I wish to personally thank the Owners of Thermcor Inc (The place where I work) for issuing a formal ban on obtaining gas using a company vehicle from gas stations that use foreign oil! You are listening and THANK YOU!! It makes me proud to work for you!
"We must take other steps, such as increasing conservation, developing an ethanol industry, and increasing CAFE standards if we are to make our country safer by cutting our reliance on foreign oil."
Jim Costa
Congressman for Calif
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
Monday, May 9, 2011
Have you ever wondered about the word Crusade that Bush uses when speaking of the invasions against terrorism on REPEATED public speakings... Also think about the last time Crusade was used. I believe it was called the Christian Crusades... This time.. its more about OIL crusades
George W. Bush embarked on the casual snuffing out of uncounted, unique, human lives in majority Muslim populations, chillingly called it a "Crusade." President Barack Hussein Nobel Obama did not go that far, he left that to the French Minister of the Interior, Claude Gueant who, on 21st March, praised President Nicholas Sarkozy for having: "headed the Crusade ..."
For the "change we can believe in" President, reducing another ancient land of eye watering archeological gems, massive oil and water resources and a population of six million - little more than Scotland - it is, reportedly, a "turd sandwich."
Humanity is not "at the crossroads." It is on the Cross, scourged, nailed (in all senses) and utterly inconsequential, in face of murdering, marauding, looting Empire.
When President Obama: "updated the American people on the international effort we have led in Libya", on 29th March, he stated that: "we are naturally reluctant to use force to solve the world's many challenges" and referred to: "our interests ..." being: "at stake." Reluctance would be a first. America's bombing for "interests" would be an encylopaedia.
Colonel Quaddafi, had, of course, stated the President: "denied his people freedom, exploited their wealth, murdered opponents at home and abroad, and terrorized innocent people around the world ..." busy man. Heaven forbid "NATO's" blitzkrieg should send the occasional shiver down a spine.
However, interestingly, at the end of March, a Report was due to be presented by the UN Human Rights Council leading to a Resolution commending Libya's progress in a wide aspect of human rights. Numerous quotes from UN diplomatic delegations of many countries commented. Citations included: " ... achieving a high school enrolment rate and improvements in the education of women", Libya's: " ... serious commitment to, and interaction with, the Human Rights Council ... enhanced development of human rights ... while respecting cultural and religious traditions."
Also mentioned was: " ... establishment of the national independent institution entrusted with promoting human rights, which had many of the competencies set out in the Paris Principles." The country had: "become party to many human rights conventions and had equipped itself with a number of institutions, national, governmental and non governmental tasked with promoting human rights ..."
The country was commended: "for the progress made in the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals, namely universal primary education (and) firm commitment (to) health care." There was "praise" for "cooperation with international organizations in combating human trafficking and corruption .." and for cooperation with "the International Organization for Migration."
"Progress in enjoyment of economic and social rights, including in the areas of education, health care, poverty reduction and social welfare" with "measures taken to promote transparency", were also cited. Malaysia: "Commended the Libyan Arab Jamahiriya for being party to a significant number of international and regional human rights instruments." Promotion: "of the rights of persons with disabilities" and praise for "measures taken with regard to low income families", were cited.
In May 2010, Libya had also been voted on to the UN Human Rights Council by a veritable landslide, 155 of 192 UN General Assembly votes. As noted previously (i) Libya comes top in Africa on the Human Development Index, which measures longevity (the longest) infant mortality (the lowest) education, health services, well being. (ii)
All that said, before this publication is flooded with complaints about the writer's naivety, "propagandist flights of fancy" (an orchestrated old favourite) or whatever, some of the countries making positive recommendations regarding Libya did not have the most shining human rights records. But then the US., UK., and NATO Member countries, pontificate from the high moral molehills of the mass graves of the Balkans, Afghanistan, Iraq, overtly, and Yemen, Somalia and other countries, covertly. And of course there is Guantanamo, Bagram, Abu Ghraib, rendition flights and secret torture programmes and prisons across the globe for US., UK., convenience.(iii)
Further, in a train wreck of factual inaccuracies in President Obama's speech, a (possibly) Freudian slip crept in. "Benghazi", he said, was: "a city nearly the size of Charlotte" in danger of suffering: "a massacre (staining) the conscience of the world."
