It's late, and I'm no expert, so tell me where I'm wrong here...

[livingonearth]

There seems to be a general idea out there among the "drill baby drillers" that if we drill for oil within U.S. waters the oil obtained will somehow go right to America, making us less dependant on foreign oil. But, in reality, does not the oil go on the world market for sale to anyone coming up with the going price? Think about it: if an oil company drills a well in U.S Gulf waters after obtaining a lease, does not the oil they obtain belong to that company to sell anywhere they want, especially if they are an international company such as BP? If an oil company were forced to sell only in the U.S. they'd be calling it a government takeover of their rights. In fact, such a rule might even be viewed as a type of "nationalization" of American oil.

I don't think oil companies, especially international ones, are being patriotic in promoting "drill here drill now". They just want the oil. It's not a matter of making us independent, but to grab up the leases and drilling rights before the competition. They don't care where the oil they sell comes from, as long as it's profitable for them. Likewise, our economy doesn't really care where its oil comes from either, as long as there is a supply that is affordable.

As far as not wanting to be dependant on foreign oil is concerned, it may actually be wiser to deny drilling leases. Just think, in the event our nation's supply of oil were to ever be cut off from foreign oil, would it not have been wiser to have saved our own oil, instead of letting the big oil companies sell it off for profit?

[KT2000]

1. Yes - it is my understanding

that the oil from this spill was intended for foreign markets.

[Ozymanithrax]

2. Yes, you are right about oil being sold on the international market...

One thing to remember about drilling leases, it takes years to get a well drilled. The worlds drilling rigs are on waiting lists of five or more years. So, we can not simply drill our way out of a drastic shortage. If there are no wells ready to tap when a shortage happens then we will just not have oil, or be left ot send the military to take it form someone else.

[livingonearth]

6. Good point about the time lapse from getting a lease to drilling.

I didn't think about that.

However, I do wish someone could point out to the "drill now" folks that the oil goes into the hands of oil companies with global interests who don't care whether we are dependent on foreign oil or not. In fact, the oil companies are the ones selling us the foreign oil.

[doublethink]

3. You are more of an expert on this subject then you think ..

:) .... you explained it nicely, short and to the point. K&R.

[Electric Monk]

9. +1 k&r

[Kablooie]

4. Yep. Drilling in America does nothing to make the country independent.

It just makes the people who get a share of the the lease money independent.

[obxhead]

5. Correct

The oil does go on the world market to be sold to the highest bidder. Saving it is an idea, but it's simply too valuable to let sit there. As the global supply of oil becomes more and more scarce the places they drill are determined by the profit margin. These drilling rights are sold to the public based on the job creation and supposed lower oil costs to us now. I suspect the reality is that most of drilling rights given are directly proportional to campaign contributions and or other gifts by various politicians.

In any event, I don't think hording our oil just in case of X event is any kind of answer. The only solution is to no longer use it in the first place. It should be looked at as an opportunity to propel us into the future. Instead it is used as a shackle that is slowly poisoning us simply for profit. If we could get beyond oil, free ourselves of the shackles of it, then we could stop all drilling in the gulf by simply running taxes up on the oil companies so high that it is no longer profitable at any price.

Figure out a way for that to happen and I'm all ears.

[Raine]

7. Yup most of that oil was not for America

it was going for international sales.

[K8-EEE]

8. Yes, and so we can NEVER be "energy independent" in an oil-based economy

It really makes me furious that nobody in the Librul Media ever makes this MOST OBVIOUS POINT when they start spouting that rubbish.

[TheKentuckian]

10. You got it. Now combine that with our minimal reserves

and we're pretty much pissing up a rope. We can't meaningfully impact price or supply nor do we get our own oil so the whole deal is highly fraudulent.