We sometimes forget and admire God's creation around us when we get a "tunnel vision" in our daily busy lives-especially the BIG cities! I (Sal) challenge you all to at times go out to enjoy nature's beauty and explore God's beautiful creation (e.g. plants, animals, sky, etc..). I picked-up snowboarding this past winter to just get outside from being inside all the time. I would stand on top of the hill and just have a conversation with my Heavenly Father. I looked around the top of the hill where I started and marveled the view Well, "Happy Earth Day"...
As I wrote the above reflection on my facebook wall, I remembered my time when I visited the Philippines back in 2001. I didn't realize how clean we got it back in the U.S. (well, maybe just Minnesota-Morris especially)! My nose was itchy and I blew my nose to get the dirt and never saw much dirt from my nose in one blow! It was from just going through the heavily densed polluted metro city of Manila (captial of the Philippines). It's so bad there that 3M's face masks would be sold out there!
We need to keep our environment clean-not just for us, but the future generations that will be coming behind us!
Past Earth Day Activities
I remember growing-up in east St. Paul and our school had all the students plant trees at a nearby park (Battle Creek). It was always a memorable experience because we had the chance to just get out of the classroom and enjoy the weather outside. I then came home all muddy and dirty, but it was all worth it.
Just several years later, I went to Middle School or Junior High-we did an all day activity by cleaning up the neighborhood around the school. The group I was part of went across the street to this wooded creek area to pick-up trash. Since then, I've grown-up naturally to just pick-up trash around me-well, I try most of the time! What can we learn from this? We need to teach the young generation "good habits" of keeping God' creation clean while they are young. Thus, they'll do unto the next generation!
Alternative Energy
powerstephaniefotocom.jpg
"Power" (picture by Stephanie Warcheza), which was taken along Highway 59 by Barrett (20 minutes north of Morris), Minnesota
"In the space of two weeks, Hurricane Gustav has caused an estimated $3 billion in losses in the U.S. and killed about 110 people in the U.S. and the Caribbean, catastrophic floods in northern India have left a million people homeless, and a 6.2-magnitude earthquake has rocked China's southwest, smashing over 400,000 homes.
If it seems like disasters are getting more common, it's because they are. But some disasters do seem to be affecting us worse - and not for the reasons you may think. Floods and storms have led to most of the excess damage. The number of flood and storm disasters has gone up by 7.4% every year in recent decades, according to the Centre for Research on the Epidemiology of Disasters. (Between 2000 and 2007, the growth was even faster - with an average annual rate of increase of 8.4%.) Of the total 197 million people affected by disasters in 2007, 164 million were affected by floods.
It is tempting to look at the line-up of storms in the Atlantic (Hanna, Ike, Josephine) and, in the name of everything green, blame climate change for this state of affairs. But there is another inconvenient truth out there: We are getting more vulnerable to weather mostly because of where we live, not just how we live.
In recent decades, people around the world have moved en masse to big cities near water. The population of Miami-Dade County in Florida was about 150,000 in the 1930s, a decade fraught with severe hurricanes. Since then, the population of Miami-Dade County has rocketed 1,600% to 2,400,000.
So the same intensity hurricane today wreaks all sorts of havoc that wouldn't have occurred had human beings not migrated. (To see how your own coastal county has changed in population, check out this cool graphing tool from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.)
If climate change is having an effect on the intensities of storms, it's not obvious in the historical weather data. And whatever effect it is having is much, much smaller than the effect of development along the coastlines. In fact, if you look at all storms from 1900 to 2005 and imagine we had today's populations on the coasts, as Roger Pielke, Jr., and his colleagues did in a 2008 Natural Hazards Review paper, you would see that the worst hurricane would have actually happened in 1926.
If it happened today, the Great Miami storm would have caused $140 to $157 billion in damages. (Hurricane Katrina, the costliest storm in U.S. history, caused $100 billion in losses.) "There has been no trend in the number or intensity of storms at landfall since 1900,"says Pielke, a professor of environmental studies at the University of Colorado. "The storms themselves haven't changed."
What's changed is what we've put in the storm's way. Crowding together in coastal cities puts us at risk on a few levels. First, it is harder for us to evacuate before a storm because of gridlock. And in much of the developing world, people don't get the kinds of early warnings that Americans get. So large migrant populations - usually living in flimsy housing - get flooded out year after year. That helps explain why Asia has repeatedly been the hardest hit by disasters in recent years.
Secondly, even if we get all the humans to safety, we still have more stuff in harm's way. So each big hurricane costs more than the big one before it, even controlling for inflation.
But the most insidious effect of building condos and industry along the water is that we are systematically stripping the coasts of the protection that used to cushion the blow of extreme weather. Three years after Katrina, southern Louisiana is still losing a football field worth of wetlands every 38 minutes.
Human beings have been clearing away our best protections all over the world, says Kathleen Tierney, director of the Natural Hazards Center at the University of Colorado, Boulder. "The natural protections are diminishing - whether you're talking about mangrove forests in areas affected by the Indian ocean tsunami, wetlands in the Gulf Coast or forests, which offer protection against landslides and mudslides."
Before we become hopelessly lost in despair, however, there is good news: we can do something about this problem. We can enact meaningful building codes and stop keeping insurance premiums artificially low in flood zones.
But first we need to understand that disasters aren't just caused by FEMA and greenhouse gases. Says Tierney: "I don't think that people have an understanding of questions they should be asking - about where they live, about design and construction, about building inspection, fire protection. These just aren't things that are on people's minds."
Increasingly, climate change is on people's minds, and that is all for the better. Even if climate change has not been the primary driver of disaster losses, it is likely to cause far deadlier disasters in the future if left unchecked.
But even if greenhouse gas emissions plummeted miraculously next year, we would not expect to see a big change in disaster losses. So it's important to stay focused on the real cause of the problem, says Pielke. "Talking about land-use policies in coastal Mississippi may not be the sexiest topic, but that's what's going to make the most difference on this issue." View this article on Time.com
Related articles on Time.com:"
....see GoodnewsEverybody.com Science-Weather
Global warming, from Wikipedia ".. is the increase in the average measured temperature of the Earth's near-surface air and oceans since the mid-20th century, and its projected continuation.
The average global air temperature near the Earth's surface increased 0.74 � 0.18 �C (1.33 � 0.32 �F) during the 100 years ending in 2005.[1] The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) concludes "most of the observed increase in globally averaged temperatures since the mid-twentieth century is very likely due to the observed increase in anthropogenic (man-made) greenhouse gas concentrations"[1] via an enhanced greenhouse effect. Natural phenomena such as solar variation combined with volcanoes probably had a small warming effect from pre-industrial times to 1950 and a small cooling effect from 1950 onward.[2][3]
These basic conclusions have been endorsed by at least 30 scientific societies and academies of science,[4] including all of the national academies of science of the major industrialized countries.[5][6][7] While individual scientists have voiced disagreement with some findings of the IPCC,[8] the overwhelming majority of scientists working on climate change agree with the IPCC's main conclusions.[9][10]"
-Bible
Mid-East Bible Prophecy: Global Warming or God's Warning?