A quick check shows that Charlotte, North Carolina: 'has a major base of energy orientated organisations and has become known as "Charlotte, USA - The New energy Capital." In the region there are 240+ companies directly tied to the energy sector ... Major players are AREVA, Babcock and Wilcox, Duke Energy, Electric Power Research Institute, Fluor, Metso Power, Piedemont Natural Gas, Siemens Energy, Shaw Group, Toshiba, URS Corp., and Westinghouse.The University of North Carolina at Charlotte has a reputation in energy education and research and its “Energy Production and Infrastructure Center” trains energy engineers and conducts research." ' (Wikipedia.)
Whilst many respected oil experts have argued that since so many western energy companies operate in Libya, this is not about oil, there are some points worth pondering. All companies operating in Libya must have Libyan partners, entitled to 35% of profits.(iv) Trading is via the Libyan Central Bank, in the Libyan Dinar, not US$s. The Libyan Central Bank is also independently outside the IMF and the World Bank.
There are only 5 nations without a Rothschild model central bank: North Korea, Iran, Sudan, Cuba and Libya.
There were two others: Afghanistan and Iraq, but they were gobbled up by the international banking system within a heartbeat of the invasions.
So how does the all tie together? Libya, in March being praised by the Majority of the UN., for human rights progress across the board, to being the latest, bombarded international pariah? A nation's destruction enshrined in a UN., Resolution?
The answer lies in part with the Geneva based UN Watch.(vii) UN Watch is : "a non-governmental organization whose mandate is to monitor the performance of the United Nations." With Consultative Status to the UN Economic and Social Council, with ties to the UN Department of Public Information, "UN Watch is affiliated with the American Jewish Committee." (AJC.)
Among those involved in UN Watch are Co-Chair, AJC's David A. Harris. Core values: "AJC has long believed that the development of a comprehensive U.S., energy program is essential to the economic and social well-being of our country." Their website is an exceptionally instructive listen and read. (viii)
Ambassador Alfred Moses, former US Ambassador to Romania, Heads UN Watch. His company, Secure Energy's Mission : "Improving US., Energy security", "Securing America's Energy Future." (ix)
Board Member Ruth Wedgwood is : "an international law expert ... at the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) a former member of Donald Rumsfeld's Defence Policy Board (formerly headed by Richard Perle.) Closely associated with: "a number of neo-conservative and rightist pro-Israeli groups - including Freedom House, UN Watch and Benador Associates - a neo-con dominated public relations firm." She "has been a vocal advocate of the war on terror ... strong defender of the Patriot Act and decision to invade Iraq." (x)
Executive Director Hillel Neuer, has served as law clerk to the Supreme Court of Israel, is a Graduate Fellow at the Shalem Center think tank and holds a host of law degrees. In addition to extensive human rights legal Advocacies and Testimonies, as associate in the international law firm of Paul Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton and Garrison LLP., (New York) "He was associate in the legal team that successfully represented Raytheon Company in various claims against Hughes Electronics Corporation." Neuer was also instrumental in achieving victory for the California Public Utilitites Commission in: "various disputes with Pacific Gas and Electric Company ..." (xi)
Speakers at events hosted by the company have included Hillary "I met the rebel leader in Paris" Clinton (xii) and Vernon Jordan, former political advisor to Bill "I would be inclined to arm the rebels" Clinton. (xiii)
The UN Watch's relentless campaign: "to remove Libya from the Human Rights Council" began in May 2010: " .. working closely with Libyan dissident Mohamed Eljahmi."(see vii) Mr Eljahmi is: " ... a Libyan/American human rights activist. He is a co-founder and former Communication Officer of American Libyan Freedom Alliance. ALFA was founded 2003 to help educate and inform US government and media about Libya. Mr. Eljahmi actively educates and informs US government, national and international media and NGOs about Libyan affairs." (xiv)
An aspect of especial ire for UN Watch has been Libya's place on the five Member investigation by the Human Rights Council, on the use of mercenaries. Given their woeful excesses from Blackwater's (now Xe) shoot ups to CACI's man-management at Abu Ghraib (then there's Paravant, an Xe subsiduary at Bagram; Guantanamo and KBR) it is a supreme irony that UN Watch's cry of "foul" over Libya has won out, as the US place on the Council is unsullied. (Libya was suspended from the Human Rights Council on 25th February this year.) And did Libya employ "black African mercenaries", to fight the rebels? In the fog of disinformation, certainties are scarce, but it is a story which would seem to be unravelling.
