http://blogs.csbj.com/csbjdaily/2007/07/27/politicians-and-numbers/ Colorado Springs Business Journal Daily News Sat, 22 Nov 2008 08:32:47 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.1 http://blogs.csbj.com/csbjdaily/2007/07/27/politicians-and-numbers/#comment-358 CSaction.org Sun, 29 Jul 2007 00:48:00 +0000 http://blogs.csbj.com/csbjdaily/2007/07/27/politicians-and-numbers/#comment-358 Not only is the basic math in question, but what is not added to the equation destroys any possiblility of a correct answer. The BLM sold 4 parcels on the Roan in 1999 for just $660 an acre, an absurd amount showing they are not managing our public lands for the public but for private profit. The pipelines from the area are at capacity and if the gas were coming out now, it would have no where to go. Drilling rigs are almost impossible to come by, even the prefered Chinese rigs that, by trade law, come with Chinese crews. The COGA industry association head, Greg Schnacke, said the energy corps have told him they'll bid half or less than the surrounding leases for that 74,000 acres. Bill Barret corp, an oil and gas company said "it will be a fire sale, with companies offering pennies on the dollar". None of this is added to the equation when these insane numbers were touted to get legislators and citizens to support this self destructive idea. Since 1982 they've had access to 229 million acres of public land in the west, but have only produced enough oil for 53 days and enough gas for 221 days of US consumption. Just like in this case, what they promised was there was several factors larger than what was actually there, and during that time, their other great spin tactic was reducing our dependence of foreign energy, and was as accurate as their estimates of production. We tripled our dependence since 1982. Factor in that between 2000 and 2004 the oil and gas lobby poured $75 million into campaign coffers and the picture becomes more clear of how lousy math and legislation happens. Factor in the SuperFund clean up we'll pay for after they've made billions, and it becomes a net loss. Of course, there is no way to factor in the loss of groundwater from the fracturing technique they use to squeeze more out of the ground. Not only is the basic math in question, but what is not added to the equation destroys any possiblility of a correct answer. The BLM sold 4 parcels on the Roan in 1999 for just $660 an acre, an absurd amount showing they are not managing our public lands for the public but for private profit. The pipelines from the area are at capacity and if the gas were coming out now, it would have no where to go. Drilling rigs are almost impossible to come by, even the prefered Chinese rigs that, by trade law, come with Chinese crews. The COGA industry association head, Greg Schnacke, said the energy corps have told him they’ll bid half or less than the surrounding leases for that 74,000 acres. Bill Barret corp, an oil and gas company said “it will be a fire sale, with companies offering pennies on the dollar”. None of this is added to the equation when these insane numbers were touted to get legislators and citizens to support this self destructive idea. Since 1982 they’ve had access to 229 million acres of public land in the west, but have only produced enough oil for 53 days and enough gas for 221 days of US consumption. Just like in this case, what they promised was there was several factors larger than what was actually there, and during that time, their other great spin tactic was reducing our dependence of foreign energy, and was as accurate as their estimates of production. We tripled our dependence since 1982. Factor in that between 2000 and 2004 the oil and gas lobby poured $75 million into campaign coffers and the picture becomes more clear of how lousy math and legislation happens. Factor in the SuperFund clean up we’ll pay for after they’ve made billions, and it becomes a net loss. Of course, there is no way to factor in the loss of groundwater from the fracturing technique they use to squeeze more out of the ground.

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