"Our Weekly Middle East - Israel - Bible Prophecy Update: Global Warming or God's Warning - A condensed version of a special edition of our weekly Bible/Mid-East prophecy update study given February 24th, 2008 A.D. This study compares the timing of catastrophic storms in the United States with U.S. political pressure to force Israel to relinquish the land given them by God to the so called Palestinian people (which people never existed other than as the people of Israel themselves historically) in light of the prophecy / prophetic warning God gives in Zechariah 12:2-3 relating to these last days / end times events"
".. Susan Joy Hassol, the author of the Arctic Climate Impact Assessment Report, remarked, "Climate change is happening now. This is not a distant problem. It is happening now in the Arctic, and the impacts are being felt now in the Arctic, and they'll be increasingly felt there and around the world."
But Michaels says before you buy a life raft, hold on. First of all, in the North Pole, that is ice that is floating in the ocean. If that melts at the end of summer, that means nothing to sea level. The South Pole, Antarctica is the largest ice mass on the planet. It is gaining ice, not losing it.
The Earth's temperature has been fluctuating since its creation. It was warmer 1,000 years ago than it is today, but then began to cool. Colonial America was gripped by the tail end of a period known as Little Ice Age, with some of the deepest snows and coldest temperatures in recorded North American history.
Michaels stated,�It was cold. In Jefferson's time it was definitely colder, and Jefferson writes in his book, "Notes on the State of Virginia�,�� The snow used to lie on the ground for months at a time; now it only does so for weeks or days��"
It lasted into the 1800s, with the year 1816 known as the "year without summer." And some climate scientists today are more worried about another ice age than global warming. But they have been drowned out by a worldwide movement that has branded global-warming skeptics as evil, even comparing them to people who deny the existence of the Holocaust. .."
"Despite opposition from some of their colleagues, 86 evangelical Christian leaders have decided to back a major initiative to fight global warming, saying "millions of people could die in this century because of climate change, most of them our poorest global neighbors."..
"...Global temperatures are known to be influenced by other, non-human-controlled factors, such as sunspot activity, orbital movement, volcanic activity, solar system effects, and so forth. CO2 emission is not the only plausible explanation for global warming.
..
...In regards to issues such as this, skepticism is not the same as disbelief. There are fragments of evidence to support both sides, and logical reasons to choose one interpretation over another. The question of anthropogenic global warming should not divide Christian believers from each other (Luke 11:17). Environmental issues are important, but they are not the most important questions facing mankind. Christians ought to treat our world with respect and good stewardship, but we should not allow politically-driven hysteria to dominate our view of the environment. Our relationship with God is not dependent on our belief in human-caused global warming..."
"
Morris Area students and volunteers collected tons of electronics waste on Tuesday -- Earth Day -- at Morris Area Elementary School as part of a Service Learning Program project organized by the students.
Morris Area students and volunteers collected tons of electronics waste on Tuesday -- Earth Day -- at Morris Area Elementary School as part of a Service Learning Program project organized by the students.
The Morris Area High School Service Learning Program�s electronics waste recycling day Tuesday was a huge success, and students in the program would like to make it an annual Earth Day event.
The five-hour, free drop-off service was organized by the Student Energy Leadership Team, and
proved to be a popular attraction for people looking to get rid of televisions, computers or any of electronic items that can be hooked to them.
The recycling project filled a semi-trailer and nine roll-off containers, and traffic at times stretch out of the Morris Area Elementary School parking lot and down the hill on Columbia Avenue.
�The longest wait was 25 minutes, but people didn�t seem to mind,� said Cheryl Kuhn, the district�s Service Learning Coordinator. �People loved the service.�
About 50 students and adult volunteers unloaded vehicles and loaded the semi and roll-offs. Jack�s Recycling in Alexandria is taking the electronics waste and recycling components and properly disposing of material such as lead and mercury that are found in the electronics items.
As of Wednesday afternoon, Kuhn had not received an exact weight of the items, but estimated that each roll-off could hold between 6,000 and 8,000 pounds.
In addition to keeping harmful products out of landfills, the recycling project served to motivate students, who already are engaged in other eco-friendly activities as part of their Service Learning work.
�A student said to me, �It�s amazing that, as one person, how I can inspire an entire community,� � Kuhn said."
"Stevens County residents can dispose of old electronics devices free at the Morris Area Elementary School from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m., Tuesday, April 22 -- Earth Day...
The free recycling includes computers, televisions and anything that can be plugged into a computer or TV. Traffic will be directed to the north parking lot of the school, located at 153 Columbia Ave., in Morris."
"FAIRMONT, Minn. (AP) - A leading European energy services company wants to make this southern Minnesota city a model for the Midwest by investing at least $120 million in a biomass energy plant.
The Fairmont Energy Center would be owned by Veolia Energy, a unit of French utility Veolia Environment. It would start operating in May 2011 if all goes according to plan, local officials were told this past week.
The Southern Minnesota Municipal Power Agency, which sells wholesale electricity to 18 nonprofit municipal members, would buy the electricity produced by the plant. Steam could potentially be sold to local industries. The plant's generating capacity has not been determined.
The biomass would come from a variety of sources, including refuse-derived fuel (RDF), secondary wood waste and agricultural waste from crops such as alfalfa and soybeans. Refuse-derived fuel is processed trash, such as papers and plastics, that would be dried, condensed and shipped into Fairmont. The plant will not burn raw garbage.
By locating the plant in Fairmont, Veolia said it hopes to establish itself in the Midwest, showcase the new facility and encourage more biomass energy facilities in the region.
SMPPA and the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources are helping Veolia locate sources of biomass. And the company is in the process of signing a letter of intent with a supplier, Elodie Michaels, project director with Veolia's U.S. headquarters in Boston, told the Fairmont City Council and Public Utility Commission this past week.
"RDF is cheaper than any other fuel out there," Michaels said. "Our goal is to get as many green credits as possible for SMMPA."
SMMPA needs those renewable energy credits to meet state requirements that 25 percent of its energy come from renewable sources by 2025.
"SMMPA can do our project or buy wind," Michaels said. "Right now, our solution is more cost-effective than wind."
While well established in Europe, with nearly 200 plants and 5,000 employees, Veolia is relatively new to the United States.
Veolia will pick a site for the Fairmont plant in the next few weeks, choosing between demolishing the existing city power plant or a location in an industrial park.
E.J. Simon, the project's developer, is the middle man, coordinating efforts among Veolia, SMMPA and other parties involved in the process. In visiting biomass centers in eastern Europe, Simon said, he was amazed by the lack of smell and the appearance of the buildings, which might have passed for grocery stores in the United States. The plant would blend in with the other buildings in the industrial park.
As far as odor, the dried papers and plastics used for RDF doesn't smell, according to Simon, and neither do the secondary wood and other sources of biomass. The high-temperature technology used at the plant will further reduce odors and emissions.
Before any construction can begin, an environmental impact study must be completed. The study will take two years before it goes to the state for approval. Veolia said it does not anticipate any difficulties getting approval, since the plant would meet not only state and federal standards, but also European regulations, which are stricter than those in the U.S.
Construction itself is expected to take two years, with as many as 400 workers on site. Once complete, the plant would provide 20 full-time jobs.
Veolia Energy North America: http://www.veoliaenergyna.com/en
(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)"
College
-Research Study:
Augsburg College Releases Biodiesel Miracle
" Added: April 06, 2008 (Less info)
At a joint press conference held this morning in Science Hall 302, Augsburg College and SarTec Corporation officially announced the discovery of a chemical process that could free the United States from its dependence on petroleum diesel fuel. This revolutionary method to make biodiesel started with the curiosity of Augsburg chemistry senior Brian Krohn and ended with three Twin Cities scientists creating the "Mcgyan Process.".."
"
The setting was modest but the rhetoric was anything but.
