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Energy and Gas Talking Points
June 18, 2008

 Posted By Marc Morano – 10:26 AM EST – Marc_Morano@EPW.Senate.Gov 

Gas/Energy Talking Points

President Bush''s four point plan:
  • Expanding exploration of the Outer Continental Shelf
  • Develop oil shales
  • Open ANWR, and
  • Expand refining capacity. 

Polling data: New Rasmussen Poll released this week shows that 67% support offshore drilling – only 18% oppose.

Why do we need to drill on ANWR? The footprint of ANWR drilling would be the size of a postage stamp on a football field. If Clinton had not vetoed in 1995, we would already be producing one million barrels a day.

Why not nationalize refineries? The surest way to cripple our economy is to put the government in charge of refining petroleum. We shouldn’t be looking to Hugo Chavez of Venezuela to determine energy policy.

If Democrats claim the importance of refineries mandates they be nationalized, then why not nationalize grocery stores? Isn’t food more important? Or nationalize the internet? In 2005 Obama voted in the EPW Committee for the EPA to design, build and operate refineries – not a recommended idea.

Why can’t we drill for more Oil and Gas? Democrats in Congress and environmentalists have blocked ANWR, blocked 85% of offshore, and they are blocking access to the oil shales. They’ve been blocking access for more than two decades.

Is offshore drilling environmentally safe? Offshore drilling is environmentally safe. Major spills from platforms are nearly non-existent. Hurricanes Katrina and Rita proved that drilling for oil in gulf is safe. NO major oil spills, despite plowing through nearly 3000 oil and gas platforms. The U.S. is doing it safely now.

Democrats and environmentalists don’t want Americans to have energy choices. They instead want to shift the focus from the real issue of increasing domestic supply to nationalizing refineries, suing OPEC, price gouging, windfall profits taxes, and speculators.

Why not drilling with our current leases on 68 million acres? Democrats assertion is horribly na ve. Not all leases contain oil and you can’t produce it if it’s not there. 52% of all exploration wells are dry. Companies don’t know how much oil under the land they lease, so they buy up large swaths in hopes that a fraction will work out. Years of mapping, testing, drilling, permitting and construction are required before production actually begins.

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