[KC Burke]

We have known of the oil shale desposits for decades. I the oil spike in the 70s they attempted to develope it and found the costs didn't pay until oil was very high. As I recall it was $60 per barrell in 78 prices. We may be getting high enough to dig it out and then smelt it down to crude, but it will take about three years to build the first plant to take the shale and make crude and a whopping big private investor.

Do you have a spare two billion laying around for a highly speculative venture that will pay zero if oil stays under $80?

[ABG(anybody but Gore)]

I personally don't have a spare $2 billion laying around, but you give Exxon or Shell some tax incentives to develop it, they'll be there tomorrow.