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Oil Storm (fascinating viewing)
FX T.V.

Posted on 06/06/2005 7:21:27 PM PDT by infocats

"Oil Storm", a fictionalized docudrama, deals with the aftermath of a severe hurricane in the Gulf of Mexico, crippling both oil production and oil importation (15% of our national daily supply if memory serves) and its economic and social consequences for the nation at large.

The government's inability to make up this shortfall, due to political considerations, limited global supplies, and several additional disasters make for riveting viewing, even for those on this forum who believe energy supplies are inexhaustible.

FX is available on satellite t.v. and many cable providers; for those of you who still rely on over the air broadcasting, do yourself a favor and get a friend to record it for you.

FX Schedule


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Crime/Corruption; Culture/Society; Foreign Affairs; Government; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: artbell; oilstorm
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To: badgerlandjim

If oil is 8 dollars a barrel, what will the demand curve look like?

Does it drop off enough to undo the loss of 50 percent of the refining for three weeks, Houston shipping channel collision?

If oil is 8 dollars a gallon can public transit absorb the increased demand?

IMHO if gas is 8 bucks then bikes busses and feet will become very popular. So it is unrealistic that the crisis would last a year, maybe three months. If we went car free for a day the oil companies would choke on the surplus gas.


61 posted on 06/06/2005 10:29:42 PM PDT by reluctantwarrior (Strength and Honor, just call me Buzzkill for short......)
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To: DTogo
Yes, we currently have 694M barrels in the SPR, and in 2004 our total demand was 20.52M barrels per day. So the whole premise was that we get completely cut off? Ridiculous.

Very true, and the biggesy hole in the scenario. If we only lost 1 million barrels per day, and then 2 more when the Saudis were hit, you've got a 3 million shortfall. The SPR could cover 33 weeks of that entire shortfall if neccessary, plenty of time to restore the LA port and secure replacement crude.

62 posted on 06/06/2005 10:31:00 PM PDT by montag813
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To: reluctantwarrior
Sometimes your opinion is not appreciated because its like peeing on the poster's leg and calling it rain. You're not discussing the ideas but complaining about production values of a story. Please move that deck chair a little to the right.

Well, that's the second time I've been falsely accused in this thread. I hope you're as gracious to apologize as the last person was. I did not express ANY opinion for you to appreciate or not regarding the production value. So you can take your little urination simile and park it somewhere else. A little more discernment might be warranted in the future before attempting to belittle someone, it just makes you look ignorant.

63 posted on 06/06/2005 10:38:53 PM PDT by highlander_UW (I don't know what my future holds, but I know Who holds my future)
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To: montag813

That's why a lot of these made-for-TV movies are dopey: not only are the actors and F/X B-grade, but the writing and fact-checking is too.


64 posted on 06/06/2005 10:40:32 PM PDT by DTogo (U.S. out of the U.N. & U.N out of the U.S.)
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To: DTogo
Sounds like they conveniently left out the fact we have a huge Strategic Petroleum Reserve for this (or similar) purpose. Oh well, like many in the media, who can be bothered with facts...

In the first instance, this was a fictionalized docudrama and clearly portrayed as such.

In the second instance, the SPR was mentioned but at current rates of consumption, would only have carried us through about a month.

65 posted on 06/07/2005 3:19:36 AM PDT by infocats
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To: groanup
Been there, done that. Stupid, stupid show.

Previous Review

This was a far better review (and complete with pix too!) than mine. What really pisses me off is that I did a search using "Oil Storm" as the criteria...and nothing showed up so I posted.

66 posted on 06/07/2005 3:25:00 AM PDT by infocats
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To: Desron13
The worst hericane imaginable might take out some of the surface rigs but would have little effect on the infrastructure on the ocean floor. Most, if not all of the production would be restored within a year. Look into the concept of oilfield safety valves. If the top structure is removed, the wells simply shut themselves down. This reminds me of the movie The Day After Tomorrow. It just wouldn't happen.

And Pearl Harbor wouldn't happen, the Titanic couldn't happen, and who ever considered 9/11 a remote possibility? Who's to say what could or couldn't happen...but regardless, the concept makes for interesting speculation...and entertaining viewing.

67 posted on 06/07/2005 3:28:46 AM PDT by infocats
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To: jamaly
Well, I saw it. As I posted last night it was boring as H*ll and leftist propaganda. The storyline was overly simplistic that only complained about the problems and didn't offer logical solutions such as rationing and providing fuel for critical needs such as farmers, transportation workers, health workers, etc. The hate America first bunch probably loved it.

Should a scenario similar to "Oil Storm" happen, it will affect everyone, not just the left or right...so I'm not sure what political spin has to do with the price of tea in China.

In any event, you are correct in being critical of the film's approach toward solving the crisis; I would have approached it somewhat differently myself.

68 posted on 06/07/2005 3:34:07 AM PDT by infocats
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To: Fenris6
The writing SUCKED. The acting SUCKED. Go peddle your outrage somewhere else.

Outrage? This is a message forum, I don't get outraged (at least not here), and you are, no doubt (by your use of caps) projecting yours.

69 posted on 06/07/2005 3:39:01 AM PDT by infocats
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To: Asclepius
Indeed, as was the whole production called "oil storm". The program's premise is only as preposterous as its pacing is ponderous. The factual errors were quite nearly as numerous and wide as the gaping plot-holes and laughable, deus-ex-machina resolutions.

