Posted on 01/06/2008 4:01:44 PM PST by Graybeard58
An elderly caller to Dan Lavallo's program on WWCO-AM told a harrowing tale Wednesday about energy prices. The man keeps his home thermostat at 40 F during the day, raising it slightly at night to ensure the pipes don't freeze. He is trying to make 200 gallons of oil last the heating season.
His is the most dire story we've heard to date, but he is not alone in feeling the pinch. Heating oil was about $2.50 a gallon after Labor Day but climbed to $3.15 this week, and is expected to rise further when $100-a-barrel oil hits the market. A prolonged frigid spell, a disruption in world oil production or a refinery breakdown could send the price into orbit.
Meanwhile, offshore and beneath Alaska's north coast are tens of billions of barrels of crude just waiting to be tapped. The Arctic National Wildlife Refuge is said to have enough oil to meet 100 percent of domestic demand for 25 years, and the offshore fields could be richer still. Congress, however, has declared those areas off-limits.
Sensible Republicans on Capitol Hill have tried for more than a decade to open a few square miles of the 19.5 million-acre refuge for exploration and development.
Cheered on by Rep. Christopher Shays, R-4th District, then-Rep. Nancy Johnson, R-6th District, and the rest of the Connecticut's congressional delegation, Bill Clinton vetoed a bill in 1995 that would have opened ANWR to drillers. His justification? It would be of no immediate help because it would take 10 years for the oil to reach the market. Reps. Johnson and Shays were more concerned about winning environmental awards than securing their constituents' energy future.
Back then, crude fetched less than $20 a barrel; it's an inflation-adjusted 333 percent higher today. Suffice it to say, the elderly caller to Mr. Lavallo's program might benefit from a little ANWR oil today.
President Bush, the Democratic Congress and the Connecticut delegation are insane if they think energy independence will be achieved with 35-mpg vehicles, ethanol and compact fluorescent light bulbs. Alternative fuels are decades from replacing oil as the fuel that drives our economy, heats our homes and powers our autos. How high must the pile of frozen corpses be before they come to their senses?
Shivering consumers should raise holy hell with the delegation. Here are the numbers to call: Sen. Joseph Lieberman, (800) 225-5605 or (202) 224-4041; Rep. Christopher Murphy, aka Congressman Green, D-5th District: (203) 759-7541 or (202) 225-4476; Rep. John Larson, D-1st District: (860) 278-8888 or (202) 225-2265; Rep. Rosa DeLauro, D-3rd District: (203) 562-3718 or (202) 225-3661; Rep. Shays: (203) 579-5870 or (202) 225-5541.
Forget former Connecticut Sen. Christopher Dodd; he's been too busy running for president to help anyone back home.
Are people truly not understanding their natural gas, propane, electricity or oil usage? Do they run the furnace with the windows open? Do they turn on the oven to bake one batch of cookies...and don’t throw in a casserole or some potatoes to bake while they’re at it? Do they take 20 minute showers with the hot water blasting the entire time?
Well, in my experiences in South Korea... that’d be a yes.
Nearly all the South Koreans I work with and visit set their thermostats for around 28 degrees Celsius at home and at work (82 degrees Fahrenheit). I’ve seen them do this repeatedly... it’s easy to notice, as Korean A/C units have digital thermostats with big, glowing, red numbers.
Then, they’ll open enough windows, or the front door, to cool the place to a nice average temperature (probably around 68-72 degrees). In essence, leaving the heat on 24 hours a day.
And then they have the gall to complain about how it’s too cold at work/home. (as if they can’t actually close the door/window)
Same with cars. I constantly see cars parked in front of stores with the engine running.
I don’t understand why they do it, but somehow - to them - it makes perfect sense.
But then, they believe in the dreaded ‘fan death’. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fan_death)
BTW,... Our grandparents rationed fuel to do what they needed to do. Can we not measure up to that? How high will oil prices be, after several more enemy nations have nuclear weapons and the ability to reach western Europe with them?
S. Korea, U.S. verifying reports on test of new N.K. missile in Iran: source
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1834307/posts
(4,000 kilometer range—May 16th, 2007)
Iran produces nuclear fuel pellets [for heavy water reactor]
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1930458/posts
Alaska’s oil consumption is somewhat high per capita due to cruise ships and international airfreight, but it isn’t anywhere near equal the entire USA.
USA is still one of the big three oil producers. Increasing domestic production would, believe it or not, make no difference whatsoever in the price of oil, which is back down to $95 today without ANWR.
It’s not my number but that of a professional oil trade journal column filler. Somebody (with a rusted out Singer in his garden) once remarked that oil wealth is a gift of nature and politics and I suspect the price is determined mostly by politics.
That makes no sense whatsoever.
Exxon/Mobile makes .09 cents per gallon profit. They Drill for it, transport it, refine it, truck it to the neighborhood, and use to put it in your tank.
U.S./State Governments .42-.46 cents per gallon profit.
They......................Do Nothing for its profit.
The evil enemy...Why Exxon of course!
When the Greens are willing to open up Alaska, and build nuclear power plants then I will believe they are serious about an actual solution to the problem.
Various rumors in various places seem to put the price/bbl to make extraction profitable anywhere from $30 - $60...
So far, I've not seen much progress on them.
My take is that the oil companies got so burned by when oil fell to $10/bbl under Clinton that they are dragging their feet...plus opposition from Sierra Club types and libs.
As far as "pipe dream", 16 of the most 20 polluted cities in the world are in China: they are doing all the polluting which is illegal or too costly in the US.
That's what I had meant by "not in my backyard" writ nationally.
One last -- if the Americas really are the world suppliers of crude, how come Dubai has so much money? And why do oil futures shoot up every time there is tension in Nigeria or the Middle East?
Not a cheap shot, that -- if there is a cogent reason, I'd love to hear it.
Cheers!
Alberta Oil Sands have been in continuous commercial oil production for 4 decades. There are currently about $150 Billion dollars being invested in new projects and expansions.
Inventory of Major Alberta Projects
http://www.alberta-canada.com/statpub/albertaConstructionProjects/mpindex.cfm
Scroll down, select "Oilsands" and click "Submit"
Oil Sands History
http://www.syncrude.ca/users/folder.asp?FolderID=5657
Suncor oil sands operating costs averaged $21.70 per barrel during 2006 compared to $24.55 per barrel in 2005.
Suncor Energy 2006 Annual Report
http://www.suncor.com/data/1/rec_docs/1264_Suncor%202006%20Annual%20Report-bookmarked.pdf
See page 20.
I appreciate the links!
Cheers!
I heard an economist, who I have reason to believe, state that the reason oil is so high is because the U.S.Treasury is printing so much money to cover debts. Makes sense to me. He stated that the bubble is growing and could burst at any time. I wish I had a link to his interview but I don’t.
Who’s to blame?
Politicians demonizing the oil industry and pandering to extremist environmentalists.
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