Then there is the water. Quaddafi's project to make Libya's vast desert bloom, has been dubbed by some "The eighth wonder of the world." A succinct over view cites: " .. the large quantities of water in Libya deep beneath the desert ... Libya’s Great Man-Made River Project. A project worth 33 billion dollars. The value of the small reservoirs is about 70,000,000,000,000 dollars." (xv) When the project was announced in September 1991, London and Washington were reported to be "ballistic." At a ceremony attended by Arab and African heads of state, foreign diplomats and delegations, including President Mubarak of Egypt, King Hassan of Morocco, Quaddafi called it a gift to the Third World. He also said: "American threats against Libya will double." (xvi)
Looking at the all, it is impossible not to think the truth of an attack of over thirty nations on a country of six million is buried deeper than Libya's aquifers. "Operation Odyssey Dawn", was well named. An odyssey indeed. Odysseus's tortured journey lasted ten years.
End Note:
'Libyan rebels in Benghazi said they have created a new national oil company to replace the corporation controlled by leader Muammar Qaddafi whose assets were frozen by the United Nations Security Council.
The Transitional National Council released a statement announcing the decision made at a March 19 meeting to establish the “Libyan Oil Company as supervisory authority on oil production and policies in the country, based temporarily in Benghazi, and the appointment of an interim director general” of the company.
The Council also said it “designated the Central Bank of Benghazi as a monetary authority competent in monetary policies in Libya and the appointment of a governor to the Central Bank of Libya, with a temporary headquarters in Benghazi.'
And of course, given Israel's chronic water shortage, Libya's abundant underground blessings, and the close geographical proximity of the two countries, there might be other regional advantages mooted in regime change.
George W. Bush embarked on the casual snuffing out of uncounted, unique, human lives in majority Muslim populations, chillingly called it a "Crusade." President Barack Hussein Nobel Obama did not go that far, he left that to the French Minister of the Interior, Claude Gueant who, on 21st March, praised President Nicholas Sarkozy for having: "headed the Crusade ..."
For the "change we can believe in" President, reducing another ancient land of eye watering archeological gems, massive oil and water resources and a population of six million - little more than Scotland - it is, reportedly, a "turd sandwich."
Humanity is not "at the crossroads." It is on the Cross, scourged, nailed (in all senses) and utterly inconsequential, in face of murdering, marauding, looting Empire.
When President Obama: "updated the American people on the international effort we have led in Libya", on 29th March, he stated that: "we are naturally reluctant to use force to solve the world's many challenges" and referred to: "our interests ..." being: "at stake." Reluctance would be a first. America's bombing for "interests" would be an encylopaedia.
Colonel Quaddafi, had, of course, stated the President: "denied his people freedom, exploited their wealth, murdered opponents at home and abroad, and terrorized innocent people around the world ..." busy man. Heaven forbid "NATO's" blitzkrieg should send the occasional shiver down a spine.
However, interestingly, at the end of March, a Report was due to be presented by the UN Human Rights Council leading to a Resolution commending Libya's progress in a wide aspect of human rights. Numerous quotes from UN diplomatic delegations of many countries commented. Citations included: " ... achieving a high school enrolment rate and improvements in the education of women", Libya's: " ... serious commitment to, and interaction with, the Human Rights Council ... enhanced development of human rights ... while respecting cultural and religious traditions."
