kontiki wrote:

Can we *puhleeeze* start developing our own oil
in Alaska; off the coast of Calif. and the gulf now???

Correct me if I am wrong but I do believe that one of the areas that
your country has repeatedly turned down is the states that contain
shale oil.

Up here in Northern Alberta (Canada) we have huge amounts of what is
called tarsands where the oil is held in suspension in sand. This is
similar to which you have in some of the lower 48 states

It's black, oily, hard as rock and that's in the summertime.

You ought to see the equipment, and technology needed to extract the oil
especially in the middle of winter.

When our government first allowed development years ago when the price
of a barrel of oil was much lower it was very difficult with technology
and costs at that time for the companies to make a profit.

Now 30 years later, with new technology, and yes oil being worth much
more per barrel the companies are able to make money with that process.

There have been numerous politicians including governors from oil shale
producing states that have come up to see for themselves how it works
but to date I don't believe any State in the US is actually mining it
in any way shape or form... correct me if I am wrong.

Here in Northern Alberta we probably are supplying about 15 - 20
percent of our daily Canadian consumption and it is generally agreed
that the reserves in oil are far greater than that of Saudi Arabia plus
a few other smaller oil producing countries.

There are lots of start up operations currently in the area testing the
methadology, market, etc. but the two links below will take you to the
two large companies that have been in existance now for many years.


http://www.syncrude.com/

http://www.suncor.com/start.aspx