Inside a drab third-floor chemistry lab at Augsburg College, a group of scientists on Friday unveiled a technology they claim could "revolutionize" energy production and free the United States from its dependence on foreign oil.
That's a tall order for a small liberal arts college in Minneapolis that, at least until now, was not particularly known for its energy acumen.
Nevertheless, Augsburg President Paul Pribbenow suggested the technology, which makes cleaner and cheaper biodiesel fuel, could be "one of modern day's greatest discoveries." ("Miracle," "history making" and "dream" were also liberally tossed about during the 30-minute news conference.)
Dubbed the "Mcgyan Process," the technology, inspired by the work of Augsburg undergraduate Brian Krohn, converts most feedstocks into biodiesel fuel without using much water or producing lots of waste.
Ever Cat Fuels, a start-up co-founded by Augsburg alumnus Clayton McNeff, is building a $5 million plant in Isanti that eventually will produce 3 million gallons of biodiesel fuel a year.
Normally, companies make biodiesel fuel by mixing soybean oil with a sodium hydroxide "catalyst" in a tank that's heated at a high temperature. But this "batch" process takes hours to complete and produces waste. The catalyst itself must be neutralized with either hydrochloric or sulfuric acid, two toxic chemicals.
The Mcgyan method employs a metal oxide catalyst that converts a mixture of alcohol and feedstock oils in a tubelike reactor to biodiesel fuel. This continuous or "flow" process makes it more efficient because it takes seconds to complete and produces little waste, McNeff said. Patents on the process are pending.
One of the feedstock oils can be algae oil, which can be produced in great quantities from wastewater. Xcel Energy Inc. has invested $4.5 million toward algae and other alternative energy work through the University of Minnesota's Initiative for Renewable Energy and the Environment.
The timing for Friday's announcement could not have been better. Oil prices reached record highs this week, twice breaking $105 a barrel. That's higher than the previous peak in April 1980, when oil topped $101, after adjusting for inflation.
Thomas Lee � 612-673-7744
"
"GOLDEN VALLEY, Minn. -- With the cost of oil and gas prices jumping once again, now is a great time to talk about saving some money. Here are three ways you can save a little gas and coin.
#1) Take advantage of stores' fuel promotions.
At Rainbow Foods you can get a "Roundy's Reward Card" for free. Each time you checkout, they will swipe that card which accumulates "Fuelperks." Every $50 spent earns $0.05 off per gallon of gas at BP.
Since we do most of our grocery shopping at Rainbow Foods, it doesn't take long for our "Fuelperks" to reach $0.50 off (or more!) per gallon of gas up to 20 gallons. That's $10 in savings. Not bad!
Check to see how, or if, other stores in your area do these types of promotions... and use them!
#2) Consolidate trips.
This is all about being as efficient on gas usage as possible. Instead of running to the gym and going home... then heading to the grocery store and going home... then driving to the post office and back home... try to make one big trip.
In our household, we are very intentional and methodical about our errands. We'll talk about where we need to go, how we're going to get there and what would be the most efficient route to take.
You're not going to save hundreds of dollars a week doing this. But, a few gallons here and there can really add up.
#3) Drive the best mileage car the most.
My wife and I each have a car. She drives the "nice" car, a Nissan Murano. It has chrome wheels, a moon-roof, leather interior, and a killer BOSE sound-system. But, the Murano only gets 18 to 23 miles per gallon at best.
My car is a 1996 Honda Accord with over 202,000 miles. It's banged-up, has a bit of a funk (smell) to it, and the radio doesn't work. Trust me, my car has nothing on style points compared to the Murano. Except it gets about 32 miles per gallon, even in the city.
Guess what car get driven the most? The Honda, by FAR! Because it's a better ride? Not a chance. Because it gets almost 50% better gas milage.
Let's say we take a trip home for the weekend. We end up saving about a half tank of gas by driving the Honda. And with gas prices now approaching $4 a gallon, that's easily $25 in savings in one trip.
(Copyright 2011 by KARE. All Rights Reserved.) "
Transportation
-Minneapolis
Metro Transit, Minneapolis
"Gilligs 7109, 7127, & 701 cruise by on the Nicollette Mall in downtown Minneapolis. visit chbmbus.org"
"MINNEAPOLIS � (Nov. 15) � Metro Transit gave downtown Minneapolis workers and residents a look at the future of public transportation in the region when it paraded 17 of its 19 new hybrid electric buses up Nicollet Mall during the noon hour today...
�Gov. Pawlenty asked state government to lead the way to a sustainable future for Minnesota, and both the Council and Metro Transit have responded,� Bell said. �Metro Transit already uses a 10 percent biodiesel blend in its fuel � five times higher than the state requires. And it will double that percentage next year.�"
-St. Cloud
"A St. Cloud Metro Bus that runs mostly on used cooking oil will begin service today at St. Cloud State University, and some hope it will give a boost to an environment-friendly movement on campus and in the community..." St. Cloud Metropolitan Transit Commission (St. Cloud Metro Bus), St. Cloud, MN, from apta.com "
(Category: Providing more than 1 million and fewer than 4 million annual passenger trips.)
Now a two-time winner (1990 and 2007), St. Cloud Metro Bus is a public transportation agency on the move. Ridership on its U-Pass partnerships with area colleges has jumped 102 percent. Additionally, its Summer Youth Pass program has grown 1,400 percent. Its Dial-a-Ride door-through door for elderly and ADA ridership has an outstanding passenger per hour efficiency aided by computerized scheduling, AVL, and on-board computers. No wonder its slogan is the �people picker-uppers.�
With an emphasis of always improving operations, it completed its transit signal priority deployment with 100 percent complete transit route coverage in 2005. The following year, it implemented a fully integrated bar-coded inventory system and �paperless� shop environment in the fleet maintenance area. Seamless communication between operations and maintenance staff aids identification and assignment of vehicle defects and scheduling preventive maintenance and improves logistical and fiscal maintenance management."
"Minnesota has overtaken Iowa as the nation's third-largest producer of wind energy, behind Texas and California.
The American Wind Energy Association says Minnesota added 405 megawatts of wind power production last year and had 1,299 megawatts of wind energy at the end of 2007. That edged Iowa's 1,271 megawatts.
The organization says U.S. wind power capacity is now about 16,800 megawatts -- enough to serve 4.5 million households with electricity.
Under legislation passed last year, Minnesota set a target of generating 25 percent of its energy from renewable sources such as wind by 2025.
(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)"
"
The report said 29 of the chemicals injected were known-or-suspected human carcinogens. They either were regulated under the Safe Drinking Water Act as risks to human health or listed as hazardous air pollutants under the Clean Air Act.
Methanol was the most widely used chemical. The substance is a hazardous air pollutant and is on the candidate list for potential regulation under the Safe Drinking Water Act.
The report was issued by Reps. Henry Waxman of California, Edward Markey of Massachusetts and Diana DeGette of Colorado.
The chemicals are injected during hydraulic fracturing, a process used in combination with horizontal drilling to allow access to natural gas reserves previously considered uneconomical.
The growing use of hydraulic fracturing has allowed natural gas production in the United States to reached levels not achieved since the early 1970s.
However, the process requires large quantities of water and fluids, injected underground at high volumes and pressure. The composition of these fluids ranges from a simple mixture of water and sand to more complex mixtures with chemical additives.
The report said that from 2005-2009, the following states had at least 100,000 gallons of hydraulic fracturing fluids containing a carcinogen: Texas, Colorado, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Wyoming, North Dakota, New Mexico, Montana and Utah.
