Drilling approved for Alaska oil reserve

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -- The U.S. Interior Department on Friday gave final approval to a plan by ConocoPhillips and partner Anadarko Petroleum Corp. to develop five tracts around the oil-rich Alpine field on Alaska's North Slope.

The department's Bureau of Land Management authorized the first commercial development of the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska, allowing the companies to go forward with developing the tracts, which are located in the northeastern corner of the reserve.

Production from these fields, which together hold more than 330 million barrels of oil, will start by 2006, according to the BLM. They will supplement production from the Alpine fields, which hold 429 million barrels and have a daily oil output of about 100,000 barrels.

Environmentalists have criticized the plan to develop these Alpine satellite fields as a rollback of environmental protections promised during the Clinton administration.

The BLM said it modified the original development proposal to offer greater protection to wildlife and sensitive habitats in the reserve.

Some of the major changes include relocating portions of the gravel access roads and pipeline routes, moving power lines and raising pipelines an additional 2 feet to 7 feet to help migrating caribou.

"It allows for the energy development our country needs, while protecting the land, water and wildlife. It will show that this, and future Arctic development, can and will be done in an environmentally sensitive way," said Assistant Secretary for Land and Minerals Management Rebecca Watson.

The petroleum reserve, the size of Indiana, was set aside in 1923 for its energy potential, but until recently it has been ignored in favor of the region to the east, around the giant Prudhoe Bay field.

The Bush administration believes the new Congress next year will approve oil drilling in the separate Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, which may hold up to 16 billion barrels of crude.

Now, why would Bush want to destroy national reservation areas in order to drill oil?... Very perplexing indeed.

I wonder which 'companies' will be getting the loot.

Now, why would Bush want to destroy national reservation areas in order to drill oil?... Very perplexing indeed.

I wonder which 'companies' will be getting the loot.


Because Iraq has turned out to be a bust.  Those nasty Iraqi terrorist/freedon fightering/nationalist/anti-occupationists keep blowing up the pipelines.  Go figure.

Do the name Halliburton ring a bell?

Now, why would Bush want to destroy national reservation areas in order to drill oil?... Very perplexing indeed.

I wonder which 'companies' will be getting the loot.


Hey, Jesus is coming and the end is nigh! We might as well use that oil now, it's just gonna go up in flames anyway when the Lord roasts the planet and all of us poor sinners left behind!  And that's the world according to the Christo-fascist neo-cons.

Hey, Jesus is coming and the end is nigh! We might as well use that oil now, it's just gonna go up in flames anyway when the Lord roasts the planet and all of us poor sinners left behind!  And that's the world according to the Christo-fascist neo-cons.


Oh yeah, that is how all Christians think...sheesh.

This oil drilling couldn't come at a better time, with gas prices around $45.00 dollars a barrel.

Oh yeah, that is how all Christians think...sheesh.

This oil drilling couldn't come at a better time, with gas prices around $45.00 dollars a barrel.


Nobody said that all Christians are hoping for armogeden, but it is clear that many fundamentalists are.  I've heard them say so.  They are the christo-fascists Max was refering to.  The same ones who thump the bible with one hand and rob you with another, who's only moral concerns have to do with gays and abortion.  As to love they neighbor, Christian charity, and thou shalt not kill, a blind eye. 

"This oil drilling" has to get past the Senate, and it still takes 60 votes to close debate.  GW, your guiys don't have 60 votes.

"This oil drilling" has to get past the Senate, and it still takes 60 votes to close debate.  GW, your guiys don't have 60 votes.


What are you talking about it?  It has already been approved!  Next is ANWR, which I am pretty sure needs only 51 votes, but could get 60 easily.  It seems CNN and Fox News both seem to think that drilling in ANWR (16 billion barrels according to the above article) is inevitable now.

I could be wrong, but not from what I have read.

Oh yeah, that is how all Christians think...sheesh.

This oil drilling couldn't come at a better time, with gas prices around $45.00 dollars a barrel.

Noooooo!  That's not how all Christians think.  In fact, Christians of good faith, IMHO, do not obsess over end-times, but focus on how to be a decent human being today.  Christians of good faith do not use religion as a cover for wanton greed and war-making as you christo-fascists do.

Let 'em go drill in ANWR.  I guarantee it'll cost far more and yield far less than its propenents now boast.  As for ecological damage, why should I believe the petroleum industry when it says they'll do minimal impact?

I am a Christian (Roman Catholic actually) and I for one don't want the world to end anytime soon, as for invaiding Alaska, what's next... Canada?  ::)