Government says huge oil fields in N.D., Mont.

The government estimated Thursday that up to 4.3 billion barrels of oil can be recovered from the Bakken shale formation in North Dakota and Montana, using current technology.

[AvidTrober]

We were told back in the 80s about the Green River shale formation, that, yes, it contains a lot of oil. But, shale is very porous, just not permeable; therefore, it takes more than just pumping it out of the ground like sands.

Not sure what latest technology can overcome that, and doing so with less energy than what it gets out of it. Or, at least at an economical/competitive ratio.

[JCD]

More supply on the market will take the sting out of the pump. I would rather buy from American oil than Saudi oil on any given day.

[Lance Winslow]

Why dig two miles down for oil shale which costs $80/bbl to get the oil out, when the same two mile dig will get clean geothermal sources?

[too droll to troll]

yada yada yada, and Bush says the economy is rosy, and the surge is working.

[obamas tax plan]

The Democrats can't wait to get their hands on new taxes on oil production. They'll do everything possible to punish successful oil companies. The price of gas will never come down again. Tax at the pumps is too noticable. Tax on the oil companies will be billed as "tax the rich".

[Donny]

Lance Winslow wrote:

Why dig two miles down for oil shale which costs $80/bbl to get the oil out, when the same two mile dig will get clean geothermal sources?

A very good point!

[twelve]

Peak oil means cheap oil/fuel is gone.And prices keep peaking
Like peak food, peak metals copper etc, peak other materials.

How much
Cost to extract
Cost to refine to gasoline etc.
Cost to buy

True some oil is better than less, but it dosent mean the price would get cheaper.

Also be it prices did get cheaper demand would skyrocket worldwide and push the prices right back up. Call it chain cycle critical mass effect.

Feast and Famine or lean times are a fact of life in a fallen universe. Its really irritating when people blame this person or that person.

I'm sure their is some dumb kingdom out their to blame for the worlds problems but any one person nope their isn't.

Also whats irritating is when people whine when famine lean times come, like they thought they were living in heaven or a perfect world or something.

As it says hope deferred makes the heart sick, thats why you suppose to hope for the best and expect that worse can happen.All while in reality
that we are not in a perfect world or in Heaven.

Where crisis or cataclysmic events can happen at anytime.

[Leria]

twelve, you have bought into the reasoning that we have 'reached peak oil'. That is nowhere near the case, there are big oil fields under most states (including MARYLAND of all states) that have yet to be tapped.

Secondly, if there was more oil, the prices would get cheaper, as they would if we would stop allowing oil speculation and disallow any MENTION of the fallacy of 'peak oil' from the commodities markets.

Thirdly, we are not in a 'lean time'. We are in a time where our 'leaders' have messed up our government and our country SO BADLY, that it is going to take the Democrats and Independents years to fix the problems.

[Bill R]

obamas tax plan wrote:

The Democrats can't wait to get their hands on new taxes on oil production. They'll do everything possible to punish successful oil companies. The price of gas will never come down again. Tax at the pumps is too noticable. Tax on the oil companies will be billed as "tax the rich".

And pray tell, when will Democrats ever understand
that corporations do not pay taxes? The taxes they
theoretically pay or would pay are raised thru
the sale of whatever product or service they
provide. You and I pay the taxes for the corpora-
tions and if you believe otherwise, you are
deluding yourself.

[Bill R]

Just as there is no place in the United States,
including Yucca Mountain, that would be acceptable
to the lawsuit wielding environmentalists, you
can bet your last dollar that any announcement of
the intent to go after the oil shale in North
Dakota, Montana, or anywhere in the Southwest
would be greeted with the same condemnation.
Anwar and Yucca Mountain are the templates for
preventing any development of our natural resources.

[David Glick]

Lance Winslow wrote:

Why dig two miles down for oil shale which costs $80/bbl to get the oil out, when the same two mile dig will get clean geothermal sources?

Hmmm.....Have they come up with some new way of powering our cars that I haven't heard of? Not sure how they're going to capture "geothermal sources," put it in a tank, and propel our cars. Should be interesting though. Look, geothermal energy is great, but it aint going to get me to the supermarket.

[obamas tax plan]

Bill R wrote:

<quoted text>
And pray tell, when will Democrats ever understand
that corporations do not pay taxes? The taxes they
theoretically pay or would pay are raised thru
the sale of whatever product or service they
provide. You and I pay the taxes for the corpora-
tions and if you believe otherwise, you are
deluding yourself.

You're right and you're wrong. Oil companies pay huge taxes which they pass right along to the consumers. That's why the price of gas will never come down. More taxes will just be passed straight to us. The Democrats will increase our taxes any way they can and call it "tax the rich". We used to pay out Social Security withholdings after $30,000 of income, now it's $100,000. That increase was passed as "tax the rich". If you make $40,000 you meet the Democrats' definition of "rich".

