Oil Production and Discoveryinquiry Paper Aper Type Text Type Text
OIl Production and DiscoveryInquiry Paper aper [Type text] [Type text]
PRO's
"While some of the increase in gas prices comes from growing demand, the demand pressures on price can and should be offset by increasing domestic supplies. Yet the Obama administration's ideological refusal to expand American energy production continues to block the development of resources which could lower prices dramatically...
Most Americans have no idea that the United States is sitting on enough technically recoverable oil to power us at current rates of consumption for over 250 years. We are estimated to have 1.4 trillion barrels of oil—or 1.7 trillion, adding in the resources of Canada and Mexico...
Without opening up more areas to drilling, we have no way of knowing how many more Bakken-sized discoveries are waiting for us... Increasing oil supplies will lower fuel prices significantly. And the biggest thing standing in the way is government obstruction."
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"Regardless of what happens in the Middle East, the price of oil is set to go much higher, not because we are running out of the stuff, but because we are not looking hard enough for new sources or exploiting the sources we have...
Unless we start drilling immediately, in a few years we will look back at $100-a-barrel oil as a fond memory. Surging demand in emerging nations, a ravenous China, and the needs of hopefully growing U.S. and European economies will soon outstrip supplies. Once that happens for a prolonged period, the price of oil will not stop south of $200...
We have plenty of energy here at home, and we can produce it responsibly…”
CON's
"The simple truth is that we cannot drill our way to energy independence or lower gas prices. The US uses roughly 25% of the world's oil, 7.5bn barrels per year, but we have only 2-3% of the world's proven petroleum reserves. Offshore drilling today provides roughly 1% of the oil we use in the United States...
If we take bold action in energy efficiency, public transportation, advanced vehicle technologies, solar, wind, biomass, and geothermal, we can transform our energy system, clean up our environment, and create millions of new jobs in the process. This direction, and not more offshore drilling, is where we have got to go."
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“The fact is that the Nation simply cannot drill its way to lower prices at the pump. Other options, from greater energy efficiencies to the development of alternative fuels, are essential to reducing dependency on petroleum fuels and lowering fuel costs…
Since the 1990s, the federal government has consistently encouraged the development of its oil and gas resources and the amount of drilling on federal lands has steadily increased during this time. The number of drilling permits has exploded in recent years, going from 3,802 five years ago to 7,561 in 2007.
Between 1999 and 2007, the number of drilling permits issued for development of public lands increased by more than 361%, yet gasoline prices have also risen dramatically contradicting the argument that more drilling means lower gasoline prices. There is simply no correlation between the two.”
Respond to the above statements
1) Your response should reflect your beliefs on the issue of oil drilling and production in the USA.
2) Analyze the remarks and facts stated in the responses from the pros and cons.
3) Are there conflicting statements made by the two sides and who do you believe and why.
4) I am looking for at least a page of response.
5) Be complete. Use facts as listed in the articles.
6) Issues to respond to:
Is drilling going to reduce prices in the US?
Does the US have sufficient reserves in the ground to make us independent?
How do you feel about drilling on US soil or drilling off-shore?
d-Will we actually create millions of jobs if we drill for oil?
If we found enough oil in the ground to make the US independent would US oil companies reduce the price of gas at the pumps?