Also mentioned was: " ... establishment of the national independent institution entrusted with promoting human rights, which had many of the competencies set out in the Paris Principles." The country had: "become party to many human rights conventions and had equipped itself with a number of institutions, national, governmental and non governmental tasked with promoting human rights ..."
The country was commended: "for the progress made in the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals, namely universal primary education (and) firm commitment (to) health care." There was "praise" for "cooperation with international organizations in combating human trafficking and corruption .." and for cooperation with "the International Organization for Migration."
"Progress in enjoyment of economic and social rights, including in the areas of education, health care, poverty reduction and social welfare" with "measures taken to promote transparency", were also cited. Malaysia: "Commended the Libyan Arab Jamahiriya for being party to a significant number of international and regional human rights instruments." Promotion: "of the rights of persons with disabilities" and praise for "measures taken with regard to low income families", were cited.
In May 2010, Libya had also been voted on to the UN Human Rights Council by a veritable landslide, 155 of 192 UN General Assembly votes. As noted previously (i) Libya comes top in Africa on the Human Development Index, which measures longevity (the longest) infant mortality (the lowest) education, health services, well being. (ii)
All that said, before this publication is flooded with complaints about the writer's naivety, "propagandist flights of fancy" (an orchestrated old favourite) or whatever, some of the countries making positive recommendations regarding Libya did not have the most shining human rights records. But then the US., UK., and NATO Member countries, pontificate from the high moral molehills of the mass graves of the Balkans, Afghanistan, Iraq, overtly, and Yemen, Somalia and other countries, covertly. And of course there is Guantanamo, Bagram, Abu Ghraib, rendition flights and secret torture programmes and prisons across the globe for US., UK., convenience.(iii)
Further, in a train wreck of factual inaccuracies in President Obama's speech, a (possibly) Freudian slip crept in. "Benghazi", he said, was: "a city nearly the size of Charlotte" in danger of suffering: "a massacre (staining) the conscience of the world."
A quick check shows that Charlotte, North Carolina: 'has a major base of energy orientated organisations and has become known as "Charlotte, USA - The New energy Capital." In the region there are 240+ companies directly tied to the energy sector ... Major players are AREVA, Babcock and Wilcox, Duke Energy, Electric Power Research Institute, Fluor, Metso Power, Piedemont Natural Gas, Siemens Energy, Shaw Group, Toshiba, URS Corp., and Westinghouse.The University of North Carolina at Charlotte has a reputation in energy education and research and its “Energy Production and Infrastructure Center” trains energy engineers and conducts research." ' (Wikipedia.)
Whilst many respected oil experts have argued that since so many western energy companies operate in Libya, this is not about oil, there are some points worth pondering. All companies operating in Libya must have Libyan partners, entitled to 35% of profits.(iv) Trading is via the Libyan Central Bank, in the Libyan Dinar, not US$s. The Libyan Central Bank is also independently outside the IMF and the World Bank.
There are only 5 nations without a Rothschild model central bank: North Korea, Iran, Sudan, Cuba and Libya.
There were two others: Afghanistan and Iraq, but they were gobbled up by the international banking system within a heartbeat of the invasions.
"It has always been about gaining control of the central banking system in Libya. Oil is just a profitable side issue like every other state asset that is waiting in Libya to be privatized and sold off to multinational corporations like Bechtel, GE, and Goldman Sachs. Oil is important and it is certainly a target but it isn’t the driving force behind these global wars for profit. Banking is." (v)That said, as President Obama was busy being inaugurated, Colonel Quaddafi (January 2009) was mooting nationalizing : "US oil companies, as well of those of UK, Germany, Spain, Norway Canada and Italy . "Oil should be owned by the State at this time, so we could better control prices by the increase or decrease in production", stated the Colonel. (vi)
So how does the all tie together? Libya, in March being praised by the Majority of the UN., for human rights progress across the board, to being the latest, bombarded international pariah? A nation's destruction enshrined in a UN., Resolution?
The answer lies in part with the Geneva based UN Watch.(vii) UN Watch is : "a non-governmental organization whose mandate is to monitor the performance of the United Nations." With Consultative Status to the UN Economic and Social Council, with ties to the UN Department of Public Information, "UN Watch is affiliated with the American Jewish Committee." (AJC.)
