Offshore drilling not a cure to gas pump woes

Editor:
      Recent TV ads have proclaimed the removal of drilling restrictions
for the outer continental shelves of the United States as a remedy for
high gas prices and increased importing of oil. They have even painted
any candidate who disagrees as some sort of traitor. But please, please
look at the facts. Look at the U.S. Government's own analysis from the
Energy Information Administration in 2007, at
http://www.eia.doe.gov/oiaf/aeo/otheranalysis/ongr.html . 

      A few conclusions: Given the time to finance then develop underwater
wells, significant production would not appear until 2017; from then through
2030 the U.S. production would be less than 2% higher, and for 2030
alone 3% higher. Note--- this is for the U.S. only; the report flatly
states that “Because oil prices are determined on the international
market, however, any impact on average wellhead prices is expected to be
insignificant.” 
      More simply, it's a "drop in the bucket."

       We have already used up all the easily recovered oil in our
possession; there is a lot of oil still out there but it is harder to
get. There are no great reserves waiting to be easily pumped. Saying
anything else either shows ignorance, which we surely don't want in our
leaders, or it cynically exploits the pain we feel at the gas pump. For
shame! But judge for yourself, please take the time to look up this
report on the web. It is short and I think not too hard to understand.

      Remember the cliche "don't believe everything you see on TV"!

Donald W. McLeod       Gunnison CO