States with 100,000 gallons or more of fluids containing a regulated chemical under the Safe Drinking Water Act were: Texas, New Mexico, Colorado, Oklahoma, Mississippi and North Dakota.
The report said many chemical components were listed as "proprietary" or "trade secret."
"Hydraulic fracturing has opened access to vast domestic reserves of natural gas that could provide an important stepping stone to a clean energy future," the report said.
"Yet, questions about the safety of hydraulic fracturing persist, which are compounded by the secrecy surrounding the chemicals used in hydraulic fracturing fluids. This analysis is the most comprehensive national assessment to date of the types and volumes of chemical used in the hydraulic fracturing process."
"
"We've picked 10 places -- in no particular order -- that we think are doing a great job at putting residents first. That means they're obsessed with clean air and clean water, renewable energy, reliable city buses, trams, streetcars and subways, a growing number of parks and greenbelts, farmer's markets and, very important, opportunities for community involvement."..
Stevens guilty on 7 counts, won't quit Senate race
By MATT APUZZO and JESSE J. HOLLAND, Associated Press Writers Matt Apuzzo And Jesse J. Holland, Associated Press Writers – 52 mins ago (news.yahoo.com-Monday, October 27th of 2008)
"WASHINGTON – Ted Stevens, a pillar of the Senate for 40 years and the face of Alaska politics almost since statehood, was convicted of a seven-felony string of corruption charges Monday — found guilty of accepting a bonanza of home renovations and fancy trimmings from an oil executive and then lying about it...
The monthlong trial revealed that employees for VECO Corp., an oil services company, transformed Stevens' modest Alaska mountain cabin into a modern, two-story home with wraparound porches, a sauna and a wine cellar.
Stevens said he had no idea he was getting freebies. He said his wife handled the business of the renovation. He said he paid $160,000 for the project and believed that covered everything...."
"By the early 1970s, some researchers estimated that a vast reservoir of oil-saturated shale rock existed in the Bakken formation, buried two miles below the western third of North Dakota, extending into Montana and southern Canada. As recently as 1995, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) estimated that the area contained only 151 million barrels of “technically recoverable oil resources,” based on existing extraction technology and identified reserves.
The USGS declared that the North Dakota oil field “represents the largest oil field of the lower 48 states and is the largest ‘continuous’ oil accumulation ever assessed by the USGS."
As new horizontal shale-oil-drilling technology made extraction of shale oil feasible in 2000, the rate of leasing and drilling picked up, accelerating dramatically in 2005. ...
In 2008, prodded by North Dakota Sen. Byron Dorgan, the USGS reassessed the Bakken field. Based on new survey techniques, advances in extraction technology and newly discovered reserves, that reassessment projected a 25-fold increase in the amount of oil that can be recovered, up to 4.3 billion barrels, compared with the agency's earlier 151 million-barrel estimate....
"Reston, VA - North Dakota and Montana have an estimated 3.0 to 4.3 billion barrels of undiscovered, technically recoverable oil in an area known as the Bakken Formation.
A U.S. Geological Survey assessment, released April 10, shows a 25-fold increase in the amount of oil that can be recovered compared to the agency's 1995 estimate of 151 million barrels of oil.
Related Podcasts
3 to 4.3 Billion Barrels of Oil in North Dakota and Montana
Technically recoverable oil resources are those producible using currently available technology and industry practices. USGS is the only provider of publicly available estimates of undiscovered technically recoverable oil and gas resources.
New geologic models applied to the Bakken Formation, advances in drilling and production technologies, and recent oil discoveries have resulted in these substantially larger technically recoverable oil volumes. About 105 million barrels of oil were produced from the Bakken Formation by the end of 2007.
The USGS Bakken study was undertaken as part of a nationwide project assessing domestic petroleum basins using standardized methodology and protocol as required by the Energy Policy and Conservation Act of 2000.
The Bakken Formation estimate is larger than all other current USGS oil assessments of the lower 48 states and is the largest "continuous" oil accumulation ever assessed by the USGS. A "continuous" oil accumulation means that the oil resource is dispersed throughout a geologic formation rather than existing as discrete, localized occurrences. The next largest "continuous" oil accumulation in the U.S. is in the Austin Chalk of Texas and Louisiana, with an undiscovered estimate of 1.0 billions of barrels of technically recoverable oil.
"It is clear that the Bakken formation contains a significant amount of oil - the question is how much of that oil is recoverable using today's technology?" said Senator Byron Dorgan, of North Dakota. "To get an answer to this important question, I requested that the U.S. Geological Survey complete this study, which will provide an up-to-date estimate on the amount of technically recoverable oil resources in the Bakken Shale formation."
The USGS estimate of 3.0 to 4.3 billion barrels of technically recoverable oil has a mean value of 3.65 billion barrels. Scientists conducted detailed studies in stratigraphy and structural geology and the modeling of petroleum geochemistry. They also combined their findings with historical exploration and production analyses to determine the undiscovered, technically recoverable oil estimates.
USGS worked with the North Dakota Geological Survey, a number of petroleum industry companies and independents, universities and other experts to develop a geological understanding of the Bakken Formation. These groups provided critical information and feedback on geological and engineering concepts important to building the geologic and production models used in the assessment.
Five continuous assessment units (AU) were identified and assessed in the Bakken Formation of North Dakota and Montana - the Elm Coulee-Billings Nose AU, the Central Basin-Poplar Dome AU, the Nesson-Little Knife Structural AU, the Eastern Expulsion Threshold AU, and the Northwest Expulsion Threshold AU.
At the time of the assessment, a limited number of wells have produced oil from three of the assessments units in Central Basin-Poplar Dome, Eastern Expulsion Threshold, and Northwest Expulsion Threshold.
The Elm Coulee oil field in Montana, discovered in 2000, has produced about 65 million barrels of the 105 million barrels of oil recovered from the Bakken Formation.
Results of the assessment can be found at http://energy.usgs.gov.
For a podcast interview with scientists about the Bakken Formation, listen to episode 38 of CoreCast at http://www.usgs.gov/corecast/."
"
Earth Day is a time to celebrate gains we have made and create new visions to accelerate environmental progress. Earth Day is a time to unite around new actions. Earth Day and every day is a time to act to protect our planet."
MISCELLANEOUS
Organizations
Ken Wilson, Evangelicals & Scientists United to Protect Creation
""Creation Care" is a faith-based approach to the environment. The first humans were charged with the responsibility of cultivating and protecting the garden, which makes every last one of us environmentalists. Jesus is about reconciling and redeeming our relationship to God, to one another, and to this wonderful planet which is a sacred gift. That's the heart and soul of Creation Care."
Interfaith Earth Keepers protect planet Earth
"An environmental army is serving God across northern Michigan as over 400 volunteers at more than 140 churches and temples from 9 faith traditions participated in numerous projects that protect Planet Earth. As environment ministers from about 190 countries struggle over a global warming treaty in Indonesia, the faith-based Michigan Earth Keeper Initiative is completing its fourth successful year...."
"There is an estimated 2 trillion barrels of oil buried beneath parts of Colorado, Utah and Wyoming. Geologists, petroleum companies and the federal government have known about these massive deposits for nearly a century. The trouble has always been: how do you get at it?.." Is The United states Really Dependant Upon Mideastern Oil Reserves? Read This Report!
