(The adage to build it and they will come does not apply here!!! ) THE OIL INDUSTRY DOES ALL INVESTMENT NECESSARY TO CREATE THIS ENERGY. THE GOVERNMENT DOES NOTHING BUT COLLECT LEASES AND TAX SO WHAT IS WRONG WITH THIS PICTURE? DESTRUCTION OF AN INDUSTRY AND THIS COUNTRY AS PREFERRED BY THIS ADMINISTRATION.
Alaska Natural Gas Pipeline Proposal - The Gas pipeline to bring trillions of cubic feet of gas to the Lower 48 either via Canada to Chicago or via a Valdez and LNG tankers is still in debate. “Open Season” bidding on line capacity has taken place and it is up to the two competing sides BP/Conoco and Exxon/TransCanada to get together in order for the project to proceed. Currently Conoco is reassessing its involvement in the project. Congress and the President strongly support the Gas line, however the Administration, the President and many members of Congress have strong opposition to opening access to Arctic gas reserves needed to supply the line. NPR-A, ANWR, OCS areas are all needed to supply the gas needed to make the gas line an economic viability.
The previous administration had opened up OCS areas on both coasts for leasing after a 25 year national ban expired in September 2008. The Minerals Management Service within the Dept. of Interior oversees all OCS activity nationwide. The MMS’s current Alaska OCS 5 year plan has been temporarily put on hold recently by a DC Appeals court decision asking MMS to submit open water and near shore environmental impact statements on leasing proposals. Once the MMS does so and given Secretary Salazar’s support Alaskan OCS can continue to be leased. At stake are over 27 billion barrels in reserves in the Chuck-chi and Beaufort Seas in Arctic Alaska. Both areas have current leases in effect under previous MMS 5 year plans. Both areas are expected to secure the existence of the Trans-Alaska Pipeline System (TAPS) well into the future which is currently 1/3rd full and which, by law, must be disassembled once it is technically inoperable due to low volumes. The on-shore Prudhoe Bay oil field adjacent to ANWR on the North Slope of Alaska has been in production decline for over a decade and needs to be augmented from satellite “marginal” fields to keep the pumps in the TAPS running. Yet still this is proving not enough and the TAPS throughput declines annually.
Secretary of Interior Ken Salazar said he is in no hurry to deal with Alaska Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) leasing issues. The statement was made to Alaska Gov. Sean Parnell during a meeting to discuss Alaska resource development. Salazar put on hold all leasing plans for Alaska’s OCS early this year when he rejected the previous administration's plans and extended the comment period on the permitting process of Pacific and Atlantic OCS activity.
For Alaskans in favor of oil and gas exploration it is ironic that a nation importing 60% of its oil has a policy against the production of the very same natural resources in an area where it is strongly supported by a majority of the people. Add to that the irony of the decision by the Administration to allow $10 billion to be leant through the Inter-American Bank for the development of oil and gas fields by the Brazilian Petrobas national oil company in the Brazilian OCS.
THE SECRETARY OF NO ENERGY ON HIS WATCH: Ken Salazar
http://www.anwr.org/Headlines/Salazar-To-Wait-on-OCS-Alaska-%E2%80%93-Decision-Deadline-May-Be-Meaningless.php
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