As Democrats Dither – China Gobbles Up Oil & Gas Reserves In Canada & Gulf of Mexico

Already this year Democrats have scrapped oil and gas leases in Utah, permanently banned drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR), and nixed offshore drilling.

In fact, for decades Democrats have blocked efforts to responsibly develop this nation’s energy resources, transforming vast areas of opportunity into “The No Zone.”

This year as democrats continue their attacks on American energy producers and the economy, China has been gobbling up reserves in Canada and the Gulf of Mexico.
the Institute for Energy Research reported this news, via Energy Tomorrow blog:

Not only is China investing in places like Iran, Iraq, Kazakhstan, Nigeria, Venezuela, and Argentina, but it is in the U.S.’s backyard, looking towards usurping the U.S. supply of Canadian oil sands. China is a good customer for Canada, as Canada fears that the U.S. may introduce a low carbon fuel standard[ii] or other legislation that would restrict our purchases of oil sands from Canada[iii]. China is also looking at a possible purchase of leases in the Gulf of Mexico where Devon Energy is looking to sell its U.S. leases.[iv] The sale of these offshore leases requires the approval of the Mineral Management Service in the U.S. Department of Interior. China is willing and able to be at the forefront of any misstep other countries make to gain a foothold and secure oil and gas supplies, and the U.S. seems to be giving it elbow room.

China is also investing in oil and natural gas pipelines to ensure access to its investments and to divert some of its oil imports from the Middle East away from the Straits of Malacca. Oil pipelines are being built from Russia, Kazakhstan, and the coast of Myanmar. [v] A natural gas pipeline from Turkmenistan should be operating in the near future, and several liquefied natural gas terminals are either operating or are expected to be operating shortly.[vi]

While the Bush Administration initiated steps to bring on new leases of oil and gas, both offshore in the Gulf of Mexico and on public lands that are endowed with billions of barrels of shale oil, the Obama Administration has slowed the progress by extending the comment periods and providing other obstacles. Examples include:

** On February 4th, shortly after his Senate confirmation, Interior Secretary Salazar rescinded 77 oil and gas leases in Utah that could cost American taxpayers millions in lost lease bids, production royalties, new jobs, and the energy needed to offset rising imports of oil and gas.[xv]
** On February 10th, Secretary Salazar delayed for 6 months the development of the new 5-year leasing program for offshore drilling that would have set the framework for accessing newly available areas.[xvi]
** On February 25th, Secretary Salazar canceled a new round of commercial-scale oil shale research, demonstration, and development leases in Colorado, Wyoming and Utah.[xvii]
** On February 26th, President Obama introduced a budget that contains page after page of taxes on oil and gas totaling more than $31 billion that will reduce our domestic energy production.[xviii]
** On March 30th, President Obama signed the Omnibus Public Lands Management Act into law, prohibiting energy production on over 3 million acres of federal land.[xix]
** On October 8th, after rescinding 77 Utah oil and gas leases in February, Salazar announces he will lease 17 of them.[xx]
** On October 20th, after canceling a new round of commercial-scale oil shale research, demonstration, and development leases last February, Salazar issued a new oil shale leasing program that decreases lease acreage by 87 percent, demands unrealistic timelines for investment into cutting edge research, and leaves royalty rates at the whim of the Secretary or in new regulations. [xxi]
Issues with the U.S. Renewable Strategy

The Obama Administration prefers that priority be given to offshore wind farms and wind and solar installations onshore.[xxii] (That currently produce less than 1% of US electricity consumption.) They tout that these sources of “green energy” will provide needed jobs in the U.S. However, studies[xxiii] have shown that highly-subsidized renewable energy cost consumers and taxpayers more than the alternative fossil technologies[xxiv], that their component parts are largely made in foreign countries, that the jobs are mainly for the actual site construction and thus are temporary, and that the economy would be spurred more by investments made elsewhere.

Further, most green technologies are dependent on the wind blowing or the sun shining, and thus provide a lower amount of usable energy than their fossil or nuclear counterparts. Hence, many more wind farms or solar installations will be needed to provide the same amount of energy as their fossil and nuclear counterparts. And, they will also require more land area.[xxv]

What China Knows and the U.S. Doesn’t Know

All sources are needed to ensure energy will be available for future economic growth and to reduce dependence on foreign imports. Trading foreign imports of oil for component parts of wind and solar technologies does not reach any goals to which the U.S. is aspiring. To reach reductions of greenhouse gas emissions required by H.R. 2454, or other similar legislation, either nuclear power or biomass generating technologies will be needed[xxvi], which provide greater amounts of energy than wind or solar power. That’s precisely the reason that China is investing in oil and gas resources abroad and in building power plants from hydrocarbon, nuclear, and renewable sources of energy without legal and government delays