Among those involved in UN Watch are Co-Chair, AJC's David A. Harris. Core values: "AJC has long believed that the development of a comprehensive U.S., energy program is essential to the economic and social well-being of our country." Their website is an exceptionally instructive listen and read. (viii)
Ambassador Alfred Moses, former US Ambassador to Romania, Heads UN Watch. His company, Secure Energy's Mission : "Improving US., Energy security", "Securing America's Energy Future." (ix)
Board Member Ruth Wedgwood is : "an international law expert ... at the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) a former member of Donald Rumsfeld's Defence Policy Board (formerly headed by Richard Perle.) Closely associated with: "a number of neo-conservative and rightist pro-Israeli groups - including Freedom House, UN Watch and Benador Associates - a neo-con dominated public relations firm." She "has been a vocal advocate of the war on terror ... strong defender of the Patriot Act and decision to invade Iraq." (x)
Executive Director Hillel Neuer, has served as law clerk to the Supreme Court of Israel, is a Graduate Fellow at the Shalem Center think tank and holds a host of law degrees. In addition to extensive human rights legal Advocacies and Testimonies, as associate in the international law firm of Paul Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton and Garrison LLP., (New York) "He was associate in the legal team that successfully represented Raytheon Company in various claims against Hughes Electronics Corporation." Neuer was also instrumental in achieving victory for the California Public Utilitites Commission in: "various disputes with Pacific Gas and Electric Company ..." (xi)
Speakers at events hosted by the company have included Hillary "I met the rebel leader in Paris" Clinton (xii) and Vernon Jordan, former political advisor to Bill "I would be inclined to arm the rebels" Clinton. (xiii)
The UN Watch's relentless campaign: "to remove Libya from the Human Rights Council" began in May 2010: " .. working closely with Libyan dissident Mohamed Eljahmi."(see vii) Mr Eljahmi is: " ... a Libyan/American human rights activist. He is a co-founder and former Communication Officer of American Libyan Freedom Alliance. ALFA was founded 2003 to help educate and inform US government and media about Libya. Mr. Eljahmi actively educates and informs US government, national and international media and NGOs about Libyan affairs." (xiv)
An aspect of especial ire for UN Watch has been Libya's place on the five Member investigation by the Human Rights Council, on the use of mercenaries. Given their woeful excesses from Blackwater's (now Xe) shoot ups to CACI's man-management at Abu Ghraib (then there's Paravant, an Xe subsiduary at Bagram; Guantanamo and KBR) it is a supreme irony that UN Watch's cry of "foul" over Libya has won out, as the US place on the Council is unsullied. (Libya was suspended from the Human Rights Council on 25th February this year.) And did Libya employ "black African mercenaries", to fight the rebels? In the fog of disinformation, certainties are scarce, but it is a story which would seem to be unravelling.
Then there is the water. Quaddafi's project to make Libya's vast desert bloom, has been dubbed by some "The eighth wonder of the world." A succinct over view cites: " .. the large quantities of water in Libya deep beneath the desert ... Libya’s Great Man-Made River Project. A project worth 33 billion dollars. The value of the small reservoirs is about 70,000,000,000,000 dollars." (xv) When the project was announced in September 1991, London and Washington were reported to be "ballistic." At a ceremony attended by Arab and African heads of state, foreign diplomats and delegations, including President Mubarak of Egypt, King Hassan of Morocco, Quaddafi called it a gift to the Third World. He also said: "American threats against Libya will double." (xvi)
Looking at the all, it is impossible not to think the truth of an attack of over thirty nations on a country of six million is buried deeper than Libya's aquifers. "Operation Odyssey Dawn", was well named. An odyssey indeed. Odysseus's tortured journey lasted ten years.
End Note:
'Libyan rebels in Benghazi said they have created a new national oil company to replace the corporation controlled by leader Muammar Qaddafi whose assets were frozen by the United Nations Security Council.
The Transitional National Council released a statement announcing the decision made at a March 19 meeting to establish the “Libyan Oil Company as supervisory authority on oil production and policies in the country, based temporarily in Benghazi, and the appointment of an interim director general” of the company.
