[SampleMan]

The main problem with oil shale is finding an inexpensive way to recover it. Oil prices rising is one of the unfortunate ways of making it cost-effective.

Exactly! We use middle-east oil because it is cheap to produce. It is under pressure and doesn't even require pumping, just open the spigot. When it is depleted, we will then use our reserves, which will be far more cost efficient at $100 a barrel.

[thackney]

We use middle-east oil because it is cheap to produce. It is under pressure and doesn't even require pumping, just open the spigot.

Much of the Alaskan North Slope is this way.

When it is depleted, we will then use our reserves, which will be far more cost efficient at $100 a barrel.

If the claim of 10 year to begin production is true, continued waiting will keep our oil in the ground until a cheaper alternative to oil is produced. But still many here want to keep sending the oil royality payments to other governments instead of our own.