Deron Lovaas's Blog
Unpatriotic Lies About Energy Solutions
July 3, 2008
Posted by Deron Lovaas in Moving Beyond Oil
I'm sick of it.
There's a new campaign with a bumper sticker slogan that's attracting a lot of attention because it offers easy solutions to our oil-addiction woes. You may have seen it: Drill here, drill now, pay less.
Sheer deception.
Drill here: We already do drill here, and we've been drilling more and more. As a House Natural Resources Committee describes in this analysis, the number of domestic drilling permits has almost doubled in the past five years, and from 1999 and 2007 the shot up 361 percent. Almost 80 percent of oil in federal offshore areas is open for leasing.
Drill now: We do that already, as described above. But in terms of new production, this is a non sequitur. Drill years from now is more like it. Even the American Petroleum Institute has admitted that it would take 7-10 years to bring new production online.
Pay less: Fat chance. As I have talked about before, this is about saving pennies at the pump, assuming oil companies decide to pass the savings along to consumers like us (which is hardly a sure thing). From 2005-2007, according to the Energy Information Administration, U.S. oil and natural gas production grew at four times the rate as consumption. Did prices drop? Nope. This also ignores the global oil marketplace of 80 million barrels a day. Any new production that America can bring online, given that we hold a paltry two percent of global reserves, is a drop in an enormous bucket. In fact, what they don't tell you is that we export plenty of the oil we produce domestically, while importing even more of the stuff. That's the reality of a gigantic global marketplace for this commodity.
My friend Tom Friedman has clearly also had it with the lies, which shines through in his recent piece about the folly of President Bush proposing to prolong our addiction by drilling offshore:
It’s as if our addict-in-chief is saying to us: “C’mon guys, you know you want a little more of the good stuff. One more hit, baby. Just one more toke on the ole oil pipe. I promise, next year, we’ll all go straight. I’ll even put a wind turbine on my presidential library. But for now, give me one more pop from that drill, please, baby. Just one more transfusion of that sweet offshore crude.”What is especially frustrating about this scam is that it ignores the greatest opportunity we have to protect consumers: Driving up the fuel-efficiency of U.S. transportation.
How does the oil saved by doing that compare to what we'd get with more drilling? To find out, NRDC added up oil savings from four commonsense efficiency measures (inflating our tires, requiring more efficient tire designs and high fuel-efficiency performance standards for cars and trucks) and compared them to the oil we'd get from opening up new offshore and Arctic drilling areas. Here's what we found:
Know what this means?
It means that this fourth of July, true patriots should sport bumper stickers that say: "Unshackle America from OPEC and Big Oil: Boost fuel-efficiency of cars and trucks."
Happy fourth of July, everyone!
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Comments
Dan Troutman — Jul 4 2008 12:27 AM
Very few real experts claim that drilling more wells in America will do anything to the WORLD price of oil. The real question is whether America will wean itself off oil for basic transportation in time. My concern it that there won't be a real solution planned and executed by Congress, industry and the American public in time. 10-20 years from now when oil is $200-300/barrel, you can bet we'll be drilling every last remaining site. The sweet song of black gold will be too strong to resist. Even if America somehow pulls off a "miracle" and switches to another fuel source, you can bet AMERICAN oil companies will still want to profit by selling the Earth's last remaining petroleum to those countries who still need it.
As the last remaining barrels of oil equal their weight in gold, no government will outlaw drilling it. Wait and see....
(No one has ever banned gold mines.)
Brett Bruce — Jul 5 2008 01:58 PM
I love how all environmental groups belittle America's dependence on oil, yet they cannot provide a workable alternative energy souce. Why do you insist on Congress and our government to come up with solutions when they can't even solve our Social Security crisis. Why don't all of you genuises put your heads together and develop an eco-friendly source of energy that the average American consumer can afford. That's right, there is none. Quit complaining and start helping the situation.
Deron Lovaas — Jul 5 2008 03:12 PM
Thanks for commenting. I agree with both comments that we need alternative sources of transportation energy -- advanced biofuels and renewable electricity via plug-in hybrids are two that I find particularly promising for the long-term -- in addition to making more efficient use of oil. Sorry I didn't mention that as the next big step after a much-needed boost of fuel-efficiency. And of course another big step is building and retrofitting our neighborhoods so they aren't so overwhelmingly car-dependent.