[leo from shanghai]

there are WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION hidden in n. dakota and montana! we should attack before MUSHROOM CLOUD over u.s. city! BISMARK BOB says u.s. in for MOTHER OF ALL BATTLES! CANADA gives okay for u.s. to launch strikes from ALBERTA CANADA air bases. RUSH LIMBAUGH says he will stay at florida estate and cheer on brave u.s. soldiers! BUSH trying to move aircraft carrier to montana for MISSION ACCOMPLISHED photo op!

[john]

theres 10 times that much under and in the gulf around florida ,, time to drill, hell its just a third world now and all the caucs are leaving as the foreigners who dont speak english steal thier childrens education , take up time and space in every emergency room , the welfare office , the unemployment line , and try and get a job , i speak french and german and they tell me i am not qual as bi lingal ,, send illegals home now!!!!

[john k]

nice article iria. sounds really good for n. d. and that region. in new jersy we have refineries and storage but the sentiment is no drilling off the cost. new jersey has not been well managed and is having alot of cuts in revenue. do you know the risks of drilling off the coasts or any reported problems from drilling in the gulf which causes this sentiment of no drilling? is it practical or is it wealthy sentiment that doesn't want it? thanks much appreciated?

[john k]

did a quick search on oil drilling off the east coast. bush senior had a moratorim of no drilling till 2000. president clinton extened it till 2012. nancy pelosi is totally against it. this is why the coast of energy is so high for the american people. unbelievable! this is our gov't. totaly clueless about what is going on. democrats are really annoying me. they really appear uneducated for their jobs.

[Jones]

Clearly, the discovery of the huge oil field in North Dakota and Montana it is ‘gift from heaven’ to the American people that need help in eliminating their dependency on their worst enemy ever which are the radical Islamic terrorists regimes.
It is critical for the American people to use their own huge energy resources that were banned by Bill Clinton and the Dems in 1995 when Bill Clinton vetoed Congress resolution calling for drilling in ANWR, Alaska.
Bill Clinton’s damaging and suicidal decision cost the American people trillions of dollars that were paid to Saudi Arabia that used it for al Qaida Islamic terrorists attack on America on 9/11 2001, including financing the Iranian regime nuclear WMDs with skyrocketing crude oil price.
The only question is who will be the anti-American Congressmen that will aim at stopping the American corporations from drilling in North Dakota and Montana and saving America from its dependence on the radical Islamic evil enemy.
It is a moment of truth for the future of America that must be independent about its energy sources and use its own resources.
It is time to fight relentlessly and defeat the treasonous left wing liberal America hater socialist politicians that support the Islamic terrorist regimes and preventing US from using its own oil resources.

[Jones]

Bill R wrote:

<quoted text>
And pray tell, when will Democrats ever understand
that corporations do not pay taxes? The taxes they
theoretically pay or would pay are raised thru
the sale of whatever product or service they
provide. You and I pay the taxes for the corpora-
tions and if you believe otherwise, you are
deluding yourself.

Why should you lie to the American people only to push your American corporation hatred agenda...? The oil companies paid more than trillion dollars tax during the recent 10 years and they paid 119 billion dollars tax to US government this year alone.
It is time to tell the truth to the American people on US corporations’ taxes and contribution to American economy. It is time to stop the cheap agenda of the Clintonian left wing liberal anti-American socialists that is based of lying and deceiving the American people.

[john k]

i found out too (where have i been) that that robert menendez (i won't go there about what i read about him)and frank lautenburg want to permantly ban coastal drilling. they have been running this state into the ground. also,frank pallone d.,frank labiondo r., jim saxton r., and chris smith r. all are against drilling and fueling this high energy inflation on the new jersey consumer. i guess they haven't gotten their bill passed yet. virginia is being aloud to drill i believe and their up in arms about it. stating oil spills it would bring to n.j. tourism. my family owns a house on l.b.i. and im for drilling. i believe the fears are bullass s!@#. biofuls don't help either. they are trying to use gold dust with platinum and palladium i catalytic converters to cut down on polltion. kinder morgan (good guy)is experimenting with shipping ethanol short distances in pipelines beacause it gets moisture and makes it no good. shipping problems and the cost to make it buy burning natural gas just adds to the problem. keep it simple stupid and stp pyling all this bullshit on top of the american people. amen

[Rhett]

We can't dig for any oil.
Digging will uproot and destroy some trees and grass and will be unsightly.

Thank you,

Moira Duncemill, President
The Sierra Club
(Hug a tree)