The Council also said it “designated the Central Bank of Benghazi as a monetary authority competent in monetary policies in Libya and the appointment of a governor to the Central Bank of Libya, with a temporary headquarters in Benghazi.'
And of course, given Israel's chronic water shortage, Libya's abundant underground blessings, and the close geographical proximity of the two countries, there might be other regional advantages mooted in regime change.
Friday, May 6, 2011
Use American Oil
Did you know that we spend over 200 billion dollars a year on foreign oil? Why do we do that? Because its masked by an American name. Here are a few statistics for you to look at and this information was obtained from the U.S. Department of Energy web site.
The Following companies import Middle Eastern oil per year
Shell 205,742,000 barrels
Chevron/Texaco 144,332,000 barrels
Exxon/Mobil 130,082,000 barrels
Marathon/Speedway 117,740,000 barrels
Amoco 62,231,000 barrels
The US currently imports 5,517,000 barrels of crude oil per DAY from OPEC, if you do the math at (lets be moderate and easy) $100 per barrel thats over $550 million dollars per DAY! Over $200 Billion each year handed over to OPEC, many of whose members are confirmed enemies of the US! Do you actually think that oil prices are going to go down? They could easily rise to $200 a barrel (50 gal) or higher!
Now lets look at some US OWNED and operated companies that do no import Middle Eastern OIL
Sunoco 0 barrels
Conoco 0 barrels
Sinclair 0 barrels
BP/Phillips (Yes I listed them bad me) but 0 barrels
Hess 0 barrels
ARCO 0 barrels
Maverick 0 barrels
Flying J 0 barrels
Valero 0 barrels
Murphy oil USA 0 barrels
Sold at WAL-Mart <Gas is from South Arkansas and FULLY USA, owned and operated. Not only that but they give scholarships to all children in their town who finish high school and are legal US citizens! A great incentive program even though I HATE WAL-MART for running off the mom and pop's, but that is another blog for another day!
Now the Saudis are boycotting American products, There is an unofficial move lead by the radicals and followed by the anthusiastic public who unfortunately lacks the awareness of the modern life. They don't consider consequences and they only gather by sympathy.
This move tends to call for boycotting some country's products because someone or a group of people from that country did something that offended Muslims and that country's government did nothing about it.
They usually boycott light consumer product like food. They boycott franchised & licensed products as well. They beleive that boycotting these products will cause a huge economic disasters to that country and that will push that country's government to stop the offensive acts. They sometimes post fake statistics of the amount of economic damage caused so far by the boycott.
The Following companies import Middle Eastern oil per year
Shell 205,742,000 barrels
Chevron/Texaco 144,332,000 barrels
Exxon/Mobil 130,082,000 barrels
Marathon/Speedway 117,740,000 barrels
Amoco 62,231,000 barrels
The US currently imports 5,517,000 barrels of crude oil per DAY from OPEC, if you do the math at (lets be moderate and easy) $100 per barrel thats over $550 million dollars per DAY! Over $200 Billion each year handed over to OPEC, many of whose members are confirmed enemies of the US! Do you actually think that oil prices are going to go down? They could easily rise to $200 a barrel (50 gal) or higher!
Now lets look at some US OWNED and operated companies that do no import Middle Eastern OIL
Sunoco 0 barrels
Conoco 0 barrels
Sinclair 0 barrels
BP/Phillips (Yes I listed them bad me) but 0 barrels
Hess 0 barrels
ARCO 0 barrels
Maverick 0 barrels
Flying J 0 barrels
Valero 0 barrels
Murphy oil USA 0 barrels
Sold at WAL-Mart <Gas is from South Arkansas and FULLY USA, owned and operated. Not only that but they give scholarships to all children in their town who finish high school and are legal US citizens! A great incentive program even though I HATE WAL-MART for running off the mom and pop's, but that is another blog for another day!
Now the Saudis are boycotting American products, There is an unofficial move lead by the radicals and followed by the anthusiastic public who unfortunately lacks the awareness of the modern life. They don't consider consequences and they only gather by sympathy.
