Experts say the opportunities of drilling in the United States and in offshore coastal areas in the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans are endless. The benefits far outweigh the negative aspects of oil drilling. While environmentalists are concerned about wildlife, there has been little effect on caribou in Alaska near areas where there is already drilling. The economists are shaking their heads, wondering why the bans placed by legislative vetoes aren’t lifted because it could open up thousands of badly needed jobs. The energy experts see money saving opportunities too. The positives far outweigh the negatives of oil drilling in the United States.

Money Saving Opportunities for the U.S.

Economists say that the government would receive over $138 billion in tax and revenue by opening up offshore drilling and oil drilling in Alaska. We could save billions of dollars each day on oil that we import from other countries. Oil drilling already taking place in North Dakota, Colorado, Texas and California could cut oil importing from other countries in half over the next ten years, according to oil executives.

Job Opportunities

One of the major benefits of oil drilling in the U.S. is the availability of jobs to those who badly need them. Thousands of people already work in offshore drilling sites, and there are jobs open in oil fields in the west. Experts say that Russia has seen a boost in their economy because of an increase in jobs at oil drilling sites. Employment in the transportation sector will increase because more oil will be transported within the United States. Alaska’s economy, along with the entire U.S economy will improve if the ban were raised in Alaska’s Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, also known as ANWR.

Environmental Impact

While environmentalists are concerned about the land and wildlife, experts say that there is minimal impact on the caribou and other wildlife in Alaska. Already existing oil fields haven’t harmed the caribou. Herds have grown from 3,000 to 32,000 over the past ten years in the Prudhoe Bay Area where drilling has been allowed. Oil drilling in ANWR will take only a percentage of the land that makes up the refuge. Experts also say that oil drilling can help the atmosphere and the aquatic environment because of a decrease in the pressure of the subsurface of the earth.

Oil: One of the Best Sources of Energy

Not only is oil efficient, but it is also easy to transport. The energy crisis would improve drastically if we drilled in the United States and its offshore areas. Banning in offshore areas took effect over 40 years ago (1982) and the Mineral Management Service says there are billions of barrels of oil in these areas. Fuel prices will decrease dramatically, making it more affordable for U.S. citizens to heat their homes and purchase gas for their vehicles.

With all of the benefits available from drilling in the U.S. and offshore areas where bans are in effect, the United States may no longer be dependent on foreign countries for oil. We would save in a multitude of ways. Unemployment would no longer be a concern, allowing the economy to stabilize. Fuel prices would go down and the government could possibly begin digging their way out of debt.

From Texas to North Dakota, oil and gas opportunities are expanding and improving our dependency on foreign countries for our energy supply. The Gulf of Mexico, both shallow and deep water, are also playing a big role in the improvement of the U.S. becoming less dependent on other countries, such as Saudi Arabia, Iran, and Dubai. For instance, in 2011, the U.S. imported only 45 percent of liquid fuels used, down from 2005 which was the record high of 60 percent.

During World War II, the Permian Basin was worked by roughnecks and was as the fuel pump for the Allies. The focus was primarily on shallow zones because of their easy accessibility. However, after 80 years of pumping oil, those regions are running dry. It has become necessary to drill deep into hard limestone using new technology.

What are some of these new technologies?

Fracking, sometimes called hydraulic fracturing, is the process of extracting natural gas from shale rock that is located in deeper depths. More recent advancements in technology are drilling horizontally (along with the traditional form of vertical drilling). This allows for highly pressurized tracking fluids to be injected into the shale areas. New channels are created within the rock where the natural gas is extracted from at higher than the older traditional rates. This process can take up to a month and drilling may go as deep as a mile. Then the well is cased with cement for the groundwater’s protection, and the shale is hydraulically fractured with other tracking fluids and water.

Fracking for oil has taken longer to develop because oil is made up of larger molecules than natural gas. Eventually new oil fields developed in not only South Texas, but Kansas, North Dakota, Ohio, Wyoming and Colorado.

Drilling in the Gulf of Mexico has also increased with new technology. With new seismic technology and imaging, engineers have been able to predict the location and size of reservoirs once unable to be seen because of thick layers of salt. Also, manufacturing drill bits made out of extremely strong alloys to withstand the high pressures deep in the seabed and the hot temperatures have been beneficial to oil rigs in the Gulf.
Another new technology benefiting the oil and gas industry is the 3-D passive seismic survey. This instrument is used to determine the hydrocarbon potential of areas unknown – and to identify if the area to be drilled has enough interest. One of the newest fields to be drilled is the Eblana #1 in Nevada and looks to be very promising with live light oil and sweet gas.

The exploration of oil and gas in the United States looks to a bright future as we become less dependent on foreign oil. New technology will continue to be helpful with not only finding oil and gas, but also in drilling costs and transportation.