Posted on 08/25/2004 8:59:39 AM PDT by NormsRevenge
WASHINGTON — Placing a heavy emphasis on energy production in the American West, the Bush administration has moved aggressively to open up broad areas of largely unspoiled federal land to oil and gas exploration.
The administration has pressed for approval of new drilling permits across the Rocky Mountains and lifted protections on hundreds of thousands of acres with gas and oil reserves in Utah and Colorado. In the process, it has targeted a number of places prized for their scenery, abundant wildlife and clean water, natural assets increasingly valuable to the region's changing economy.
Soon after taking office in 2001, the Bush White House set up a little-known task force that acts as a complaint desk for industry, passing energy company concerns directly to federal land management employees in the field. Although the creation of White House task forces is commonplace, experts on the executive branch say it is unusual to have one primarily serving the interests of a single industry.
In addition, the Bureau of Land Management has been pushed to issue drilling permits at a record pace for three of the last four years, an increase of 70% since the Clinton administration.
(Excerpt) Read more at latimes.com ...
Of course, if no one can afford the gas to drive to those places as tourists, they ain't going to be such valuable assets...
Yeah, Right. ANd the old Clinton apointees have increased the number of hoops to jump through, too.
One well I worked in CO was delayed 3 months so as not to interfere with the 'elk breeding season'. As if anything could stop a bull elk in rut. (Just get out of the way!)
If the fanatics can be reined in, this might help.
Have 'em just shut off the valves and go home, then.
When we are done with this (dual lateral horizontal) well, we will have tapped 640 acres of reservoir from one site.
Trucks are only used to haul oil here until the pipeline tie-in is completed.
There are at least 10 other rigs in the immediate area, and we've been busy for three years now.
I'm liking it. I enjoy getting a steady paycheck. Not like the Clinton Years.
About FReeping time. Most anyway to get oil is better than continuing to subsidize the Jihadies.
"How old are you?"
My original post was meant to be sarcasm...
How old are YOU?
But they will help in the short run. Short meaning a few decades. In the long new techology is the only answer. It's raining soup just a few tens of miles up, we need to build some big soup bowls.
Little workover rig. Looks like they are pulling 30 ft singles. Probably a shallow completion. I can't quite make out the signage on the equipment on the right side of the photo. That might be a clue to what they are doing.
"How old are you?"
And speaking of age, why did you feel it necessary to post a reply to a sarcastic comment to the AM?
"Drilling in the west and even in ANWR won't solve our long term energy problems. Conservation and new technology can."
Agreed. My first post in this thread was meant to be sarcasm.
That case is not settled yet. It involves royalty accounting by the Dept. of the Interior.
They should just pay them and get it overwith.
The whole city of Los Angeles is sitting on a field of crude and natural gas that it was forced to purchase after bankrupting the surviving Manley family members and there are pockets of methane and hydrogen sulfide all over the Fairfax District which makes for some shaky living at times.
We could build some soup bowls. Money is not a problem. There is a massive stash of money on the sidelines waiting for something to do.
"How old Are you?"
86.
The case involves records, or lack thereof, over the span of several decades. Several billions of dollars are involved and it is not simply a case of non-payment. There are also allegations of Indian embezzlement, graft and corruption.
By way of example, the Los Padres National Forest, north of the Los Angeles and Ventura area is very scenic. I hike there and also have in the past taken educational field trip there. Oil production has been occuring, harmoniously and unobtrusively, in the area now designated National Forest, wilderness areas, and condor preserve for over 125 years. In fact, the access to the area is by old oil field roads and trails.
Changing to a minimum wage, seasonal, tourism economy instead of a resource extraction, high wage system that traditionally existed in the west.
I'll take energy self sufficiency and growth over tree hugging any day!
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