This move tends to call for boycotting some country's products because someone or a group of people from that country did something that offended Muslims and that country's government did nothing about it.
They usually boycott light consumer product like food. They boycott franchised & licensed products as well. They beleive that boycotting these products will cause a huge economic disasters to that country and that will push that country's government to stop the offensive acts. They sometimes post fake statistics of the amount of economic damage caused so far by the boycott.
Wednesday, May 4, 2011
In the puddin
Some people dont want to see what is right in front of them. People dont want to know, if it doesnt effect their lives directly then why should they care. The problem with that mentality is it will affect their life and their children lives, and grand children, It doesnt affect mine either...right now, but I choose to be involved and to make an awareness before it becomes too late. Demanding truth from your politician or your president is not too much to ask, instead they choose to keep us in the dark. We thought we were a democratic society but as we all know, operations were done with out populous consent. I will use popular sites as my reference for those of you who wish to challenge what I am speaking. This article from BBC NEWS April 20, 2004, YES PEOPLE WE HAVE KNOWN!! When is it going to be time for us as a nation to demand the use of renewable resources from our congress, WHO CARES ABOUT the capital gains from the big and small (GW Bush to reference) oil companies. OH thats right they buy favors and line the pockets of our congress men and women. More to come...
Oil is making headlines again.
Never far from newsworthy, such is its over-riding economic and political importance, the spotlight has returned as harsh as ever.
The price of benchmark US light sweet crude recently reached its highest level for 13 years, and the cartel of petroleum exporting nations, Opec, maintained its decision to cut production - potentially fuelling yet more rises.
Add increasing violence in Iraq delaying its return to full oil production, and it is understandable that oil analysts have been getting the jitters.
Not to forget President George W Bush, who in an election year really does not want to see car-loving Americas moaning about high gasoline prices, which have also risen as a consequence.
And oil giant Shell already admitting twice this year that it has over-estimated its own oil reserves.
But looking behind the politics and other reasons for the upward pressure on prices (such as historically low oil and petrol stockpiles in the US), just how much oil is left under the surface of Planet Earth?
Technological advances
Loads - or more than 1,000bn barrels of proven (we know for sure) reserves to be precise, up to 40 years' worth.
Add that still yet to be discovered, and the figure and timescale is much higher still.
Yet before you go out and buy your own oil-fuelled power station, there are two small cautioning factors.
Firstly that the world is consuming oil as fast as it can get its hands on it (75m barrels a day rising to 120m by 2030 according to the International Energy Agency); and secondly, will it be economically viable or technically possible to get our hands on all the remaining oil?
Bruce Evers, oil analyst at Investec Bank, says trying to determine how many more decades of oil the world can enjoy is like asking the question 'how long is a piece of string?'.
"Technology has improved so much over the last 10 to 15 years that companies can now get at oil reserves that previously would have been considered impossible." he said.
New reserves
"And over the next decade or so even better technologies will no doubt come on stream.
"For example, engineers can now take 3D or even 4D seismic images to stretch existing reserves and aid the finding of new ones."
"Obviously the future depends on continuing demand for oil, but there are a number of newly developing fields around the world - such as Azerbaijan, Russia and Angola," Mr Evers added.
"Oil remains pretty popular."
The impact of ongoing technological advancements aiding oil exploration is the main factor put forward by Chris Hayes, of Cambrian Group, a Wales-based oil and gas consultancy whose engineers help the industry's main players find and best access reserves around the world.
"If you go back 20 to 30 years, firms were only able to drill for oil in shallow waters," said Mr Hayes, well operations business development director.
"Today there are a growing number of deep-water projects."
Green alternatives
Mr Hayes added that while oil supplies would eventually dry up, that point could be a century away.
"If you stand back and look at it totally objectively, it took millions of years to develop each drop of oil, which we now use in seconds, so it is 100% certain that oil will one day run out," he said.
"However, we have potentially got another 100 years of oil production. Yet as it becomes more scarce, prices will no doubt go up, and there will inevitably have to be a gradual move to alternative power sources."
