Deep Gulf drilling thrives 18 mos. after BP spill

[xchrom]

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_DEEPWATER_DRILLING?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2011-12-30-11-24-19

ALAMINOS CANYON BLOCK 857, GULF OF MEXICO (AP) -- Two hundred miles off the coast of Texas, ribbons of pipe are reaching for oil and natural gas deeper below the ocean's surface than ever before.

These pipes, which run nearly two miles deep, are connected to a floating platform that is so remote Shell named it Perdido, which means "lost" in Spanish. What attracted Shell to this location is a geologic formation found throughout the Gulf of Mexico that may contain enough oil to satisfy U.S. demand for two years.

While Perdido is isolated, it isn't alone. Across the Gulf, energy companies are probing dozens of new deepwater fields thanks to high oil prices and technological advances that finally make it possible to tap them.

The newfound oil will not do much to lower global oil prices. But together with increased production from onshore U.S. fields and slowing domestic demand for gasoline, it could help reduce U.S. oil imports by more than half over the next decade.


*** dear msnbc -- that oild could help here -- if it isn't exported like alaska oil.
not to mention the environmental damage could far out weigh any petro-chemical/mineral advantage.

[Bob Wallace]

1. "if it isn't exported like alaska oil"

If we export from Alaska and import from somewhere closer to the east coast refineries there is less energy lost, less CO2 produced than hauling Alaskan oil the extra distance.

We need to push heavily on getting more EVs and PHEVs on the road. We could cut our personal oil usage by 90% or more.

In the meantime I'd rather see us drilling in our own waters where we can put some pressure on safe drilling and quick cleanup rather than drilling in places where no environmental controls exist.