#2 December 17, 2009 at 8:02 am
Cher Cropper commented:

studies have shown that highly-subsidized renewable energy cost consumers and taxpayers more than the alternative fossil technologies
————————————-

A prime example is the 64 megawatt solar farm near Boulder City, NV. The cost of this was 250,000,000 dollars US!!! Yes you read that right, 250,000,000 million dollars for only 64 MWs. For that amount of money you could get at least 400 MWs of conventional power.
#3 December 17, 2009 at 8:06 am
Snotty C. McLefty (C. stands for clueless) commented:

Hey, dude.
We just gotta start using fusion and wind power,man.
Wingnutz!
#4 December 17, 2009 at 8:09 am
Hedgehog commented:

There should be no doubt remaining about what the Democrat/Communists are doing. They are implementing Agenda 21. They are in the process of breaking the back of America. They are going to use the Clean Air Act, The Clean Water Act and the Endangered Species Act to control energy and food production, and to restrict the areas that are inhabitable. Today the most endangered species in the world is the American citizen. When Obama goes to Copenhagen the Secret Service should change the locks on the White House.
#6 December 17, 2009 at 8:11 am
J commented:

If you total up the actions of obama and dems, they come to the total of having the USA on its knees, which, if you actually listened to the dem party, is their goal. Why then does it surprise people that other countries are gobbling up the remains of the feast the dems have laid out for them? Obama is FUNDING WITH TAXPAYER money Brazil’s exploration and mining for oil….and to put a fine point on this, soros is heavily invested in this group. Connecting the dots, no wonder obama gave himself a B plus, his goal of destroying the USA is right on schedule.
#7 December 17, 2009 at 8:14 am
Nadadhimmi commented:

The Democrats are Luddites of the lowest order. They hate technology, and national economic strength and power. Flagellants all.
#8 December 17, 2009 at 8:49 am
oldguy commented:

China and America, two ships passing in the night.
#9 December 17, 2009 at 8:50 am
Just_Saying commented:

Obummer and his cronies are doing their best to destroy the US, aren’t they?
.
#10 December 17, 2009 at 9:22 am
maverick muse commented:

Obama is against America; and America is against Obama.

Obama nails America to the Cross. Too impatient to wait for the nation to die of shock and blood loss, he pierces our side, readying to deliver our lifeless body to China, assimilated by global Marxist governance.

Celebrate the Season of Change courtesy of the Marxist Black Liberation Theology–Obama
vs.
Thank God for the miracle of Divine Providence

We are all born mortal.
What legacy do we bequeath?

Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a grain of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit.
http://bible.cc/john/12-24.htm

We’re all scared. You hid in that ditch because you think there’s still hope. But Blithe, the only hope you have is to accept the fact that you’re already dead, and the sooner you accept that, the sooner you’ll be able to function as you are supposed to function. All depends upon it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tKYJLfWqTBY

Let Freedom Ring!
#11 December 17, 2009 at 9:32 am
maverick muse commented:

J #6

People note well and respond vehemently.

Obama/Democrats have legislated mandates, taxation and appropriation of funds to enslave America.

We citizens are buying our own slavery!

Conservative Platform
ABOLISH PC: all are equal under the law
CUT TAXES
ELIMINATE EARMARKS
ABOLISH CORRUPTION: Impeach and Prosecute
RESCIND UNCONSTITUTIONAL LEGISLATION attempting the demise of the Constitution as Supreme Law of the Land.
#13 December 17, 2009 at 10:34 am
cal rifkin commented:

it’s just about a slow drip drip drip torture watching america go down the toilet…and really mostly through our own leaders’ dumb decisions../makes me want to vomit.
#14 December 17, 2009 at 10:39 am
Greg commented:

The Democrats are just waiting until they can [personally] sell those reserves to the Chinese (or Cuba or Iran…. as long as its an ememy they don’t care).
#16 December 17, 2009 at 12:29 pm
Alaskan commented:

You have to wonder what promises are made and who gets money to make policy to keep America restricted from our own resources….and it is always to the benefit of China and OPEC.

If Climategate is proving the science was fabricated, then isn’t the same science that is being used to ban our access based on fraud?
#18 December 17, 2009 at 4:09 pm
Joanne commented:

There’s a pipeline going from Alberta, Canada, land of the Oil Sands, directly to a port at the Pacific Ocean. The China are looking after their own interests, while the U.S. seems to be looking after everyone else’s but their own. Does this make any sense to a rational mind? When something doesn’t make sense, it is usually because something sinister is afoot.
#19 December 17, 2009 at 4:10 pm
Joanne commented:

I mean, ‘The ‘Chinese’ are looking…..’.
#21 December 17, 2009 at 6:19 pm
averagemelon commented:

Our government does not own American soil to give to the Chinese or anybody else. It is ours.

America is not going down the toilet. Our government is.
Stand up, take a breath and ready yourself. The show is about to start soon enough.