TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

Highlands Today

Oil Solutions

ADVERTISEMENT

Jesse E. James

Published: June 8, 2008

I am always amused when people think there are simple solutions to complex problems. Such is the case in Mr. Rahenkamp's letter in which he says if the U.S Government waived all restrictions on oil drilling and refinery construction, we would be energy independent in just two years.

The truth is that the U.S. is already the world's third largest producer of oil. But our appetite is so voracious that even if we were to add the entire current production of Saudi Arabia to our domestic output, an impossibility even in a generation, we would still need to import. There are presently over 3,000 oil rigs in the Gulf of Mexico. About 200 are being added yearly but nearly that number (perhaps 150-175) are taken out of service as non-productive every year. We are nearly at the point where the more we hurry, the more behind we get.

Jesse E. James
Avon Park

Share this:

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT