by Plantagenet » Tue 15 Jul 2008, 20:45:12
$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Homesteader', 'o')il will be much more vital to the US 10 years from now , assuming it isn't sold to Asia at $300 a barrel.
Having it come on line now would only have kept the gluttonous overconsumption going a little longer. Kind of a short term view IMO.
Why do you imagine the offshore oil will be available in ten years?
Get real----You need a much longer term view.
The energy crisis will have to get quite a bit worse before people will figure out the Congress is blocking new energy development and demand a change. The dems control Congress, and they'll probably increase their majority in the next election, and the dems have consistently opposed opening any new offshore areas for the last 30 years. I think it will take about 4 more years for the Congress to open the OCS.
THEN the government has to survey the new offshore lands and prepare EIS statements and figure out where to hold lease sales. The government is pretty slow (just ask the solar people who are waiting on EIS work) so I' give that 5 more years or so to get started.
THEN the oil companies have to do their own geophysical surveys, and bid and win. That'll take at least a couple of years.
THEN, after they win they have to schedule a drill ship or build a platform and start exploring. The drill ships are all booked for years in advance......that'll take quite a few more years.
THEN, if there is oil, they'll have to build infrastructure to handle it.
That'll take more years.
Altogether, IMHO we're probably looking at ca. 20-25 years total before any new areas in the OCS will produce oil. But don't worry---oil will be EVEN MORE VALUABLE 20-25 years from now then it would be a mere 10 years from now!
