Bush calls to end ban on off shore drilling.

[Andy]

I know where you are going with this, the pipe is owned by TAPS usually. Other contract/ownership companies do other things. There is no question of monopoly. It was the CEO of major oil field contractor VECO that bribed at least 3 state lawmakers which has led to a major scandal that was happening in Alaska a 12-24 months ago. Lead to over 6 felony convictions ranging from CEO Bill Allen(who was already quite famous in Alaska and overall well liked) to 2 state reps and 1 senator. A much wider investigation is still taking place that could reach the US Senate.

That's all great. It really is. To me this shows that our legal system is working. I am a bit confused by why $500 million given to Clinton during the 90s as a 'consultant' was never questioned, when he never spent a single day at the corporate offices... but, that said, all these people should be nailed to the wall, and rightfully are.

Granted, I actually don't support the laws against money given to politicians by corporations. The reason is, I would rather have the exchange of money be open and public, than have laws that cause money to be exchanged through hidden means. I would rather know a politician is getting paid by X company, than have them get paid in back room deal and not know, and hope there's an off chance the FBI finds them. Look at some of the politicos in the Senate even now who have all their income through blind trust funds... as in, someone is paying them, but we have no idea who...

Not sure what this had to do with drilling though.

Exxon Mobil owns the majority of the leases at Pt Thompson and has owned them for at least 25 years. They did have the capital to develop it, what this really boils down to is the lawsuit over the spill.

I guess my point was, that if these leases are held by Pt Thompson, then if Pt Thompson doesn't have the capital, it doesn't matter what Exxon has. (assuming that have a split corp setup)

For example, when I worked at Wendy's, the Wendy's Int. Corp. Was making record income, but my specific store was barely making a profit. As such, the management at the Wendy's I worked at, couldn't afford any pay increases, regardless of what the corporate office was doing. Each Wendy's store was "make or break" on an individual basis. If Exxon does the same with it's satellite companies, then Exxon's net profits are irrelevant.

Of course, this is all speculation based on economics. It's a stab in the dark because no other information is available.

How exactly did the oil spill have anything to do with prevent drilling? Did the lawsuit prevent further exploration and drilling?

The State of Alaska is fetching up $500m and a fast track on any land issues and helping with the necessary infastructure to put in place the Alaska Gasline that will bring 35trillion cubic feet of natgas into the midwest, and bring the oil pipeline back to capacity, along with I am sure plenty of further investment through the PermFund.
The State of Alaska has bent over backwards to providing a resource to Americans through third party companies such as BP, Conoco, and Exxon who have taken 15bill barrels of oil so far.

I agree with fast track, assuming I understand it correctly as simply cutting red tape that prevents such deals from happening for years.

I disagree with the Federal government taking money from tax payers, to give to specific group of people for personal use. In fact, I'd suggest it isn't constitutional. Further, I disagree with federally held land, except for military and government functional use, which I believe this is constitutional as well.

That said, none of this really answers my question. Companies don't do things that benefit the company for a reason. A: there's no money in it. B: it isn't possible. C: There is too much risk. D: The taxes and regulations end up preventing it from being profitable.

It has to be one of these. Is it possible that the reason VECO was spending so much cash to change a law, is because under the current tax law, drilling and exploring wasn't profitable there, which is why they haven't done it yet?

 

[Andy]

Fair enough, I have nothing with you owning stock. Ultimately, the attitude and corporate practices they have undertaken in Alaska is hurting thier bottom line. They are going to lose the biggest untapped oil field outside of ANWR in America because of it. Shell on the other hand is fairly new to the state but has behaved themselves to this point, and it is rumored they will buy up the soon to be revoked leases.

The problem with Shell is, they blow too much money on alternative sources of energy, none of which have a snow balls chance in... some place warm. As a result, Exxon is the de-facto leader in the oil industry for their novel approach of.... selling oil... given they are an oil company. (shocking idea).

As far as it relates to this discussion... knowing Exxon, if they could make money in Alaska, they would have.

 

[Sihouette]

1. 911 (give the excuse for Big Oil to initiate the hostile corporate takeover of the Middle East)

2. The ensuing war and establishment of the US puppet goverment there: (excuse to raise gas prices artificially, while claiming legitimacy based on "supply and demand" and "we're at war".

3. Puppet government allows all the US Big Oil corporations back in business just before Bush leaves office.

Wow, If I didn't know any better I'd think the whole thing was rigged by Big Oil Executive.

Oh, I forgot

5. George Bush SR. Head of covert ops at the CIA for years.

6. Bush family's main income: Big Oil...

You think....

nah...just a coincidence.. It's not gas you're pumping into your tank, it's the blood of fallen soldiers and Iraqui citizens.

