<![CDATA[Grist - Comment Feed for Opening ANWR cuts gas prices $0.02 in 2025]]> Grist Comment Feed en Comment #1 by Sam Wells http://www.grist.org/article/your-two-cents/ Thu, 05 Jun 2008 05:34:15 -0700 http://www.grist.org/article/your-two-cents/1 Yes but ...

I happen to know what the game's about and price isn't a consideration. Most of the refinery capacity is located along the Gulf in Louisiana and Texas, since they are closes to the seaports and large petroleum fields.

However, crude, gasoline, and diesel simple can't be piped over the Continental Divide, so the West Coast relies on crude from Alaska, Canada, and Mexico. And guess what? Alaska is running out of crude. Western Mexico is running our of crude. California is shutting down most crude production.

So to heck with the money argument, Alaskan crude stays on the West Coast and we're playing a game of catch-up at best. How many people live between San Diego and San Fransisco? We're talking about a major calamity here.

So as Brazil, Cuba, and some very large Gulf offshore platforms come online, the West Coast will have to get tanker shipments through the Panama Canal - which is already happening. There is a reason why the Panama Canal is being widened and deepened ... few Big Oil companies want to drill in the ANWR ... are you starting to see the light here people?  -sammie

Onward through the fog

]]> Yes but ...

I happen to know what the game's about and price isn't a consideration. Most of the refinery capacity is located along the Gulf in Louisiana and Texas, since they are closes to the seaports and large petroleum fields.

However, crude, gasoline, and diesel simple can't be piped over the Continental Divide, so the West Coast relies on crude from Alaska, Canada, and Mexico. And guess what? Alaska is running out of crude. Western Mexico is running our of crude. California is shutting down most crude production.

So to heck with the money argument, Alaskan crude stays on the West Coast and we're playing a game of catch-up at best. How many people live between San Diego and San Fransisco? We're talking about a major calamity here.

So as Brazil, Cuba, and some very large Gulf offshore platforms come online, the West Coast will have to get tanker shipments through the Panama Canal - which is already happening. There is a reason why the Panama Canal is being widened and deepened ... few Big Oil companies want to drill in the ANWR ... are you starting to see the light here people?  -sammie

Onward through the fog

]]> Comment #2 by Tasermons Partner http://www.grist.org/article/your-two-cents/ Thu, 05 Jun 2008 07:17:40 -0700 http://www.grist.org/article/your-two-cents/2 Oil prices in America...

...are not determined by American supply and demand, they are determined by world-wide supply in demand.

Even if we did have enough to meet our needs 100% domestically, it wouldn't amtetr so long as the rest of the world was still facing a shortage.

Our oil prices would still go up, because it's an internationally-traded commodity.

The sooner these "energy security" guys realize this, the better.

]]> Oil prices in America...

...are not determined by American supply and demand, they are determined by world-wide supply in demand.

Even if we did have enough to meet our needs 100% domestically, it wouldn't amtetr so long as the rest of the world was still facing a shortage.

Our oil prices would still go up, because it's an internationally-traded commodity.

The sooner these "energy security" guys realize this, the better.

]]> Comment #3 by caniscandida http://www.grist.org/article/your-two-cents/ Thu, 05 Jun 2008 07:44:54 -0700 http://www.grist.org/article/your-two-cents/3 Alaska and the oil industry

By the way, the latest cover story of Newsweek magazine (and yes, there is a polar bear on the cover) is about the politics of listing animals and plants on the ESA lists of "endangered" and "threatened" species, through the lens of the listing of the polar bear, and how that may or may not affect US GW-mitigation policy:

http://www.newsweek.com/id/139537.

There is not all that much there, in fact, that has not been presented already in Grist and Gristmill; but it is a good survey, with good details about some selected endangered animals, and with a straightforward charge against Republican-leaning pro-business interests tending to obstruct both the intended purpose of the Endangered Species Act and Americans' generally favorable regard for it.  Regarding Alaska, and the resolve of many misguided people up there to do what they can to keep the oil gushing and flowing, there is of course a reference to Governor Sarah Palin's anti-polar-bear maneuvers.

There is also a nice essay by Newsweek's excellent science writer Sharon Begley, on how the charismatic mammals have much less of a contributing role in the health of the Earth's biodiversity than the less charismatic, more obscure and regularly overlooked invertebrates.

Chickens deserve our true friendship! So do fish! So do other sentient beings! Let us learn to be kind.

]]> Alaska and the oil industry

By the way, the latest cover story of Newsweek magazine (and yes, there is a polar bear on the cover) is about the politics of listing animals and plants on the ESA lists of "endangered" and "threatened" species, through the lens of the listing of the polar bear, and how that may or may not affect US GW-mitigation policy:

http://www.newsweek.com/id/139537.

There is not all that much there, in fact, that has not been presented already in Grist and Gristmill; but it is a good survey, with good details about some selected endangered animals, and with a straightforward charge against Republican-leaning pro-business interests tending to obstruct both the intended purpose of the Endangered Species Act and Americans' generally favorable regard for it.  Regarding Alaska, and the resolve of many misguided people up there to do what they can to keep the oil gushing and flowing, there is of course a reference to Governor Sarah Palin's anti-polar-bear maneuvers.

There is also a nice essay by Newsweek's excellent science writer Sharon Begley, on how the charismatic mammals have much less of a contributing role in the health of the Earth's biodiversity than the less charismatic, more obscure and regularly overlooked invertebrates.

Chickens deserve our true friendship! So do fish! So do other sentient beings! Let us learn to be kind.

]]> Comment #4 by bigTom http://www.grist.org/article/your-two-cents/ Fri, 06 Jun 2008 05:00:02 -0700 http://www.grist.org/article/your-two-cents/4 High priced financial resource.

  The real pro-ANWR argument, is the $1T plus value of the resource. If we can capture a significant part of that for alternative energy and conservation, a lot of progress could be made. I say we should put ANWR on the table, but with a high pro-environmental pricetag attached. If we stonewall this issue too long, once we get onto the backside of peakoil, economic desperation will have a significant effect on the political climate. I would hate to see policy determined in a panic, as legislators seek to mollify mobs of angry anti-environmental low information voters. The beginning of an Obama administration would probably be the optimal time to play the ANWR card.

]]> High priced financial resource.

  The real pro-ANWR argument, is the $1T plus value of the resource. If we can capture a significant part of that for alternative energy and conservation, a lot of progress could be made. I say we should put ANWR on the table, but with a high pro-environmental pricetag attached. If we stonewall this issue too long, once we get onto the backside of peakoil, economic desperation will have a significant effect on the political climate. I would hate to see policy determined in a panic, as legislators seek to mollify mobs of angry anti-environmental low information voters. The beginning of an Obama administration would probably be the optimal time to play the ANWR card.

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