But one thing both comments take for granted is the traditional role of oil companies. They are raking in historic profits. And some of them -- notably BP ("Beyond Petroleum"), Chevron ("Will you join us?") and now even the biggest of them all (ExxonMobil) with its ads about developing a better hybrid-electric car battery -- are out there saying they're committed to moving beyond oil too. We need to pressure them to match deeds with words. They certainly have the resources to get the job done. They should open their books to the public regarding the percentage of total budgets going to development of energy alternatives, and then commit to dramatic improvements. I've heard that BP heads the pack by far with at most ten percent devoted to such research and development. That's pathetic. Big Oil should ramp up alternative energy development big-time, and provide cost-effective choices to us, their customers.
Cheryl Mason — Jul 7 2008 10:29 AM
You all sit on your thrones dictating your politically motivated tripe to create fear and bring control to the masses. Where the hell do you think millions of electric cars are going to get the electicity? You don't have answers for increased sources of energy because you want to limit everyone's use in this country. Never mind China is building 100's of coal powered plants. Never mind France is nuclear self sufficient. You don't want us to use anything! You want us to ride bicycles and turn off our air conditioning, tvs. You don't want us to be free you want to control everyone's lifestyle. You are going to tax us for breathing because that is a carbon footprint. You all are diabolical in your self righteous agenda to save the planet. When this economy comes crashing down, it's going to backfire on you in a real way.
I have probably just wasted my time because you control this blog. Well, you read it and laugh but the little people in this country are fed up.
Deron Lovaas — Jul 7 2008 03:59 PM
No throne here. No laughter either, particularly about being referred to as "diabolical."
I fully understand that, as my mother would say, we have a "hard row to hoe." We need a lot of good energy ideas if we're to thrive in the 21st century.
Two countries to think about as models on energy policy are Germany and Japan. They're lapping us in the race to lower the fossil energy intensity of their economies via development and deployment of renewables such as solar and wind energy.
However we tackle these intertwined challenges -- oil addiction and global warming -- no matter how large the burst of fuel-efficiency there's no doubt that we will need more energy, and that we all want a thriving economy (yes, I want that too).
Sarah — Jul 7 2008 04:36 PM
We will all save time and money at the pump if our cars go father on a gallon of gas. Oil companies have spent many years and more dollars fighting this policy, but a bi-partisan majority of the Congress just passed a law that will do just that and will save American families between $700 and $1,000 per year at the pump as a result.
But, long-term freedom from high gas prices will happen when Americans have a variety of options to meet their transportation needs. Our government has to play a leading role in expanding our menu of transportation options. Investments in mass transit -- already an option in urban areas -- would be one welcome idea.
There are those who will choose to stay trapped in their cars, and that is their choice, but with more options available, the rest of us won't lose sleep over the price of gas anymore.
Dan Troutman — Jul 7 2008 10:08 PM
Actually my comment does NOT assume "big oil" as usual. The majority of high-risk drilling is being done by small, independent drilling companies - not big oil. (Big Oil only purchases the oil at wellhead prices.)
Today's large American companies that built the majority of their success back in the 50s and 60s are in danger of losing their competitive edge and going bankrupt. Yes, big oil companies have become "fat and lazy" just like other large bureaucratic companies. In the 21st century, they must adapt or perish - nothing is guaranteed in the business world.
That being said, the American government should not be dictating what publicly owned corporations should be doing in the course of their business. Politicians can't legislate innovation. "We're gonna pass a law making you innovate. Invent something new or you'll pay dearly." Yeah, that'll work. :)
In the last 2 decades, pure "research & development" by both government labs and public companies has declined substantially. Why? Because there was no tangible benefit to R&D when stockholders and CEOs were screaming for short-term profitability.
If government really wants to ignite the fire of good ole' American ingenuity, it should do it with a carrot instead of a stick. How about matching funds for every dollar a corporation spends on pure R&D? That would get their attention and help set a national strategy for viable alternate transportation fuels.
Unfortunately our short-sighted politicians want to legislate "feel good" statutes frought will unintended consequences.
If America is really serious about weaning ourselves off petroleum, let's put our public and private funds where our mouth is.
Thanks for allowing me to comment. I look forward to further discussions.
Dan Troutman — Jul 8 2008 08:17 PM
So how 'bout that T. Boone Pickens? Does NRDC support his plan? Sierra Club is behind him.