If there is a Hell...I know who's on the Concord Jet headed there..

 

[Andy]

1. 911 (give the excuse for Big Oil to initiate the hostile corporate takeover of the Middle East)

False.

2. The ensuing war and establishment of the US puppet goverment there: (excuse to raise gas prices artificially, while claiming legitimacy based on "supply and demand" and "we're at war".

No one is artificially raising gas prices... it's called supply and demand. Learn some economics.

3. Puppet government allows all the US Big Oil corporations back in business just before Bush leaves office.

The puppet government which in the past kept making choices that drove our government nutz? Not much of a puppet. It's almost like their autonomous or something.

Wow, If I didn't know any better I'd think the whole thing was rigged by Big Oil Executive.

You got that right... you don't know any better. Which is why you believe silly quasi-theories.

5. George Bush SR. Head of covert ops at the CIA for years.

Completely irrelevant like the rest of this post.

6. Bush family's main income: Big Oil...

Right, that's about as ignorant a thought, I have heard yet. If their main income was oil profits, then opening new land drill and produce oil which would (supply and demand) increase supply and drop price, would be the least intelligent thing to do. This is so obviously stupid, I can't believe you actually posted it.

If Bush was getting oil profits, the best choice he could make would be to increase restrictions on oil production, thereby keeping supply low, and price high, resulting in higher price and billions made. Open general question: Is there anyone here that thinks before they post?

nah...just a coincidence.. It's not gas you're pumping into your tank, it's the blood of fallen soldiers and Iraqui citizens.

Iraqis that love us, and want us there till the job is done. And our soldiers that know they are making the world a safer place, thank you very much.

 

[Sihouette]

Oh riggggghhhhhttt.

BigOil isn't/hasn't artificially inflated the price of crude oil to manipulate the public...ever...They're not in bed with those folks who set the prices on crude...OK....check.

Thanks for enlightening me. I sometimes forget how honest and benevolent BigOil really is. After all, they've done us the favor for many decades now of keeping us from R&Ding those "silly" energy alternative systems for domestic and transportation and industry use. Thank goodness we've had them all these many years to tell us how it is and keep us hamstrung and dependant on their hugely profitable foreign oil operations..

God Bless Big Oil!

 

[GenSeneca]

God Bless Big Oil!

I take it you have completely eliminated all things oil related from your life?
Didn't think so...

How "Green" are you anyway? Can't be 100%, computers are made with parts that came from Oil and you use the Computer. The "dependence" crowd needs to become energy independent on the individual level, on their own, and then they can preach to me about how its done. If we really wanted energy independence, we would aim to find ways to make individuals energy indepenent - not the collective.

 

[Andy]

Oh riggggghhhhhttt.

BigOil isn't/hasn't artificially inflated the price of crude oil to manipulate the public...ever...They're not in bed with those folks who set the prices on crude...OK....check.

Um... yeah, that's right! They just sell the crude on a WORLD market... just like everyone else, and the price is caused by SUPPLY AND DEMAND, on the market... just like everything else.

See what you would have to claim, is that every single oil producing company and oil well owner in the entire world all got together, every single one of them from every nation, and said... let's raise oil! Bull. Wake up and learn some economics.

Thanks for enlightening me. I sometimes forget how honest and benevolent BigOil really is. After all, they've done us the favor for many decades now of keeping us from R&Ding those "silly" energy alternative systems for domestic and transportation and industry use. Thank goodness we've had them all these many years to tell us how it is and keep us hamstrung and dependant on their hugely profitable foreign oil operations..

God Bless Big Oil!

Ignorant stupidity... If you were stupid enough to save up your money to pay someone to research 'energy alternatives' what in blasted world could the oil companies do to stop you from being stupid? NOTHING FOREST!

The reason why so little money is spent on alternative energy is because... THEY SUCK! Are you a public school student? This would explain the ignorance here.

Oil companies are not benevolent... they simply sell a product... that's it. Why do you think they should be? And again.. oil companies don't set the price... it's a free market. Go learn some economics. You clearly know nothing or you wouldn't randomly whine here.

 

[Dr.Who]

Oh riggggghhhhhttt.

BigOil isn't/hasn't artificially inflated the price of crude oil to manipulate the public...ever...They're not in bed with those folks who set the prices on crude...OK....check.

If you are going to spend so much time slandering people it might be nice to back up what you say.

If they are doing something wrong by all means let's prosecute them. If not then you shouldn't say bad things without reason.