Stop it with the depressing stuff, hosepipe. ]

Its only hyperbole..

[thackney]

On the North Slope, like many oil fields, exploratory wells are first drilled. Often after the field is proved and the analysis of the well is complete, the location of the exploratory well is not the best location for production. In some fields, it is more economical to drill new wells than produce from the discovery well.

For example: In the Western North Slope, fields like Alpine and Fjord have injector wells located around the perimeter of the field and the production wells in the center. Depending on the location, depth and direction of horizontal travel, initial wells sometime do not work out for either. Improper injection and production in these fields can result in the stranding of oil that cannot be recovered.

Also, fairly shallow oil on the North Slope is not producible because of the permafrost makes the oil to thick to flow. There has been some enhanced oil recover started in recent years taking produced water from far deeper, warmer reservoirs and injecting it into the shallower fields. It is creating some additional production but it is expensive and slow.

[conservatism_IS_compassion]

With an election looming in November, the Democratic Party is apparently willing to roll the dice, shafting millions of Americans, and reminding us once again what conservatism can do for America.

True. But it certainly illustrates the difference which can exist between the etymology of a word and its current meaning. What kind of "conservatism" is it that insists, “Screw the environment. Drill here. Drill now!”

The answer is, of course, that American "conservatives" do not conserve the status quo.
American "conservatives" conserve the status quo of governmental restraint in order to conserve individual freedom to change the status quo outside the sphere of government.

[Ron Jeremy]

Yes.. You are assuming beneficial Nationalistic intentions..

No, I am assuming basic free market economics that the profit motive drives people to do profitable things.

If the price goes up, way up, it lifts all boats(economically) and you need not drill anything.. And when you DO drill you're setting higher in the economic water..

You are assuming there is no competition. First, you are wrong. The competition for reserves is tremendous. 2. If in fact there is no competition and the evil oil companies can let the price rise, why did they wait until now? Whey did they let the price get to ~11 per barrel in the early 90's? Were they stupid? Also, are Dell and HP stupid? Why don't they restrict the supply of computers to make the prices go up?

You are so nieve../i>

No, I understand the basic laws of economics.

And thats ignoring all the raw politics involved.. Not to speak of the matter it is obscene that Washington D.C. OWNS(controls,manipulates,politicizes) ANY LAND in the STates AT ALL.. The federal gov't OWNS MOST OF ALASKA..Alaskans DO NOT..

That might apply to the drilling of new reserves, but it doesn't apply to capped wells.

[hosepipe]

[ No, I understand the basic laws of economics. ]

Ah but you overlook the capitalization of socialism or the socialization of capital.. like in China(Russia,URP)..

Capitalism creates wealth Socialism uses that wealth UP.. economics can be and is socialized..

[hosepipe]

[ it is more economical to drill new wells than produce from the discovery well. ]

How much does it cost to produce from an already drilled well..

[thackney]

It cost a lot if producing from that well stands hundreds of thousands of barrels of oil underground.

It is some not some magic puddle beneath the ground that doesn't matter where you draw from. It is porous rock than in the past oil companies have greatly reduced the amount of oil producible, by doing it wrong or on the cheap.\

Reservoir management is nearly a black art than a science. (joke) But that is the reason a really good petroleum engineering is worth their weight in gold making more than someone like me who designs the facilities topside after they decide what hole where, what deep, what rate, etc.

[Libloather]

I get in late and my best *Bubba line has already been used. Can I get pinged any earlier?