Drilling for Oil in The Gulf of Mexico

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America has been dependant on oil since the 1800’s and the invention of modern machinery. From skin care products to the gasoline in our cars and engines, petroleum is the basis of almost everything we use for everyday life. Without oil the nation could not meet the energy demands we need to survive. Continued exploration has been the topic of heated debate among supporters and opponents, especially when it comes to offshore drilling. My goal here is to show the differing view points of drilling for oil in the Gulf of Mexico and present a better understanding from a national perspective. Drilling for our own offshore oil reserves can save the United States billions of dollars.

HISTORICAL OVERVIEW

For Decades offshore drilling in the Gulf of Mexico has provided much of the natural petroleum recourses to meet the great energy demand of our nation. From 1978 to 1982, the Unites states owned 38% of the world’s offshore oil wells, with the majority located in the Gulf of Mexico. From mid 1954 through 1984, an average of 755 wells were drilled per year. While oil production from the shallow waters is in decline, deepwater productivity is steadily increasing. All together, the resources produced from Gulf drilling are more than 25 % of our oil production and 20 % of our natural gas production. According to the most optimistic geo-surveyors, the Gulf could hold over 40 billion barrels of undiscovered petroleum which could support our national energy needs for many years. Discoveries in these deeper rock formations, known as the Lower Tertiary, are said to possibly yield as much as 15 billion barrels of reserves. Chevron and BP, two of the world’s largest petroleum engineering and exploration companies, are constantly devising newer...

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...ing reserves we already own could greatly increase our prosperity for decades to come.

Works Cited

Associated Press. “Pelosi: Democrats Open to Limited Offshore Oil Drilling.” Fox News. Fox News Network. Aug. 16, 2008. Web. 21 Feb. 2011.

Daily, Mathew, Brendan Farrington. “Obama Administration: No Offshore Drilling in Eastern Gulf of Mexico or East Coast for Seven Years Because of BP Oil Spill. Huffington post. Huffpost Green. Dec. 1, 2010. Web. 21 Feb. 2011.

Mouawad, Jad. “Drilling Deep in the Gulf of Mexico.” New York Times. New York Times. Nov. 8 2006. Web. 15 Feb. 2011.

Restuccia, Andrew. “Top House Republican to Offer Drilling Bill.” The Hill. Capital Hill Publishing Inc. Mar. 16, 2011. Web. 22 Feb. 2011.

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