Interior Department to Open Alaska Wetlands to Oil Drilling

Fox news ^ | Wednesday, August 16, 2006 | staff

[saganite]

WASHINGTON — The Interior Department is set to open a vast area of environmentally sensitive wetlands in Alaska to new oil drilling, even as opponents point to corroding pipelines to the east at Prudhoe Bay as a reason to keep the area off-limits.

The tens of thousands of acres in and around Lake Teshekpuk on Alaska's North Slope are part of the oil-rich Barrow Arch that also includes the Prudhoe Bay fields that have kept oil flowing for decades.

The lease sale, opposed by environmentalists and some members of Congress, comes as federal regulators and a House committee investigate inspection and maintenance programs of BP-Alaska where widespread pipeline corrosion forced the partial shutdown of Prudhoe Bay oil production Aug. 6.

Government geologists believe at least 2 billion barrels of oil and huge amounts of natural gas lie beneath the coastal lagoons, river deltas and sedge grass meadows — an area also where caribou give birth to their calves and thousands of geese migrate each summer to molt.

Within days, the Interior Department will open tracts in the lake area for leasing, with the winning bids to be announced in late September.

The lake and its surrounding wetlands are within the federal National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska (NPRA), a vast area of 22 million acres set aside in 1923 by the federal government for its oil and gas resources.

Unlike the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge farther to the east, the NPRA is acknowledged by all sides to be an area for energy development. But environmentalists argue that parts of it — especially the region around Lake Teshekpuk — should be excluded from the lease sales.

[diamond6]

Yay!!!!

[SaxxonWoods]

IBTFSR

In before the first smart remark?

[LibLieSlayer]

Bush's fault! ;-)

LLS

[girlangler]

An enthusiastic PING

[nmh]

It's about time!

[DocRock]

'Bout time Bump

[Publius6961]

...even as opponents point to corroding pipelines to the east at Prudhoe Bay as a reason to keep the area off-limits.

Hilarious!
The Bugs and Bunny crowd is really concerned about corrosion, and the cost that the big nasty oil companies may have to pay to keep the pipeline in good repair...

Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!

Really big of them.

What do they think of the hundreds (thousands?) of elk and other wildlife which gathers around the pipeline because they like it there?

[SaxxonWoods]

That's-better-bump.

[SauronOfMordor]

What do they think of the hundreds (thousands?) of elk and other wildlife which gathers around the pipeline because they like it there?

And the reason why the elk like it, and the reason why the elk population is growing, is that the oil pipeline has to be heated in order to allow oil to flow. Which can be real nice in an Alaskan winter

[Publius6961]

WASHINGTON — The Interior Department is set to open a vast area of environmentally sensitive wetlands in Alaska to new oil drilling,

A throwaway, meaningless phrase, calculated to make the ignorant feel guilty for not knowing what makes it "sensitive" and what the possible results of opening this "sensitive" (to what?) wetlands (mosquito infested swamps, devoid of every other living thing) will do that is irreparable, or even important in any way to anyone other than the perpetually sensitive and angry?

[bboop]

About time! I don't understand why this wasn't debated to death (and stopped) by the Senate??? Ah well, a breath of sanity.

[SunkenCiv]

Government geologists believe at least 2 billion barrels of oil and huge amounts of natural gas lie beneath the coastal lagoons, river deltas and sedge grass meadows — an area also where caribou give birth to their calves and thousands of geese migrate each summer to molt.

Lions don't molt! No, but penguins do! There! I run rings around you logically!

[somniferum]

I know. This will benefit America's security, economy, and in the long run, actually help solve the problem of high energy prices.

Where's the Democratic filibuster? ;)

[CertainInalienableRights]

Unlike the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge farther to the east, the NPRA is acknowledged by all sides to be an area for energy development. But environmentalists argue that parts of it — especially the region around Lake Teshekpuk — should be excluded from the lease sales

Lets trade the Enviro-Wackos equivalent (based on percentage) parts of the ANWR for drilling in return for the parts of the NPRA they want to protect. Everybody will be happy.

[proud_yank]

Thanks! An even more enthusiastic AWESOME!! This should definitely encourage more hiring.

[tobyhill]

This one find should eliminate the need for Saudi, Venezuela and Nigerian oil for a couple years. They don't appreciate our generosity anyway.

[ARealMothersSonForever]

And the reason why the elk like it, and the reason why the elk population is growing, is that the oil pipeline has to be heated in order to allow oil to flow.

Whoo, boy. Uhh, the oil comes out of the ground rather hot. The large dissipating fins do not heat the pipeline. The reason the pipes are elevated is so that they do not disappear into mud. Them pipes aint heated by anything except the oil flowing through. Funny thing is, static electricity gets generated as well.

[upchuck]

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1684819/posts <- same story, not excerpted.

[RightWhale]

coastal lagoons, river deltas and sedge grass meadows

As if this resembles the coast along the Gulf of Mexico. Aside from partially being designated Wildlife Refuges and having oil/gas there is little in common.