9 Jul
2001
9 Jul
'01
3:22 a.m.
Joe,
joe wrote:
Didn't I essentially say the same thing? I don't think the oil
"crisis"
has anything to do with the electricity "crisis". Our (US) electrical
grid/system hasn't been upgraded to keep pace with demand and maybe not
even kept current (no pun intended :-) I did hear that more power
stations are being built more than ever before, However. I guess
someone thought it was a good idea to build a few :-)
What I have always heard, was that our oil, "Texas oil" wasn't the same
quality as oil from the middle east, and that Alaskan oil was much
closer in quality to oil from the middle east. I know our oil isn't all
in Texas and Alaska, but those are the two big name places everyone in
the US thinks of.
How is drilling new wells, with fancy new technology cheaper than using
existing wells with existing technology, i.e. wells and technology that
are paid for and proven already?
Don't quite a few cars get mileage in the 30's already? I drive a
truck, so I am not as familiar with car gas mileage anymore.
Well my point wasn't really the engineering, that was a bonus :-)
I don't buy the whole population problem deal either, but lets save that
one for later :-)
Chad Fernandez
Michigan, USA
Sorry for continuing this thread but I couldn't let this one pass!
Wow, I don't' usually get that kind of response :-)
I think you need to do your home work. The oil
companies have been
shutting down refineries. They've shutdown almost 30% of the refineries in
this country in the last ten years.
Why? Even if they import the oil, they still have to refine it?
They may need to build more. or rebuild burned
ones. The
electricity problems comes from growing and growing use, without
appropriate updates on the power system.
That's very true but the problems with the electrical power industry
are due to a shortage of generating stations (particularly in California)
and has NOTHING to do with oil refinery capacity or any supposed oil shortage. Drilling in new locations isn't supposed to
increase refinery capacity.
It is part of a longer range solution.
Horseshit! They're closing down wells everyday and have been for
years! Take a drive through Lousianna sometime! I was in Alaska a couple
of years ago and toured nearly the full length of the Alaskan pipeline.
Even it's only running at about 40% of it's capacity. The only reason that
they want to drill in ANWAR and GOM is because the oil companies want a
CHEAPER source of oil so they can increase their already record profits!
That's the same reason that the US continues to import oil from the middle
east. Even with their price increases it's still cheaper to buy their oil
than it is to produce our own. If the government is serious about a "long
range solutions" then they
should mandate that ALL cars achive 30mpg by say 2006, then raise it to
35mpg by 2011, then 40 mpg by 2016, etc until we achive the best practicle
mileage.
Don't quite a few cars get mileage in the 30's already? I drive a
truck, so I am not as familiar with car gas mileage anymore.
50 mpg is very possible, a number of standard
production cars
have already achived it. That's only one step, there are hundreds if not
thousands of other practicle solutions. Another solution would be to
mandate solar hot water heaters in all homes.
I don't think solar hot water heaters would work very well here in
Michigan. We have to many clouds and overcast days, unfortunately.
I have one in my home and
it's been my only source of hot water for over 15 years and I've never run
out of hot water.
How does it work? Is it homemade, or a commercial product?
Drilling in new locations is
something a lot of countries are doing.
Sure, because they all want to be independent of foreign sources and
because it's a huge source of revenue.
Drilling in the North Sea is
being done now, or maybe deeper water than normal..... I don't recall.
I have seen a show on Discovery or TLC about the building of the
platform. It was a huge engineering feat the way they built it.
Yes, the engineering is impressive but again that has nothing to do with
the "nessesicity" for drilling in ANWAR or GOM. I know a good bit about alcohol powered vehicles,
I've been
experimenting with them since the late 60s. Alcohol is not nearly as
powerfull, cost effective or as efficient as gasoline.
Then why do certain classes of race vehicles use it, if it isn't as
powerful?
Alcohol also has
major incompatibilities with the components of automotive fuel systems.
Doesn't it just take a switch to stainless steal for lines, tank, etc.?
A
number of companies have tried selling gasoline with alcohol added
but AFIK they're all dropped it due to the cost, performance and other
problems.
You mean gasohol... I remember that stuff :-)
Something might
have to be done about people drinking the contents of ones gas tank :-)
That would cure the population problem!