Posted on 09/08/2013 9:14:38 AM PDT by Former Fetus
Far below the surface of the promised land, a hidden treasure lies. If it can be carefully liberated from the geological layer in which it is caught, it promises nothing less than to transform Israel’s economy. It is called oil shale. And, along with Jordan, Israel just so happens to sit upon the world’s second largest deposits of the stuff.
Oil shale deposits are overwhelmingly located outside conventional oil-rich areas such as the Middle East and North Africa. So if safe, economic processes for extracting this alternative oil resource can be put into effect, dependence on the energy-exporting Middle East could gradually decline, in a dramatic transformation of the global economy, with Israel as a prime beneficiary.
If.
Advocates say oil shale is an Israeli resource whose time has come, and are adamant that it can be realized without negative environmental consequences. But critics cite fears of underground fires, contaminants seeping into air and water, even seismic rifts.
With a few exceptions, the battle over oil shale is being fought away from the headlines. It will come to a head in the Jerusalem Regional Planning Authority, a body headed by an Interior Ministry bureaucrat, which in the next few months will decide whether to authorize a pilot project to extract shale oil in the Elah Valley, south of Beit Shemesh.
The stakes in the standoff — between those who believe that oil shale is a remarkable asset that has become technologically, commercially and environmentally viable, and those who argue that seeking to extract it could be catastrophic — are enormous. Tens of billions of dollars are involved. And at the heart of the struggle, with investors facing off against environmentalists, and government ministries facing off against each other, stands an alternative oil man with an unforgettable name: Harold Vinegar.
(Excerpt) Read more at timesofisrael.com ...
Answer: Time to annex Judea and Samaria
It might take the wisdom of David’s son, Solomon, to determine whose argument should triumph. We have the Jerusalem Regional Planning Authority.
:-(
Israel has the largest deposit of natural gas on earth. Crude oil is on its way.
Critics fear underground fires? What kind of nonsense is that?
As an aside, "stands an alternative oil man with an unforgettable name: Harold Vinegar." is somewhat funny in that Heinz white vinegar is made from 190proof alcohol made from corn, and the envirowackos just love to turn food into less efficient energy, and drive up the price of both energy, food, and taxes in the process.
I can't quite fathom Israel having the largest deposit of NG. Perhaps there's some qualification of it's purity? Not all NG out of the ground is equal, BTU per cubic foot, that is, not to mention other gases, some that are quite useful, like helium.
The geopolitical ramifications are huge as well.
Why in G_d's name would Europe buy NG from Russia/Syria/Iran and why would we go to War over their Friggen Pipeline(s) when they could buy from sane merchants i.e. Israel.
Europe is more Dysfunctional than I ever imagined...
I am not trying to be blasphemous here, but is the big guy upstairs the ultimate cosmic comedian or what? Israel has more resources than their envious Muslim neighbors and the brilliant minds of "the chosen people" like Mr Vinegar has got to eat at them even more given if not for the likes of him and our technology, Israel's neighbors would still be roaming the desert. And to think at 1st they were ok with the UN in some ways giving the land to the Israeli's because their was nothing under it and now their envy is even worse because it will probably outshine the crazies that want to destroy Israel...
Israel may have, though I doubt it, the world’s largest or second largest single shale oil or gas field. Given the size of the country, there is no way it has “the world’s second largest deposits of the stuff.”
That would be US or (possibly) Russia. Most of the world hasn’t really been explored for shale gas and oil.
Oil, NG, whatever.
And more was found further south. Am Israel Chai!
You can argue about ranking, but the fact remains that Israel possesses more than enough to not only be energy independent, but a major exporter of energy.
The arguments for the anti-crowd to shale oil truly defy logic. Fact, the world needs energy therefore the world will get it. Fact, Western nations are absolutely the cleanest when it comes to producing energy. Fact, if anyone is going to drill, it should be a Western nation because they are the only ones with environmental standards in place. Fact, wealthy nations and energy companies invest in the environment - OPEC nations and 3rd world countries don’t.
I can’t find much logic in Western environmentalist. They don’t want us to do anything other than failed ideas (wind turbines) that don’t work well and have a huge environmental footprint and kill birds. The environmental lobby is fond of pointing out the big companies and wealthy people that benefit the most, yet they ignore the companies, lawyers, and wealthy people who benefit from their policy of “no.”
Israel is not stupid. They will develop this technology and reap the benefits. America should not be stupid and develop it’s own resources to be energy independent.
Maybe God had a plan in mind. Look at the countries surrounding Israel that have abundant oil, and compare them with the Jewish state. Not much of a comparison. All that oil wealth has made the Arab nations lazy.
The US could REALLY be energy dependent if it figures out how to take advantage of the current ‘Regime and it’s 0’care. This apparently is the World’s largest deposits of Snake Oil, and we could be the World’s leader supplying Snake Oil, since compared to the rest of the world, we seem to have the MOSTEST, and they have the LEASTEST.
They are talking about oil shale which is different from shale oil.
We have shale oil in the Bakken formation and are producing lots of it.
We have oil shale in the Green River formation and none of it is being produced.
Let me reword it: both Israel and Jordan have large deposits of oil shale (from which shale oil is obtained). My point is, does the West Bank have oil shale? Most likely. Which brings about the next point: “annex Judea and Samaria NOW”.
Leviathan is estimated at 24 trillion cubic feet.
http://www.globes.co.il/serveen/globes/docview.asp?did=1000840788
The Marcellus shale, for comparison, is estimated at 141 trillion cubic feet of gas.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.