Author: 54444 Category:(Discussion) Created:(4/16/2006 8:13:00 AM)
This post has been Viewed (1046 times) "..The U.S. Govt�s Secret Colorado Oil Discovery)
Hidden 1,000 feet beneath the surface of the Rocky Mountains lies the largest untapped oil reserve in the world � more than 2 TRILLION BARRELS. On August 8, 2005 President Bush mandated its extraction. Three companies have been chosen to lead the way. Test drilling has already begun�
Five months ago, the U.S. Energy Department announced the results of a land survey� It was conducted to determine the official amount of oil a thousand feet deep in the Rocky Mountains�They reported this stunning news We have more oil inside our borders, than all the other proven reserves on earth. .."
Plastics
Water Disaster: plastic bottle problem
"Do you know what plastic water bottles are doing to our environment, wallets and health? Visit www.tiwater.com to see what you can do about it."
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"How plastic water bottles are made and what becomes of them once they go in the blue bin. Polyethylene terephthalate plastic, or PET, is 100% recyclable and used to make a wide variety of products. This is the lifecycle of a PET water bottle."
Research
Peak Oil: Gas Prices, Supply Depletion & Energy Crisis SHORT
"We are entering the Peak Oil era. The growth of oil production is slowing, driving up oil and gasoline gas prices, firing inflation, driving unemployment, straining our global economy, and threatening to collapse our entire system. We are reaching Peak Oil and we are unprepared. Teacher Aaron Wissner, in a compact 10 minutes video summary, details Peak Oil, the evidence, the impacts, and the solutions. See the full one-hour video at LocalFuture.org. Also, at YouTube, see the conclusion, of that presentation, part 5 of 5, which highlights the impacts, underlying problem, and solutions to Peak Oil. "
" (CNN) -- Gas shortages are afflicting drivers across the Southeast. Some of the problems were caused by Hurricane Ike affecting oil production and refining along the Gulf Coast, but empty gas pumps also are being blamed on the consumers themselves.
A sign breaks the bad news to motorists that there's no gas available at a filling station in Nashville, Tennessee.
A sign breaks the bad news to motorists that there's no gas available at a filling station in Nashville, Tennessee.
CNN affiliates are reporting on the effects of the shortages that have caused many gas stations to shut down and many drivers to become frustrated.
Asheville, North Carolina
City officials in Asheville have closed the civic center, parks and offices because of the gas shortage, CNN affiliate WHNS-TV reports.
Police also are monitoring stations that do have gas after reports of fights at pumps between drivers accusing each other of cutting in line.
"It's been a nightmare for everybody," one driver, who found gas Thursday, told the station. Read WHNS report on how the shortage is affecting North Carolina
Athens, Georgia
A petroleum executive suggested that the football game between the University of Georgia and University of Alabama should be canceled this weekend because fans could drain all the gas in the Athens area, WSB-TV in Atlanta reported.
"That gas needs to be used for people to go to work, and for people to take care of their families," Tex Pitfield, president and CEO of Saraguay Petroleum in Atlanta, told WGAU radio in Athens. Video Watch an iReporter's take on the gas shortage in Georgia �
But representatives of Georgia Gov. Sonny Perdue said he would not consider "a ridiculous idea like this," WSB said. Read WSB's report on what others are saying about gas and the game
Atlanta, Georgia
Ray Sheffied's gas station had been open 24 hours a day, seven days a week for 13 years. But the streak ended when a lack of supply forced him to close early, WGCL-TV in Atlanta said.
"It's a panic," Sheffield said. "And we are frustrated."
The fuel shortage is really hurting independent gas station owners, WGCL said. Many of those small businesses rely on the income from customers stopping in to buy snacks, drinks and other items with their gas, it added. Read WGCL on how gas stations are hurting around the Southeast
Charlotte, North Carolina
Drivers camped out overnight in the hope that a shipment of gas would arrive at a station in Charlotte, WSOC-TV found.
Other drivers felt trapped at home, fearing that their gas tanks would run dry on the way to or from work.
"This is it; I'm stuck," Shana Roseborough told the station. "I can't go get my child, I can't go get my husband, I can't provide for my family." Read WSOC's report on drivers searching for gas
Raleigh, North Carolina
North Carolina Gov. Mike Easley promised that more gas was on the way from other states, but WXII-TV found many stations dry or with only one or two grades of fuel left.
advertisement
Easley had asked drivers to conserve fuel until the new supplies arrived and the situation returned to normal, but some consumers remain concerned.
"No gas. What will we do? We won't be able to do anything. We can't go to work. We can't do anything," one driver said. Read WXII report on when the governor said gas would arrive"
"... Across metro Atlanta, drivers in one of the nation's largest commuter cities are running into the same thing: a lack of gas and no clear idea when the situation will get better. State and industry officials say they're working as fast as they can and are urging people not to panic.
Christina Wedge, a resident of the Atlanta suburb Decatur, said her tank was on empty Sunday. When she went to fill up, she passed six stations closed down before finally finding one with gas for nearly $5 a gallon. She got just enough to continue looking for a cheaper price. Video Watch how hurricanes have wreaked havoc with gas in the South �
About a mile away, she found a station with long lines for gas around $4.29.
"I waited 30 minutes to get gas," she said. "It does concern me. I'm actually frustrated that the prices are so high."
Michael Lanfreschi, an iReporter from the suburb of Alpharetta, shared a similar story. He said he left work around noon to fill up his tank "when I started noticing all of the gas stations were empty." iReport.com: Watch gas-thirsty Georgians waiting for tanker
"There was no gas to be found, then panic set in as I approached a gas station with a 40-car line," he said. "This is causing complete chaos. Why is this happening, and what actions are being taken to prevent this from happening again, and why did it happen in the first place?"
According to AAA, Atlanta's drivers are in for sticker shock when they do find a station with gasoline. The average price in metro Atlanta, as of Monday, for a gallon of regular unleaded was $4.02, nearly 30 cents higher than the national average of $3.74. See where gas prices are surging
The gas supply has taken a major hit as refineries in the Houston area try to get back up to full capacity in the wake of Hurricanes Ike and Gustav, state and industry officials say. The Colonial Pipeline, which typically delivers 100 million gallons of gasoline, aviation fuel and other petroleum products throughout the southeastern United States, is not running at full capacity..."
*see Hurricane Ike feature at GoodnewsUSA: Texas
Spill
Gulf of Mexico: Oil slick threatening Wildlife
Is Halliburton to Blame For Gulf Oil Spill? Conspiracy in the Gulf
" May 07, 2010 — There is something not right about the enormous Gulf oil spill incident."
Witness PROVES Gulf Oil Rig Explosion Survivors ARE Being Silenced By Big Oil
" May 11, 2010 — Chris Choy, aboard the Deepwater Horizon on it's fateful night produces proof operators of the semi-submersible offshore drilling rig, a joint operation between BP (British Petroleum), Transocean, and none other than HALLIBURTON, are forcing and coercing survivors into signing a waiver, effectively trying to silence them. Included in the waiver is a clause claiming survivors were not WITNESSES and cannot sue....
Video Credit To MoxNewsDotCom: http://www.moxnews.com/"
White House Lays Cost of Oil Spill on BP
"MIAMI – Forecasters say the first Atlantic hurricane of the season has made landfall in northeastern Mexico.
The Category 2 storm churning in the Gulf of Mexico has sustained winds of near 105 mph (155 kph). The National Hurricane Center says it made landfall about 10 p.m. EDT Wednesday at Soto La Marina along the coast.
