I agree completely. What happend does not affect our getting crude oil at this time. There is no reason to tap untapped land for this. Maybe in the near future our supply from the middle east will be threatened, but until then, save it til we need it.

 

 

First off... I am by no means an eco-*****, but I think we would be STUPID to tap into Alaska large oil fuild. It is under on of the last true great wildernesses and houses thousands of animals seldom found elsewhere. We have to draw a line somewhere, and unless the U.S. is in dire need at some point in the future, this land should remain closed to all comercial business of this kind. Even when/if the time comes that we need to tap into this feild we need to do it w/ extreme caution and w/ horizontal drilling methods now used for off shore drilling, so that we in no way have to enter this area and can keep it as pristine as possible. Alaska is different than most state, especially this portion of it, cause it isn't trampled by people on a daily basis and we need to keep it that way.
I think there is enough land in the U.S. that we can have some land left for perfection, some for non-motorized recreation, some for motorized recreation, and some for all the above. Now we just have to find someone w/ the intelligence to divide it up correctly. Lord knows I ain't the person for that job.

 

First of all, if you live in Canada, how is any of the oil in the Alaskan wilderness yours? Regardless, since we do depend on OPEC for a large portion of our oil consumption, they can creat artificial shortages by reducing their production. We see this as an increase in prices at the pump as there is more demand based on the available supply. There is not, nore has there ever been a true shortage of crude oil. OPEC flexes its muscles and our own domestic oil prices respond. Europe is much worse off as they do not produce even a fraction of the oil they use, therefore, their prices are substantially higher.
If we were to tap into the vast amout of crude we have off-shore, in Alaska, and elsewhere, we would not have to use it or pump it at all. It would give us the ecenomic muscle to offset OPEC price fixing. They reduce production, we increase production. Eventually, they would have to give in and return to selling oil at reasonable prices. You see, their entire economy and wealth is directly related to their oil exporting industry. Most of the time, our own companies are operating their wells for them. So if they do not sel oil, they do not get to eat. Our economy, on the other hand, is diverse and quite a bit better ballanced. We import and export a wide variety of goods and products.
Now, since the parties responsible for the terror acts directed against civilians are not large oil producing nations, oil prices will not be affected by a limited supply. Rather we will pay at the pump a little more because the world's leading economic power has taken a horrendous loss. This will affect the market and as we all know, crude oil has gone up in price, but not a whole lot. It would have been worse, but the market was already struggling a little bit, so the fall off was not as sharp as it might have been. I think that with the world wide support we are recieving and the support of our government (in the right places) will turn the market around quickly.
As far as the enviro-****'s go, you are either with them, or against them. There is no compromise with these people. These are the people that are closing our dunes, causing 2-stroke motors to go away, and little by little closing off public lands all based on lies. The oil industry has come a long way, as has the timber and mining industries. They are putting time and research into making extracting resources less impacting on the environment. In fact, the timber industry plants more trees than they harvest. Advances in drilling make environmental impact almost negligable, and whatever dammage they do is easily repaired. We do not give the Earth credit for its ability to repiar and replenish. Once the well is drilled and set to pump, you can have the forest grow right up to the platform. If they weren't maintained, the underbrush would grow until the works wouldn't even be visible from the air.
I say, tread lightly, stay on the established trails, and pack out your trash while having a good time.

 

I agree w/ all that you said in your last post ridzhard, BUT I don't feel that the Alaskan wilderness is an area that we should not mess w/. All it would take is one accident (and we know these happen) and the whole area is screwed. I am by all means against eco-*****, but I don't think this is even an eco-***** thing. True they are fighting this, as am I, but not for the same reasons or w/ the same intent.
Our country does not need this oil at this point, and it would not help our pricing much, so leave it be!!! There isn't enough to gain, and we still have other places to get oil from, so why risk it?!?!?