By: Wynne, Dina, and Jess

 Definition: oil gas resources that lie deep underwater.  Can’t fully depend on Middle East.  Becoming more & more successful.  Environmental challenges (Arctic).  Ongoing debate over effect on environment.  North Sea, Gulf of Mexico, Brazil, Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, West Africa, South East Asia & Russia.  The Perdido (Gulf of Mexico)  Transocean, Diamond Offshore Drilling, Bronco Drilling, Precise Drilling Trust.

 1880s-1950s: Grows in importance.  1960s-1980s: Domestic oil production peaks- OPEC embargo.  1990spolicy.  1990: Oil Polluti: Aftermath of Exxon Valdez spill, gov tightens up on offshore drilling on Act, GHWB restricts offshore drilling to TX, Louisiana, Alabama & Alaska.  2007: GWB: Bristol Bay  2008: Reverses his father’s moratorium on offshore drilling, Congress allows ban to expire.  2010: BP spill in Gulf of Mexico.

 1953 Submerged Lands Act (SLA).  States given jurisdiction over any natural resources within 3 nautical miles (3.45 miles).  Exception: Texas & FLA’s west coast: extends the States’ Gulf of Mexico jurisdiction 9 nautical miles (10.35 miles).  1953 Outer Continental Shelf Act  Outer Continental Shelf (OCS): submerged land outside state jurisdiction.  Reaffirmed Federal jurisdiction over OCS & resources they contain.  Outlined federal responsibilities for managing offshore lands subject to environmental constraints and safety concerns.  amended 6 times.

 (Reagan) 1983 Proclamation 5030:  U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).  Claimed rights for the United States to all waters up to 200 nautical miles (230 miles) from the U.S. coastline.  1994 International Law of the Sea: 200 nautical miles.  Acts to protect coastal & marine communities  National Environmental Policy Act of 1969  Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972  Clean Water Act of 1977  Federal Oil and Gas Royalty Act of 1982  National Fishing Enhancement Act of 1984

 Supporting our country’s oil production  Provides jobs  Decreases oil prices  Promotes our energy independence

 Environmentalists argue alternative energy sources  Unearths contain toxic metals (mercury, lead, and cadmium)  Threatens beaches and wildlife with oil spills  Can cause economic harm

 Stream of pollution: health and reproductive problems for marine life.  The threat of oil spills would devastate populations: sea turtles & seabirds.  Activities destroy kelp beds, reefs, coastal wetlands.  Over its lifetime, a single oil rig can:  90,000 tons of fluid & metal cuttings into the ocean.  Drill between wells; 25,000 pounds; lead, chromium, mercury, potent carcinogens like toluene, benzene, xylene into the ocean.  Pollute the air: 7,000 cars driving 50miles/day.

 1859, 800 billion barrels of oil have been burned worldwide.  Oil industry: $150 billion/year to search for drilling sites.  Ecological limit to the use of oil: serious global warming as we continue to burn more and more oil.  1988 oil industry has drilled more than 100,000 exploratory wells threatening  frontier forests in 22 countries  coral reefs in 38 countries,  mangrove swamps in 46 countries  indigenous people on six continents  global climate stability worldwide.  No correlation: number of drilling permits increased by 361, gas prices ^2x.

 Producing more oil domestically, America relies less on foreign oil imports, resulting in both economic and political benefits.  According to US Energy Information Administration (EIA)  US relies on imports for approximately 57 percent of its petroleum needs  Produces 1.8 billion barrels of crude oil/year  Imports 3.6 billion barrels  Much of untapped oil reserves: offshore/remote regions.  A major region being ANWR, EIA: 4.3 billion barrels of oil.  Arctic Power: save the United States $14 billion per year in oil imports, create 735,000 jobs.  Gulf of Mexico's oil industry imp: US gov estimates 2010's 4- month moratorium cost economy 23,000 jobs.

 Astroturf Movement (2008)  Evolved into the Tea Party  Succeeded in opening up coastlines and waters to offshore drilling  FreedomWorks  Goals: reduce dependence on foreign oil, lower oil prices, increase competition  We should be able to take advantage of our own natural resources  Creates jobs

 Cato Institute  Libertarian group in D.C.  Believes Congress should open up lands for exploration and drilling  Believes Congress should repeal all energy conservation mandates  American Petroleum Institute  “We remain committed to continually improving our strong safety record, and we take seriously our role in finding and producing energy for American consumers.”

 Arctic National Wildlife Refuge  Impacts the ocean floor, water and air quality  Poses a threat to a variety of species  Oceana  The continued use of oil will lead to climate change and ocean acidification  Want to prevent the expansion of offshore drilling

 Greenpeace  Banning all new oil drilling is the only way to prevent another disaster  Uses non violent methods to confront and expose environmental problems

 BP Oil Spill  April 20, 2010  Deepwater Horizon drilling rig explosion: 11 workers died, 17 injured  Rig owned by Transocean- proper precautions not taken  Around 200 million gallons of oil flowed into the Gulf of Mexico

 Considered the worst oil spill in U.S. history  The spill has caused damage to the marine and wildlife habitats  It has effected the Gulf’s tourism and fishing industries  After 1989 Exxon Valdez spill in Alaska, congress decided the oil companies are responsible for major accidents  Kenneth Feinberg’s firm will handle compensations

 How do you feel about increased drilling for oil and natural gas offshore in U.S. waters? NowMay-10Aug-08Jul-08Jun-08 Strongly Favor 26%27%52%46%48% Mildly Favor 23%30%22%23%25% Mildly Oppose 17%16%11%12%15% Strongly Oppose 34%25%13%18%12%

 How do you feel about the federal government increasing the amount of regulation of the oil industry in the U.S.? Approve 68% Disapprove 31%

 How do you feel about the federal government suspending all new drilling for oil in the gulf and other offshore sites for six months? Approve 58% Disapprove 41%

 “Drill, Baby, Drill!”  Main goal: decrease American dependence on foreign oil  Want drilling on all shores of America  Sarah Palin supports oil exploration in Alaska’s Arctic National Wildlife Refuge  Quieted down, but haven’t abandon it

 Compromise with Republicans  Abandoned costal drilling ban that had been enacted since 1980  President Obama refused to reconsider plans to expand offshore drilling

 “Leave the oil in the soil.”  Wanted Obama to cancel offshore drilling in US waters off the Atlantic and Alaskan coasts  Want to hold BP and Halliburton liable for all costs of the spill.  Want a moratorium on offshore drilling operations.

 One of only 6 states that allow coastal drilling  Estimated between 3 billion and 15 billion barrels of oil in area 175 miles from shore  Key Companies: Diamond Offshore Drilling, Cubic Energy, Transocean, McDermott, Chesapeake Energy Corp., and Magnum Hunter Resources.  $70 billion industry  Employs more than 320,000 people in the state

 Gulf of Mexico considered federal waters  The oil belongs to the federal government  Federal government decides how much money to give to the states Hurricane Katrina  Complained that they weren’t getting enough money for recovery

 Cleanup after Hurricane Katrina and Rita  Protect from Katrina in the first place  Top priority: restore coastal wetlands  Protect from future hurricanes  Home to exotic species  Base of oil and gas operations  Salt water replacing fresh water

 Currently receives $1.5 million a year from government  In 2017, Louisiana will receive $500 million a year

 GxCAk GxCAk