The storm is far from the Gulf oil spill, but cleanup vessels were sidelined by the hurricane's ripple effects. Six-foot waves churned up by the hurricane splattered beaches in Louisiana, Alabama and Florida with oil and tar balls.
Hurricane Alex flooded roads and forced thousands of people to evacuate fishing villages.
It is moving west at about 10 mph (17 kph). It is about 110 miles (165 kilometers) south of Brownsville, Texas."
"...Obama is visiting because of the national significance and potential magnitude of the environmental damage, senior administration officials said.
Federal officials, meanwhile, urged BP to beef up its response as thousands of barrels of oil creep into the Gulf of Mexico.
"We'll continue to urge BP to leverage additional assets," Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano said Friday. "It is time for BP to supplement their current mobilization as the slick of oil moves toward shore."
BP, which owns the ruptured well, said Venice and Port Fourchon in Louisiana will be the first places likely affected by the oil slick.
Doug Suttles, chief operating officer of BP, said the company has had only three priorities since the April 20 rig explosion that led to the oil spill: stop the flow of oil,...
"..Obama said the company would be held accountability for the oil spill.
"BP is responsible for this leak," he said. "BP will be paying the bill. But as president of the United States, I'm going to spare no effort to respond to this crisis for as long as it continues. And we will spare no resource to clean up whatever damage is caused."
"We're going to do everything in our power to protect our natural resources, compensate those who have been harmed, rebuild what has been damaged, and help this region persevere like it has done so many times before," he added.
BP executives promised to pay for all the clean up costs, including lost compensation for fisherman...
".."Part of the problem is that there is a lot of outside scrutiny on what it is that we're doing out here," Capt. Nick Schindler says. "The American population is wanting this well done. They want it now. We all want it done now. But we all have to understand that this is a well that killed 11 people ... and sunk a rig. So we're not going to speed up, and we're going to do this as safe as possible."
To get to where disaster struck on April 20 takes a one-hour helicopter ride from New Orleans, Louisiana. From the air, heading out there, one can see efforts to contain the spreading oil. Large floating booms arc in the water to absorb the crude...
BLAME IT ON THE RAIN
*theme song for recent oil spill that my buddies (Sunday, May 2nd of 2010) thought of to "enlighten" this unfortunate incident!
AP IMPACT: Many Gulf federal judges have oil links, from By CURT ANDERSON, AP Legal Affairs Writer Curt Anderson, Ap Legal Affairs Writer – 9 mins ago (Sunday, June 6th of 2010) news.yahoo.com "...Thirty-seven of the 64 active or senior judges in key Gulf Coast districts in Louisiana, Texas, Alabama, Mississippi and Florida have links to oil, gas and related energy industries, including some who own stocks or bonds in BP PLC, Halliburton or Transocean — and others who regularly list receiving royalties from oil and gas production wells, according to the reports judges must file each year. The AP reviewed 2008 disclosure forms, the most recent available...
"New Orleans, Louisiana (CNN) -- Tar balls linked to the worst oil spill in U.S. history have reached into Louisiana's Lake Pontchartrain and hit the beaches near Galveston, Texas, authorities in those states reported on day 77 of the disaster.
Easterly winds and high waves that hindered skimmers drove blobs of weathered oil up into the eastern end of the lake, which sits north of New Orleans, said Anne Rheams, executive director of the Lake Pontchartrain Basin Foundation. She estimated the amount of oil that has reached the lake at less than 100 barrels, with no hydrocarbon smell....
Meanwhile, weekend tests of the A Whale, a converted cargo ship its owners say is the world's largest oil-skimming vessel, turned out to be inconclusive, its owners reported....
The A Whale spent the weekend attempting to separate crude oil from seawater in a 25-square-mile area north of the ruptured BP oil well that's caused the largest oil spill in U.S. history. Taiwan-based TMT says the ship can skim about 21 million gallons of oil a day, about 250 times the capability of the modified fishing vessels now being used in the Gulf.....
Oil Slicks Continues to Spread
"Added On April 27, 2010
CNN's Mari Ramos looks at the ongoing cleanup efforts centered around a massive oil slick in the Gulf of Mexico."
"..It was not immediately clear if the container, which was leaking a small amount of oil, came from the Deepwater Horizon drilling rig that exploded April 20 and sank two days later, triggering a massive underwater gusher that has led to the worst environmental disaster in U.S. history.
BP officials could not be immediately reached for comment...
Deepwater Horizon BP Halliburton gulf oil spill spread trajectory animation - how bad can it get?
" May 08, 2010 — oil spill, animation, damage truth, ecological, bp, gulf who knows how big this can get? Massive plumes underwater" Behind the Scenes How They Burn the Oil, cnn.com "
Added On June 17, 2010
CNN's Ali Velshi takes us behind the scenes in the Gulf of Mexico as burning of oil begins on the ocean surface begins."
"NEW ORLEANS (June 18) -- It is an overlooked danger in oil spill crisis: The crude gushing from the well contains vast amounts of natural gas that could pose a serious threat to the Gulf of Mexico's fragile ecosystem.
The oil emanating from the seafloor contains about 40 percent methane, compared with about 5 percent found in typical oil deposits, said John Kessler, a Texas A&M University oceanographer who is studying the impact of methane from the spill.
That means huge quantities of methane have entered the Gulf, scientists say, potentially suffocating marine life and creating "dead zones" where oxygen is so depleted that nothing lives.
"This is the most vigorous methane eruption in modern human history," Kessler said.
Methane is a colorless, odorless and flammable substance that is a major component in the natural gas used to heat people's homes. Petroleum engineers typically burn off excess gas attached to crude before the oil is shipped off to the refinery. That's exactly what BP has done as it has captured more than 7.5 million gallons of crude from the breached well....
"BP blew it," said Rep. Bart Stupak, D-Mich., chairman of the House investigations panel that held the hearing. "You cut corners to save money and time."
"Leaders of the Gulf Coast states have designated Sunday a day of prayer for the regions affected by the oil spill that has sent millions of gallons of crude gushing into the Gulf of Mexico for the last 66 days.
The governors of Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana and Texas, and the Lt. Governor of Florida issued proclamations this week calling their citizens to pray for a solution that stops the leak and for the recovery of the coastline and the fish and wildlife industries devastated by the April 20 BP oil rig explosion that killed 11 workers.
"Throughout our history, Alabamians have humbly turned to God to ask for His blessings and to hold us steady during times of struggle," Alabama Gov. Bob Riley stated in a proclamation issued Wednesday. "This is certainly one of those times."
Although there is no coordinated national effort to mobilize prayer Sunday, the Florida Family Policy Council (FFPC) and the national Family Research Council are urging their supporters to participate.
"I really want to encourage the church to not knee-jerk and think about this as some kind of environmental issue that they should not have any interest in," said FFPC President John Stemberger.
"This is clearly a stewardship issue," he said. "All Christians need to be concerned about this. We need to be praying for the families of the men who were killed in the explosion, be praying for the government and the private sector initiatives trying to stop this [leak]."
Cindy Jacobs, co-founder of the U.S. Reformation Prayer Network, said prayer efforts have been under way in the Gulf region since the April explosion that led to the worst offshore oil spill in U.S. history. "Our prayer network all along the Gulf is fervently praying," Jacobs said.
Jacobs, who is leading a separate prayer effort for the Gulf Coast June 30, said Bob Jones prophesied in 1997 that after healing evangelist Oral Roberts died there would be an oil spill off the coast of Louisiana, which would be followed by two hurricanes. Roberts died Dec. 15.