What is it about fictionalized docudrama that people on FR don't get? The production was speculative and meant to both provocative and entertaining, although apparently not to you.

Clearly from most of the responses to my posting, many on FR have a hidden agenda, get incensed that anyone would dare suggest that resources on a finite planet are not unlimited, and are entitled to live either in their utter denial or blissful ignorance, while resorting to claims of bad scripting or pacing.

70 posted on 06/07/2005 3:47:51 AM PDT by infocats
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To: infocats

It was a crap mockumentary...clearly taking smacks at President Bush. It also left questions unanswered, like why the heck we haven't been drilling more in the US, ANWR, off the coasts of NCarolina, Californika, Floriduh etc.

Trash TV and overhyped drivel, the American people wouldn't behave as shown in this horrible show.

so there...

G


71 posted on 06/07/2005 3:57:26 AM PDT by GRRRRR (I've Had it with the Islamofascists...time to put em away for good!)
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To: infocats

How about 'crapbath'?


72 posted on 06/07/2005 4:03:52 AM PDT by johnny7 (PREDICTION; Bill Clinton will die of 'Arafat's Disease'.)
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To: badgerlandjim
They lost me when the big depression hit and the couple with the gas station had no business - so the wife had to take a job in San Antonio. I immediately wondered how was it so easy for her to find employment (a little hustling, maybe?) and how did she get to work? Walk? Also, the law of supply and demand seemed to go all out of whack. The streets and highways became nearly devoid of traffic but the price of gas stayed up there over $8. That just didn't compute. Then there was the hero farmer. Kept saying food was more important than oil. How did he intend to feed the country? With mules? IMHO the whole thing was pretty poorly thought out.

You raise some interesting points but they are hard to adequately address without a total rewrite of the script.

IMHO, your most interesting point was the effect of market forces on the price of gas. We know from everyday experience that "bad news" tends to drive prices up very quickly while "good news" often doesn't ellicit a similar (although opposite) effect. If prices do in fact fall, there is usually a long time lag while middlemen seek to reap the rewards of these price differentials.

Additionally, zero demand (as in the film) would cause production costs to go up because economies of scale couldn't be achieved. In a perfect world, zero consumption could only make the price fall just so far before it would no longer pay to refine oil at all. At that point, black marketeers would probably step in (as in prohibition) with a clearly inferior product at perhaps even more inflated prices as in cocaine production where producers only get pennies on each dollar of the final retail dollar.

73 posted on 06/07/2005 4:09:22 AM PDT by infocats
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To: infocats

I was able to watch the entire first two and a half minutes. That was as far as I could go before I hit stop and delete on my DVR.

Something about it just screamed leftist agitprop.

Paul


74 posted on 06/07/2005 6:58:27 AM PDT by spacewarp (Visit the American Patriot Party and stay a while. http://www.patriotparty.us)
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To: highlander_UW
I won't apologize to you until you ask yourself why your posted question is banal. If you challenge a posters opinion with a non sequitir like "so you can only comment on production values if you have the funds and a production company" still is moving deck chairs vice talking about the idea behind the show and the premise of why oil is a strategic weakness to our economy. Oh I'm never gracious so don't hold your breath. If you feel belittled its from an exaggerated sense of your own importance, I really couldn't care less how you feel. The simile is valid, you veil your critique in a question while avoiding any original thought, enjoy the offense and I'll grab the umbrella for my leg.
75 posted on 06/07/2005 8:07:16 AM PDT by reluctantwarrior (Strength and Honor, just call me Buzzkill for short......)
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To: reluctantwarrior
Oh I'm never gracious so don't hold your breath.

You appear intent to question my posting of things other people posted, not me. So in addition to not being gracious you also don't seem to be too bright.

The simile is valid, you veil your critique in a question while avoiding any original thought, enjoy the offense and I'll grab the umbrella for my leg.

I'll state it once more in case you're just dense and not full blown stupid. I did not make any critique, I commented on a post someone made to another poster who made a critique. It appears that facts don't impact your world, if so don't bother to respond to this, I don't want to waste any more time with you one way or the other.

76 posted on 06/07/2005 9:46:18 AM PDT by highlander_UW (I don't know what my future holds, but I know Who holds my future)
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Comment #77 Removed by Moderator

To: infocats
Obviously you either didn't see it or didn't grasp the film's complexities for you to reach the conclusion that only four tankers saved the day

I saw it. Leftist wet dream trash.

78 posted on 06/07/2005 12:03:20 PM PDT by Dane ( anyone who believes hillary would do something to stop illegal immigration is believing gibberish)
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To: infocats

Why are you so sensitive about criticism of this claptrap?

Were you one of the "writers" ?


79 posted on 06/07/2005 12:08:11 PM PDT by Fenris6 (3 Purple Hearts in 4 months w/o missing a day of work? He's either John Rambo or a Fraud)
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To: Fenris6
Why are you so sensitive about criticism of this claptrap?

Were you one of the "writers" ?

No, I wasn't one of the writers...nor did I have any connection whatsoever with either the film's production, or FX T.V.

If I am a bit sensitive, it is only because I find it stunning that so many on this forum have either closed minds, have made up their mind before the fact, or just don't bother to think for themselves but are content to be party line puppets.

80 posted on 06/07/2005 12:47:04 PM PDT by infocats
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