Better Fill up today

[Warph]

West Texas oil industry suffers case of reptile dysfunction


         


Consider this next time you pull up to the gas pump: While you wince at filling up with $4-a-gallon gas, your federal government is working hard to shut down oil production around the nation including here in Texas, the leading producer of domestic oil and gas. This folly is because of a failed energy policy that finds reasons to discourage domestic production, while promising billions to develop production in countries like Brazil.

In Texas, the latest federal shackle comes in the form of a tiny lizard. According to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the sand dune lizard — also called the dunes sagebrush lizard (Sceloporus arenicolus) — is having a rough life thanks to the booming oil and gas production in West Texas. You see, this lizard likes to live among shinnery oak shrubs on sand dunes. Problem is, there are lots of these shrubs across southeast New Mexico and West Texas, where nearly a million barrels of oil are pumped every day in an effort to secure a safe supply of domestic energy.

So, the federal government wants to list this little lizard as endangered, entitling it to regulatory protections and putting a chokehold on oil and gas exploration and production.

With so much at stake, you might think the science behind such a decision would be extensive and conclusive. Think again. Before proposing to add the dunes sagebrush lizard to the endangered species list, federal biologists visited 27 different areas among the West Texas dunes. They found the lizard in three places. If they didn't find one within an hour, they considered it rare.

Bad science leads to bad policy. And that defines the administration's domestic energy policy that seeks to close off more and more areas to oil and gas production.

Read rest of story: http://www.mysanantonio.com/opinion/commentary/article/Lizard-designation-a-threat-oil-and-gas-production-1408757.php#ixzz2ByTc72PZ

[Warph]

This is also happening in southern New Mexico, a blue state that voted for Obuma.  The local media are doing a far better job of reporting the facts than the national media.  Channel 4 in Albuquerque ran a story about the anti-lizard protest that greeted Obuma.  "Not everyone at the airport in Roswell was there to give President Barack Obama a warm welcome," the station noted in a story complete with video. "A group of protesters were speaking out against federal protection for the Dunes Sagebrush Lizard. The protesters said putting the lizard on the endangered species list would make drilling in southeastern New Mexico more difficult."

Citizens in New Mexico are distributing a flyer that says a final decision to list the lizard will be at the sole discretion of U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Director Dan Ashe, and that he may make a ruling in June. 
They say the impact will be the following:

*Slowing in oil & gas production that could cost jobs in southeast New Mexico.

*Increased costs to utility companies to meet regulations, therefore higher costs to consumers.

*Restriction in sheep and cattle production, limitations on control of noxious weeds, and a threat to their agricultural way of life.

*Restrictions in recreational uses of federal lands.

*A ripple effect from all of the above on retailers, service industry and other businesses.

*Negative impact on the state budget that funds our schools and other services.

*Overall negative impact on the economy and our way of life.

They have a Facebook page "Protest the Listing: Lizard 2012."
https://www.facebook.com/LizardProtest

[frawin]

Our neighborhood pump price is $2.90 this morning. I am going to fill both vehicles, if the Israeli conflict escalates and Iran and others get into it crude oil will be going way up. Crude is up already this morning.

[larryJ]

I've noticed in the past two months that the price of gas here in SoCal has dropped from $4.49, average, to $3.69.  A significant decrease and it hasn't risen much in anticipation of the holiday travelers.  Go figure.

Larryj

[jarhead]

Larry,
If you can figure it out you are smarter than me ( best not say nothing smart ass, Doc )
In the past this Israel/Gaza thing would have sent gas prices shooting up.

[frawin]

America is producing more crude everyday and at the same time we are reducing our dependence on Hydrocarbon Energy. There are more Hybrid Vehicles, more total electric vehicles, more CNG powered cars, pickups and CNG powered big tractor trailer rigs. Get OBuma out of there and we will do even better. Also, wind power, solar power, more efficient heating cooling units, better insulation, more efficient engines are all contributing to the reduction in our dependence on oil and more importantly foreign oil. The use of natural gas in generation results in a big reduction in fuel oil hence crude oil consumption.


"America's energy bonanza: U.S. crude oil production reaches 17-year high in October, net oil imports are lowest in 20 years
Mark J. Perry | October 12, 2012, 4:24 pm
U.S. field production of crude oil surged to the highest level in more than 17 years during the first week of October, when almost 6.6 million barrels per day were produced domestically according to new data released this week by the Department of Energy's Energy Information Administration.  Crude oil production in the U.S. hasn't been that high since May of 1995, see chart above.

As a result of the surging domestic shale oil production this year in North Dakota and Texas, net oil imports fell to below 42% during the first nine months of this year, which is the lowest level of net oil imports for the U.S. in 20 years going back to 1992.

And several announcements this week by energy-giant Continental Resources suggest that America's energy bonanza will continue in the coming years:

1."Continental Resources Inc. says a shale-oil discovery in Oklahoma may add the equivalent of 1.8 billion barrels of crude to the company's reserves as it drills more than 2,000 wells in coming years."

2. "Continental Resources announced a new five-year growth plan to triple production and proved reserves by year-end 2017. According to its strategic growth plan, the Company plans to generate average production of 300,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day in 2017 (from the current level of 95,000 bpd)."

As I've mentioned previously, America's booming energy sector has emerged in recent years as the strongest single sector of the U.S. economy, and continues to deliver a powerful energy-driven stimulus to the nation's otherwise struggling, sub-par economy.  Along with the surging domestic oil output comes energy prosperity in the form of thousands of high-paying shovel-ready direct and indirect jobs, increased construction activity for housing, millions of dollars in royalty payments to farmers and landowners, and greater energy independence."

[Warph]

Larry,
If you can figure it out you are smarter than me ( best not say nothing smart ass, Doc )
In the past this Israel/Gaza thing would have sent gas prices shooting up.

It seems like when the stock market drops, the price of oil drops, price of gas at the pump drops.

this past quarter:

WTI Crude Oil
$88.26  ▼0.02     0.02% 
0:07 AM EST - 2012.11.25

[Warph]

Regular gas dropped to $2.99 cents a gal. here in Surprise, AZ today. 

Also, speaking of gas, for those that didn't know....

On the average a gaseous fart is composed of about 59% nitrogen, 21% hydrogen, 9% carbon dioxide, 7% methane, and 4% oxygen.  Less than 1% is what makes them stink.  A person produces about half a liter of farts a day and they have been clocked at a speed of 10 feet per second and the temperature of a fart at time of creation is 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit.  They are usually created by E. Cloli.

The word "fart" comes from the Old English "feortan" (meaning "to break wind").  Thought all of you 'gas pumpers' would like to know where you stood on this.

[W. Gray]

Wow, I just paid 3.25 on the 18th. I just viewed the highs and lows here and my station has 2.95 for regular, which is the lowest in the area. The range is up to 3.15.

[flintauqua]

It's ranginf from 2.95 to 3.05 here in NW Ark.  KOTV reported today that gas was as low as 2.76 in Tulsa.