Oil Company Executives Say Energy Independence Is a Myth

[4dsc]

I know this is an old article but it needs repeated..

http://biz.yahoo.com/ap/061030/oil_outlook.html?.v=1

Energy independence for the United States is a dream. Interdependence on Arab oil-producing nations, especially Saudi Arabia, is the reality, domestic oil company executives said Monday, days after their firms reported $25 billion in combined quarterly profits.

The fact that energy "independence" remains in the vocabulary of lawmakers and others involved in the policy debate is a "flaw of perception," Shell Oil Co. President John Hofmeister said. Shell's parent company, Royal Dutch Shell PLC, last week reported a third-quarter net profit of $5.94 billion.

"That flaw of perception is no accident and has been introduced by political considerations," said James Schlesinger, chairman of the board at Mitre Corp. and former secretary of the departments of Defense and Energy. He moderated Monday's panel sponsored by the National Council on U.S.-Arab Relations.

[still_one]

1. What a defeatist piece of bullshit

It is that type of thinking that is destroying our country

This country was started because of a can-do attitude, not what CANNOT BE DONE

This is where the Democrats MUST TAKE THE LEAD

[HawkerHurricane]

6. Not defeatist...

Self Serving Bullshit.

The Oil Companies KNOW that energy independence will have to come with a major cut in oil use. We could be energy independent in 10 years IF we were willing to pay the price using coal alone...using a mix of sources (wind, solar, coal, nuke, local oil, and the hope for Next Tech Breakthrouh) we can and WILL be independent of Mid East Oil...
Too bad that will probably bankrupt the oil companies.
Which is why they say it's a myth...

[NNadir]

11. I agree, but personally, I would leave out the coal.

I also don't agree about "waiting for the next tech breakthrough."

We already know enough about how to replace oil to do it. The question is not one of more research but of rational pilotig and industrialization. The word rational necessarily places nuclear energy at the top of the list.

[HawkerHurricane]

15. Given a choice, I would too.

But, even though it's nasty, dirty, smelly, poluting, cancerous, enviormentally unsound, awful stuff, we have a great deal of it. We could, if we were in a hurry, be free of all imported oil in a decade "If we were willing to pay the price" in polution, cancer, and enviormental damage. I say, let's shoot for 25 years and use little coal. Nuclear would be on the list (top? Maybe) but, like the coal, it has to be done *right*. None of this subsidize the cost of building, subsidize the cost of clean up, and none of the subsidize the cost of storing the waste... if it can't pay for itself, then it can't compete.

[JBear]

8. Hhhmmmm....

This is what they said about Brazil too....

:bounce:

[Cerridwen]

2. The fox tells the hens that foxes killing hens is a myth.

My first thought when I hear energy independence is industrial hemp/bio diesel/and hemp plastics.

In my fondest dreams, we have a discussion in this country about alternatives to petroleum, and the oil industry is NOT invited or heard.

[silverweb]

14. Exactly!

I'm there with you!

[TAPat]

3. Well of course they do! nt

[acmavm]

4. I may be being simplistic but I recall what America was able to

do during WWII when access to the rubber trees in Asia was cut off to us.

[AnneD]

5. They had ...

record profits this year. Of course they don't want independence. You can see through that like a fast food sliced tomato.

[katsy]

7. okey dokey...

and man will never set foot on the moon either.

NOW step away from your windfall profits with your hands up. We have you surrounded.

bwahahahahaha

:rofl:

[JDPriestly]

9. If you had told me about the internet 30 years ago, I would have

said -- Impossible. You're crazy. But here we are, and the future is full of possibilities.

[rpannier]

10. thanks for settling that issue

I mean who could possibly be less biased than oil company execs?
:sarcasm:
:puke:

[Massacure]

12. Massacure says Oil Company Executive's Intelligence is a Myth.

Intelligence for oil company executives is a dream. Interdependence on stupidity, especially British Petroleum, is the reality, Massacure said Saturday, days after he paid greater than two dollars per gallon at the pump.

The fact that "intelligence" remains in the vocabulary of lawmakers and others involved in the policy debate is a "flaw of perception," U.S. citizen Massacure said. Shell's parent company, Royal Dutch Shell PLC, last week reported a third-quarter net profit of $5.94 billion.

That flaw of perception is no accident and has been introduced by stupidity. Intelligence and Money are mutually exclusive for oil company executives. Since oil companies have money, they must obviously be doing stupid things to earn it, like killing their employees, Masssacure explained. Money is maid by cutting costs, such as worker safety, and people have gotten killed. Therefore there is no safety.

[Porcupine]

13. I think they're right. We aren't changing till it's too late.

In order to be energy independent everyone has to reduce their oil consumption by 1/2 tomorrow and increase that savings by %5 yearly. This is simply not going to happen.

At our local natural foods co-op they are refusing to sell meat, it's a big deal prompting much conversation and gnashing of teeth. Every second vehicle in THAT parking lot is a SUV or pickup. This in a almost flat N. California town where you can bike from any spot to any other in 40 mins.

Weaning ourselves off imported oil will take nothing less than a complete change of our culture. We will have to change everything from how and who we date to how we schedule our work lives. It would be as if we were going to tell every person in america that they were going to be Amish the week after next.

Just not happening.

[4dsc]

16. You are correct sir!!

Noboby here is going to cut their use of oil in 1/2 tomorrow or next week or next year.. We are not going collectively make the sacrifice necessary to even come close to making us energy independent.

Most of the posters here obviously don't realize the amount of energy we get from oil is not going to be replaced by wind, solor and other so called renewables.. And coal will peak too sometime in this century so what will that leave our grandchildren??