Brazil, Cuba sign oil pact

UPI ^ | Jan 16th, 2008 | Carmen Gentile

[OldGuard1]

Brazil has signed a deal with Cuba to begin exploring its potentially oil-rich waters in the Gulf of Mexico in exchange for a multimillion-dollar aid program.

Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva met with acting Cuban leader Raul Castro Tuesday in Havana to ink the deal that would give Brazil's Petrobras access to Cuban waters, where it hopes to begin drilling in the next two years.

Joining Lula on his trip was Petrobras chief Jose Sergio Gabrielli. While Petrobras and Cuba already have a longstanding relationship, Tuesday's agreement marked the first time the Brazilian company would be granted access to the gulf area coveted by several nations, including China and India.

According to the U.S. Geological Survey, some 4.6 billion barrels of crude oil and 9.8 trillion cubic feet of natural gas may well be lurking below the ocean floor of the Northern Cuban basin. The reserves are said to possibly rival the estimated reserves in Alaska's Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.

[OldGuard1]

Not only do we have to deal with Russia, Iran, and Venezuela profitting from high oil prices, but now Cuba, too. All thanks to the leftists in Brazil.

[trublu]

If there is that much there, why don’t we drill a few miles away?

I already know the answer...

[1rudeboy]

Exactly. I wonder if one will be able to see the Brazilian oil platforms off the Florida coast?

[NormsRevenge]

I’m sure all the enviro groups will be out in the streets protesting this.. Right? RIGHT?

sad .. just sad what this country is now being subjected to by a foreign driven agenda and an at home cabal screwing this nation energy-wise in the name of save the Earth.. FoR what? our enemies?

[theDentist]

And our Congress won’t let us drill for it, and sorry, but US firms will be more careful for the environment than these other nations.

[xzins]

This isn’t about cuban leftists, but about American leftist, enviro-wackos who prevent the US from opening new oil fields in our offshore areas and in international offshore areas.

[VanShuyten]

Does anyone have a good map of the border between the US and Cuba? How is the 200 mile economic zone line drawn?

[mysterio]

So they're going to drill our oil but we can't. Neat.

Ditch oil. Energy independence now.

[1rudeboy]

That’s a good question. I wonder if a maritime chart would show it . . . a regular map probably would not.

[thackney]

Assessment of Undiscovered Oil and Gas Resources of the North Cuba Basin, Cuba, 2004
http://walrus.wr.usgs.gov/infobank/programs/html/factsheets/pdfs/2005_3009.pdf

[OldGuard1]

[sono]

Lula would rather ink a deal with an ailing Commandante than that with that fat wannabe in Caracas. Besides, the day of post-Castro Cuba approaches.

[Former MSM Viewer]

No, not thanks to the leftists in Brazil.

Thanks to our STUPID Congress for making the Gulf off limits to American oil companies...

So now we are going to allow foreign countries to come drill and take the oil we should be pumping for our own use...

Same as in ANWR
Same off California
Same off east coast
Same in Rocky Mountains

[OldGuard1]

You think Raul will be any better?
It’ll still be a Castro in Cuba.

[thackney]

Countries' EEZ
http://www.seaaroundus.org/eez/eez.aspx
Maps of countries’ exclusive economic zone (EEZ)

[dead]

[Former MSM Viewer]

Great map.

Do you happen to have a map of the entire Gulf of Mexico that shows the rigs, er, lack of rigs in the eastern Gulf?

Many rigs in western half, almost none in the eastern half.

[thackney]

[MNJohnnie]

Ditch oil. Energy independence now

If you want to get rid of oil, you should be advocating that we pump as fast as we can and burn as much as we can as fast as possible. As long as oil is out there relatively cheap, it effectiveness as an energy source is going to make it king of the fuel hill. Until we significantly use up the existing world oil reserves, Oil is going to be the Market's fuel of choice. All we are doing is relying on other countries to pump it and refine it. That is stupid. That Oil is going to get used on way or another. We should be the ones profiting from it.

[My Favorite Headache]

You can add Jeb Bush to that list as well. He is against GOMEX drilling as well.