Since the Gulf oil spill, Jacobs' network has been praying that no hurricanes would hit the Atlantic Coast, which she said would be "an unbelievable disaster."
Jones wrote in an online message earlier this month that he believes only God can stop the leak. "There is no help for this nation apart from God," Jones wrote June 3. "We must cry out for God to plug the oil well in the Gulf for He's the only one that can do it! And He'll only do it when the church cries out."
In a conference call last week, prophetic minister Chuck Pierce of Glory of Zion Ministries agreed with that sentiment. "I really cannot see how we're going to move in and contain what's happening right now," said Pierce, adding that his father used to inspect oil rigs.
"Something's got to come deeper and stir the waters to cleanse the waters," he continued. "And I think God is saying that same word to us: You're going to have to have a deeper move in you as My people to cleanse in places that you have allowed an unclean spirit to come in and overtake you."
Gary Palmer, president of the Alabama Policy Institute, said Sunday's prayer effort grew out of a dream an area businessman had in which he saw people in prayer and Gov. Riley having issued a proclamation.
"He saw people gathered on the Gulf, and he felt this compelling that this is what we needed to do," Palmer said of the businessman, who asked to remain anonymous.
The man contacted Palmer, who then solicited help from WallBuilders founder David Barton, who drafted the prayer day proclamations for the governors to adapt.
Some churches have said there isn't enough time to organize corporate prayer Sunday, but Palmer said the prayer day is as much a call for churches to encourage people to intercede for the Gulf Coast. "It doesn't have to just be the 27th," he said. "We just need people to be aware that we're going to need some divine intervention."
Jacobs believes the oil spill is more than a natural disaster but partly the result of greed, debauchery on the beaches, poor environmental stewardship and a lack of U.S. support for Israel—all issues her network has been repenting of since the leak began.
"Whenever there's violent weather or some things like this, you have to ask if it's just a natural disaster or if you're reaping something that's been sown," she said. "We feel this is a cumulative thing."
Jacobs points particularly to President Obama's treatment of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu when he visited the White House in March. Netanyahu reportedly was scolded for proceeding with plans to build in disputed areas of east Jerusalem and denied a photo op, press conference and other trappings of visits from heads of state.
"We can't say that's all the reason why, but certainly I believe we need to come into some repentance," she said.
Jacobs notes that the last point of Second Chronicles 7:14 is that if God's people pray, He will heal the land. "This is the same God that caused all the plagues of Egypt to go in a night," Jacobs said. "He's no different today. He can do what we cannot do in miraculous ways."
Related Sites: Christian Coalition-Capitol Hill Update: U.S. must stop pressuring Israel
Capitol Hill Update - September 2, 2009 - 8:35am cc.org "..The Obama administration continues to favor Israel's enemies in the Middle East. They continue to pressure Israel to not even build new settlements which are needed to serve the natural growth rate of the population in areas which have belonged to Israel for thousands of years. ...
Biden scolds Israel again
"March 10, 2010 — U.S. Vice President Joe Biden publicly scolded Israel for the second day over its new plan to build 1,600 homes for Jewish settlers in East Jerusalem. Jon Decker reports."
"..Since a busted oil well began spewing crude into the Gulf of Mexico a month ago, the catastrophe has constantly been measured against the 1989 Exxon Valdez disaster. The Alaska spill leaked nearly 11 million gallons of crude, killed countless animals and tarnished the owner of the damaged tanker, Exxon.
Yet the leader of botched containment efforts in the critical hours after the tanker ran aground wasn't Exxon Mobil Corp. It was BP PLC, the same firm now fighting to plug the Gulf leak.
BP owned a controlling interest in the Alaska oil industry consortium that was required to write a cleanup plan and respond to the spill two decades ago. It also supplied the top executive of the consortium, Alyeska Pipeline Service Co. Lawsuits and investigations that followed the Valdez disaster blamed both Exxon and Alyeska for a response that was bungled on many levels... Alaskans Struggles Still after 1989 Oil Spill cnn.com "..Added On June 17, 2010
CNN's Dan Simon visits Cordova, Alaska, where the impact of the Exxon Valdez spill is still being felt..."
"NEW YORK — U.S. oil output is surging so fast that the United States could soon overtake Saudi Arabia as the world's biggest producer.
Driven by high prices and new drilling methods, U.S. production of crude and other liquid hydrocarbons is on track to rise 7 percent this year to an average of 10.9 million barrels per day. This will be the fourth straight year of crude increases and the biggest single-year gain since 1951.
The boom has surprised even the experts.
"Five years ago, if I or anyone had predicted today's production growth, people would have thought we were crazy," says Jim Burkhard, head of oil markets research at IHS CERA, an energy consulting firm.
The Energy Department forecasts that U.S. production of crude and other liquid hydrocarbons, which includes biofuels, will average 11.4 million barrels per day next year. That would be a record for the U.S. and just below Saudi Arabia's output of 11.6 million barrels. Citibank forecasts U.S. production could reach 13 million to 15 million barrels per day by 2020, helping to make North America "the new Middle East."
The last year the U.S. was the world's largest producer was 2002, after the Saudis drastically cut production because of low oil prices in the aftermath of 9/11. Since then, the Saudis and the Russians have been the world leaders.
The United States will still need to import lots of oil in the years ahead. Americans use 18.7 million barrels per day. But thanks to the growth in domestic production and the improving fuel efficiency of the nation's cars and trucks, imports could fall by half by the end of the decade.
The increase in production hasn't translated to cheaper gasoline at the pump, and prices are expected to stay relatively high for the next few years because of growing demand for oil in developing nations and political instability in the Middle East and North Africa.
Still, producing more oil domestically, and importing less, gives the economy a significant boost.
The companies profiting range from independent drillers to large international oil companies such as Royal Dutch Shell, which increasingly see the U.S. as one of the most promising places to drill. ExxonMobil agreed last month to spend $1.6 billion to increase its U.S. oil holdings.
Increased drilling is driving economic growth in states such as North Dakota, Oklahoma, Wyoming, Montana and Texas, all of which have unemployment rates far below the national average of 7.8 percent. North Dakota is at 3 percent; Oklahoma, 5.2.
Businesses that serve the oil industry, such as steel companies that supply drilling pipe and railroads that transport oil, aren't the only ones benefiting. Homebuilders, auto dealers and retailers in energy-producing states are also getting a lift.
IHS says the oil and gas drilling boom, which already supports 1.7 million jobs, will lead to the creation of 1.3 million jobs across the U.S. economy by the end of the decade.
"It's the most important change to the economy since the advent of personal computers pushed up productivity in the 1990s," says economist Philip Verleger, a visiting fellow at the Peterson Institute of International Economics.
The major factor driving domestic production higher is a newfound ability to squeeze oil out of rock once thought too difficult and expensive to tap. Drillers have learned to drill horizontally into long, thin seams of shale and other rock that holds oil, instead of searching for rare underground pools of hydrocarbons that have accumulated over millions of years.
To free the oil and gas from the rock, drillers crack it open by pumping water, sand and chemicals into the ground at high pressure, a process is known as hydraulic fracturing, or "fracking."
While expanded use of the method has unlocked enormous reserves of oil and gas, it has also raised concerns that contaminated water produced in the process could leak into drinking water.
