"Peter Robertson, vice chairman of Chevron, told me it's a myth that oil companies are not investing in new energy sources. He says last year alone, Chevron spent $20 billion exploring new sources of energy.
Robertson said President Bush's trip this week to Saudi Arabia is "highly embarrassing" because he is "calling on the Saudis to produce more oil when we are not doing it ourselves." The last refinery built in America was in 1976. Tighter government regulations are the main reason. That's how unserious we are about our energy "crisis."
http://townhall.com/Columnists/CalThomas/2008/05/13/in_defense_of_big_oil
In Defense of 'Big Oil'
Discussion in 'Political Debate & Discussion' started by Ps104_33, May 13, 2008.
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"Robertson said there would be plenty of oil available to the United States if the oil companies were allowed to get it: "Eighty-five percent of offshore oil is off-limits." Responding to objections to offshore drilling by environmentalists and their allies in Congress, Robertson noted that some of the strongest pro-environment nations in Europe - he mentions Denmark, Norway, the United Kingdom - lease offshore locations for oil exploration. The technology has become so good, he said, that during Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, "one thousand offshore wells were destroyed (in the Gulf of Mexico), but not one leaked." Australia, he said, has allowed offshore drilling for 40 years without any environmental damage."
http://townhall.com/Columnists/CalThomas/2008/05/13/in_defense_of_big_oil -
"In addition to the sinking value of the dollar, here is the main problem: According to the Department of Energy, U.S. oil production has fallen approximately 40 percent since 1985, while the consumption of oil has grown by more than 30 percent."
http://townhall.com/Columnists/CalThomas/2008/05/13/in_defense_of_big_oil -
"The specter of a president of the United States going hat-in-hand to Saudi Arabia to plead for more (and more expensive) oil from the dictatorship that underwrites an extreme form of Islam that is out to kill us is obscene. President Bush ought to be rallying Americans, not embracing people who don't allow women to drive cars."
http://townhall.com/Columnists/CalThomas/2008/05/13/in_defense_of_big_oil -
We have oil, in places we aren't allowed to drill for it. Like Alaska. If we pumped our own oil, and had significant amount of it, gas prices would fall drastically, because we'd be able to supply for ourselves what we need.
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The liberals always make the claim that it would take ten years for the oil to get from the well to the pumps. But all we would have to do is start the process and the price would come down. The Arabs would be shaking in the diamond-encrusted Mercedes.
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I see.
From the well to my car, 10 yrs. It doesn't take that long to process (or whatever the correct word is) crude into gas. Does it? I would doubt it. -
Let's burn up the Arab oil first and save ours.
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I would imagine that one reason big oil has not built any new refineries is because they want gasoline expensive. Also, they could build refineries if they were willing to make a little less profit on the products. :tonofbricks:
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Also, there is very little profit at the pump. In a good month a gasoline station will net $0.10/gal. profit. And there aren't very many of those kinds of months during a calendar year. Now, the credit card companies are making a lot of money at the pump each and every month.
The big profits are made upstream at the wellhead as I showed a couple of weeks ago in another thread. -
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Having worked 30 years for an oil company come this June 1, plus three summers laying flow lines, painting "Christmas trees", etc., plus my dad working for an oil company for 34 years(he was a farmer before that), I hope I can speak with some credibility on the subject of the oil industry. :)
And I don't take kindly to folks unfairly and inaccurately criticizing the oil industry. His criticism of the oil industry after he took office is what led to my split from support of President Jimmy Carter. -
I believe that's what seperates you. On this issue, insted of regurgitating the party talking points like some do, you actually speak out of thoughtful analysis and experience. I try to bring the same things to bear where I have such. May your tribe increase.
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Our refining capacity is "set up" for the numbers (and the standards) set in 1970's....much more requirements today, lots more people, and lots more vehicles. And we as a country are too stupid to understand supply/demand.
I say drill today, build refineries today....it won't help this year, but it will send a message to the Saudi terrorists, and it will make us independent of their whims in a few years. -
Crabtownboy Well-Known MemberSite Supporter
It would help if people ditched their gas guzzling SUVs, Hummers, etc. and bought smaller high mph vehicles. -
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Bro. Curtis <img src =/curtis.gif>Site Supporter
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Crabtownboy Well-Known MemberSite Supporter
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Bro. Curtis <img src =/curtis.gif>Site Supporter
Slow has nothing to do with it. You can hit a deer at 25mph and die in an accordion.
Smaller cars = more deaths. No thanx. Let's drill our own oil, cuz there's plenty of it, and let's stop telling others what to drive. -
Crabtownboy Well-Known MemberSite Supporter
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