A lot of people who do not know the story (and the technologies involved) are going to run around with their hair on fire. From David Middleton writing at WUWT:
Senate Budget Resolution Creates Pathway to Opening ANWR to Drilling!!!
Guest cheer-leading by David Middleton (from this article at Alaska Dispatch News):
U.S. Senate passes bill that offers a chance to open Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to drilling
The U.S. Senate passed a budget resolution Thursday that could provide Alaska’s congressional delegation its best shot in four decades to open part of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to oil and gas drilling.
The Senate voted 51-49 to pass the budget resolution, along party lines. Republicans defeated a Democratic amendment to strip the ANWR-allowing provision from the budget resolution, by a vote of 52-48.
And it is not just these oil and gas fields - from David:
In addition to being a boon to the US Treasury, the development of ANWR, NPR-Alaska and the Beaufort and Chukchi OCS areas are critical to maintaining the operation of the Trans Alaska Pipeline System (TAPS) and avoiding the stranding of billions of barrels of crude oil.
The failure to open ANWR-1002 soon will eventually force the premature shutdown and dismantling of the Trans Alaska Pipeline System (TAPS).
A premature end to TAPS would strand about 30 billion barrels of oil and 137 trillion cubic feet of natural gas under Alaska and its OCS (outer continental shelf).
With the development of directional boring (initial development was patented in 1873), the oil companies can work from a small pad installed at the coastline and drill down and under to reach the oil-bearing strata. There is minimal danger of spilling or blowouts and the development of the harbor will allow better access to ANWR for scientists and eco-tourists. Win/win.
Much more at the site...
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