It is this switch to alternative - and renewable - energy sources that Greenpeace has long campaigned for.
Its argument is that because oil is a pollutant, reserves should be left in the ground.
Reliance
"If all the remaining reserves were burnt it would cause massive amounts of pollution," said a Greenpeace spokeswoman.
"Instead we need to be phasing out fossil fuels and moving towards renewable alternatives."
Yet such is the overriding reliance upon oil, it is going to require a seismic advance in alternative power sources for cars and other vehicles before this situation changes.
Without such a development you can see countries and companies trying to get at the very last drop.
The world's overflowing oil reserves?
| By Will Smale BBC Online business reporter |
 The oil is there, but can we access it all? |
Never far from newsworthy, such is its over-riding economic and political importance, the spotlight has returned as harsh as ever.
The price of benchmark US light sweet crude recently reached its highest level for 13 years, and the cartel of petroleum exporting nations, Opec, maintained its decision to cut production - potentially fuelling yet more rises.
Add increasing violence in Iraq delaying its return to full oil production, and it is understandable that oil analysts have been getting the jitters.
Not to forget President George W Bush, who in an election year really does not want to see car-loving Americas moaning about high gasoline prices, which have also risen as a consequence.
And oil giant Shell already admitting twice this year that it has over-estimated its own oil reserves.
But looking behind the politics and other reasons for the upward pressure on prices (such as historically low oil and petrol stockpiles in the US), just how much oil is left under the surface of Planet Earth?
Technological advances
Loads - or more than 1,000bn barrels of proven (we know for sure) reserves to be precise, up to 40 years' worth.
Add that still yet to be discovered, and the figure and timescale is much higher still.
 Click to find out who has oil, who uses it and how much it costs  |
In graphicsYet before you go out and buy your own oil-fuelled power station, there are two small cautioning factors.
Firstly that the world is consuming oil as fast as it can get its hands on it (75m barrels a day rising to 120m by 2030 according to the International Energy Agency); and secondly, will it be economically viable or technically possible to get our hands on all the remaining oil?
Bruce Evers, oil analyst at Investec Bank, says trying to determine how many more decades of oil the world can enjoy is like asking the question 'how long is a piece of string?'.
"Technology has improved so much over the last 10 to 15 years that companies can now get at oil reserves that previously would have been considered impossible." he said.
New reserves
"And over the next decade or so even better technologies will no doubt come on stream.
"For example, engineers can now take 3D or even 4D seismic images to stretch existing reserves and aid the finding of new ones."
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"Obviously the future depends on continuing demand for oil, but there are a number of newly developing fields around the world - such as Azerbaijan, Russia and Angola," Mr Evers added.
"Oil remains pretty popular."
The impact of ongoing technological advancements aiding oil exploration is the main factor put forward by Chris Hayes, of Cambrian Group, a Wales-based oil and gas consultancy whose engineers help the industry's main players find and best access reserves around the world.
"If you go back 20 to 30 years, firms were only able to drill for oil in shallow waters," said Mr Hayes, well operations business development director.
"Today there are a growing number of deep-water projects."
Green alternatives
Mr Hayes added that while oil supplies would eventually dry up, that point could be a century away.
"If you stand back and look at it totally objectively, it took millions of years to develop each drop of oil, which we now use in seconds, so it is 100% certain that oil will one day run out," he said.
"However, we have potentially got another 100 years of oil production. Yet as it becomes more scarce, prices will no doubt go up, and there will inevitably have to be a gradual move to alternative power sources."
It is this switch to alternative - and renewable - energy sources that Greenpeace has long campaigned for.
Its argument is that because oil is a pollutant, reserves should be left in the ground.
Reliance
"If all the remaining reserves were burnt it would cause massive amounts of pollution," said a Greenpeace spokeswoman.
"Instead we need to be phasing out fossil fuels and moving towards renewable alternatives."
Yet such is the overriding reliance upon oil, it is going to require a seismic advance in alternative power sources for cars and other vehicles before this situation changes.
Without such a development you can see countries and companies trying to get at the very last drop.
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