The surge in oil production has other roots, as well:
_ A long period of high oil prices has given drillers the cash and the motivation to spend the large sums required to develop new techniques and search new places for oil. Over the past decade, oil has averaged $69 a barrel. During the previous decade, it averaged $21.
_ Production in the Gulf of Mexico, which slowed after BP's 2010 well disaster and oil spill, has begun to climb again. Huge recent finds there are expected to help growth continue.
_ A natural gas glut forced drillers to dramatically slow natural gas exploration beginning about a year ago. Drillers suddenly had plenty of equipment and workers to shift to oil.
The most prolific of the new shale formations are in North Dakota and Texas. Activity is also rising in Oklahoma, Colorado, Ohio and other states.
Production from shale formations is expected to grow from 1.6 million barrels per day this year to 4.2 million barrels per day by 2020, according to Wood Mackenzie, an energy consulting firm. That means these new formations will yield more oil by 2020 than major oil suppliers such as Iran and Canada produce today.
U.S. oil and liquids production reached a peak of 11.2 million barrels per day in 1985, when Alaskan fields were producing enormous amounts of crude, then began a long decline. From 1986 through 2008, crude production fell every year but one, dropping by 44 percent over that period. The United States imported nearly 60 percent of the oil it burned in 2006.
By the end of this year, U.S. crude output will be at its highest level since 1998 and oil imports will be lower than at any time since 1992, at 41 percent of consumption.
"It's a stunning turnaround," Burkhard says.
Whether the U.S. supplants Saudi Arabia as the world's biggest producer will depend on the price of oil and Saudi production in the years ahead. Saudi Arabia sits on the world's largest reserves of oil, and it raises and lowers production to try to keep oil prices steady. Saudi output is expected to remain about flat between now and 2017, according to the International Energy Agency.
But Saudi oil is cheap to tap, while the methods needed to tap U.S. oil are very expensive. If the price of oil falls below $75 per barrel, drillers in the U.S. will almost certainly begin to cut back.
The International Energy Agency forecasts that global oil prices, which have averaged $107 per barrel this year, will slip to an average of $89 over the next five years – not a big enough drop to lead companies to cut back on exploration deeply.
Nor are they expected to fall enough to bring back the days of cheap gasoline. Still, more of the money that Americans spend at filling stations will flow to domestic drillers, which are then more likely to buy equipment here and hire more U.S. workers.
"Drivers will have to pay high prices, sure, but at least they'll have a job," Verleger says.
___
Follow Jonathan Fahey on Twitter at http://twitter.com/JonathanFahey
"
"...Question: What is the connection between public transportation and climate change? Answer: Public transportation is part of the solution to helping reduce greenhouse gases. In fact, thanks to public transportation our country�s carbon footprint is reduced by 37 million metric tons � the equivalent of 4.9 million households using electricity in a year....
APTA is a nonprofit international association of more than 1,500 member organizations including public transportation systems; planning, design, construction and finance firms; product and service providers; academic institutions; and state associations and departments of transportation. APTA members serve the public interest by providing safe, efficient and economical public transportation services and products. APTA members serve more than 90 percent of persons using public transportation in the United States and Canada.
"this is our last chance to avoid a hard landing. conservation means changing our way of life, which we reject with kicking and screaming, but this is the best option we have right now. "
"How much oil do the top oil producers produce a day?
Amount of oil produced per day:
* Saudi Arabia* - 8.1 million barrels per day;
*Including share of production from the Neutral Zone
* Former Soviet Union - 6.9 million barrels per day;
* United States - 6.5 million barrels per day;
* I.R. Iran - 3.6 million barrels per day;
* China - 3.2 million barrels per day.
Which countries have the world's largest proven crude oil reserves?
Countries that have the world's largest proven crude oil reserves are (1996):
* Saudi Arabia (261,444 millions of barrels);
* Iraq (112,000 millions of barrels);
* United Arab Emirates (97,800 millions of barrels);
* Kuwait (96,500 millions of barrels);
* IR Iran (92,600 millions of barrels).
Bidding begins for Iraqi
Written by Mariah Ralston
Friday, 17 October 2008 (University Register-UMM)
"On Monday, representatives from 35 international oil companies met with Iraqi Oil Minister Hussain al-Shahristan in order to begin the bidding for contracts in six of Iraq’s oil fields and two new natural-gas fields. This is the first round of oil bidding since the U.S.-led invasion in 2003.
One hundred twenty oil companies applied in April to participate in the bidding, which was orchestrated to develop the oil industry in Iraq. 35 companies have been chosen and at the top of this list are oil giants: BP PLC, ExxonMobil Corp., Chevron Corp. Royal Dutch Shell PLC and Total. Six state-run oil companies were included in the list.
The initial qualification process included consideration of legal, financial, technical, and health and safety aspects. The required documents to be presented were such as tax, legal/ work records, including lists of various projects for the past five years, and production rates and investments.
Assem Jihad, the Oil Ministry spokesman, said that the purpose of the meeting in London was to present the international oil companies with sufficient data and details concerning the bids on these 20-year contracts. Iraq hopes these contracts will develop its oil industry and help rebuild its struggling infrastructure.
With known reserves of 115 billion barrels, the third-largest in the world after Saudi Arabia and Iran, Iraq is also hoping the foreign investment will increase oil production. After 2.7 billion dollars spent by the US in reconstruction funds and five years of effort, Iraq is still producing less than the cited U.S. goal of three million barrels per day. The decrease in production is mainly due to oil fields having been looted and attacked by insurgents since the 2003 U.S.-led invasion, technical experts having sought asylum abroad due to violence, and the weakening of Iraq’s infrastructure after years of international sanctions. Poor weather, maintenance, and problems in a southern oil field caused by incorrectly injecting water to force out more oil has slowed production as well.
Iraq needs billions of dollars of investment to repair its equipment and increase production, experts say.
Shahristani has stated Iraq wants the deals to be in place by June, so that without any further delay the country can get its oil sector back up and running.
Producing over 90 percent of its revenues, oil is crucial to Iraq’s economy. But bringing in foreign companies has been a controversial subject in Iraq, which nationalized its oil industry in 1972. At various times politicians have raised concerns that the invasion in 2003 was especially targeted at giving Western companies easy access to Iraq’s oil. Oil Minister Shahristani maintains that the new contracts will be technical service deals, which will not allow foreign firms to keep any of the oil from the fields they work. The Iraqi government will maintain 51 percent control of the projects with foreign investors in order to rehabilitate the six oil fields already producing crude oil, and two natural gas fields.
Bids for the contracts are due in six months. By July 2009, the government is expected to sign the contracts according to spokesman Jihad. It is estimated by oil analysts that these contracts will lead to an increased oil production by 2011 or 2012..."
"is to coordinate and unify the petroleum policies of Member Countries and ensure the stabilization of oil markets in order to secure an efficient, economic and regular supply of petroleum to consumers, a steady income to producers and a fair return on capital to those investing in the petroleum industry."
"October 4 was the 50th anniversary of the launching of the first Earth satellite. October 4 also is the Feast Day of St. Francis of Assisi, Patron Saint of Ecology and minister of peace in Christ. Open your hearts every October 4 and meditate on actions for peace, with other people around the world, and expect the fruit of peaceful results in the world community."
Ministries
TV Spot: Evangelicals and Global Warming
"Research shows that Evangelicals are becoming more concerned about climate change. This is a television commercial from the Evangelical Climate Initiative featuring Dr. Joel C. Hunter, senior pastor of Northland, A Church Distributed (www.northlandchurch.net)"
*see Christians and Climate
