Whether we get around by car, bus, or plane, oil is an important factor in most people's lives. The demand is huge, and prices have shot up fast, making us now seek sources for oil in other countries or by drilling offshore. This essay will address the issue from Taking Sides (2013) of “Should we drill offshore for oil?” First, I will talk about the benefits of offshore drilling, economically and socially. Next, I will talk about various arguments against offshore drilling, paying special attention to possible environmental threats. Finally, I will say my personal beliefs, taking both sides into consideration. Baird, (in Easton 2013) argues in favor of drilling offshore for oil, saying that the benefits outweigh the environmental impacts, and how it is necessary to please popular demand. He also talks about how it is impossible for us to become entirely independent of foreign countries for oil, yet we still need to drill offshore to regulate prices and maintain the growing demands. The major weaknesses in this argument are how it focused too much on popular demand for oil rather than ethical concerns and how it downplays the possibilities of alternative fuel sources in the near future. Ethical concerns that Baird neglects include the impacts on the environment as well as the safety of the workers, as accidents such as blowouts and spills are very common in offshore drilling, which harm workers and devastate the local environment. This makes Barid's argument less effective, because while his main concern is money and popular opinion, accidents and environmental concerns can end up being very costly, and alternative fuel sources are becoming more and more popular. Rose (also in Easton 2013) argues against offshore drilli... ... middle of paper ... ...” I feel that rather than just throw money into more and more drilling sites, we need to instead invest in technologies and research like those described above. Drilling for oil has many benefits, but it can also cause many problems. There is no clear answer to the question on offshore drilling, because both sides have strong arguments. Because we are so dependent on oil, we need to get it from somewhere, and economically speaking, offshore drilling makes more sense. However, we also need to take the environment into consideration. This is why I strongly believe should utilize the precautionary principle and analyze the possible consequences on the environment before starting any new drilling sites. What also needs to happen is for people to become less dependent on oil, by developing alternative fuel sources and using more sustainable transportation methods.
Also, drilling in Alaska will not harm the wildlife. Take Prudhoe Bay for example. The Central Arctic Caribou Herd that occupies Prudhoe Bay has grown from a population of 6000 in 1978 to 27000 today. This is a 450% growth over 26 years at an average of 17.3% growth per year. (Arctic Power) That’s quite an increase.
The environment needs protecting because even before the drilling started hunting was rapidly decreasing the amount of animals in the area. So if drilling occured in Alaska the animal count would go down even more. Drilling is gonna need space, and because Alaska is a mountained and woodland area they will have to make space by destroying trees etc. Destroying trees means destroying animals’ homes. According to document E ‘just look 60 miles west to Prudhoe bay- an oil complex that has turned 1,000 square miles of fragile tundra into a sprawling industrial zone containing, 1,500 miles of roads and pipes’. Also the document states that the would be
How would you like to see a repeat of the devastating event that took place in the Gulf of Mexico? If we were allowed to drill in the refuge all that it would take is for another malfunction like that and the environment of that refuge would be damaged for years. “Most important of all are the more than 130,000 caribou of the Porcupine herd…, these caribou are at the heart of environmentalists’ case against drilling” (McCarthy). The reason that these specific animals are the reason for not drilling is that the caribou migrate to the plains, where the drilling would ...
The environmental danger taken by offshore drilling is very straight forward, made clear by oil spills such as the recent BP oil spill and the Exxon Valdez oil spill in 1989 off the shore of Alaska. In the circumstances of the Exxon Valdez spill up to 250,000 sea birds died, over 2,800 sea otters and thousands of other animals], (figures from the BP oil spill are not yet concluded), having had a heavy strike on the regional wildlife and directing to a ban on all offshore drilling in America, until George Bush overturned it in 2008 to this repeal was a misjudgment because two years later there was the Deepwater Horizon spill. In this way, offshore drilling ruins ecosystems and fish supplies which creates a wasteland of a shoreline among southern USA.
The United States has had several scares throughout its history in terms of oil, most turn out to be over exaggerations of a small event. However, these scares highlight a massive issue with the U.S. and that issue is the U.S.’s dependence on foreign oil. Why does it matter that our oil should come from over seas? In a healthy economy this probably wouldn’t be as relevant, but the U.S.’s economy is not exactly healthy at the moment. There are 4 things that I would like to address: what the problem is, how it affects us, what some solutions are, and what solutions I feel are best.
The United States relies on imports for about forty percent of its crude oil, which is the lowest rate of dependency since 1991 according to the U.S Energy Information Administration. Today our country is trying to keep on track in becoming less and less dependent. When it comes to the topic of the future ways the United States will get its fuel, most of us readily agree that the United States should become more independent by using natural gas that is already here on our land. Where this argument usually ends, however, is on the question of the consequences drilling for natural gas brings. Whereas some are convinced drilling is safe, others maintain that it is actually in fact dangerous. Hydraulic fracturing or "fracking", the terms for drilling for natural gas, is dangerous to our public health and to the environment because of the water contamination it causes. Therefore, it is not something that should become a project for alternative fuel used by the United States.
The United States is in a recession and depends on foreigners to fuel our country. Oil companies are taking advantage of the power they have over gas prices and the economy is at one of the lowest points in all of our history. It can be seen that the way things are going now that change needs to occur for America to get back on its feet. Drastic changes will need to happen if we are going to continue to enjoy living in a very advanced and prominent country. By developing proper offshore drilling techniques, and alternate energy, America could eliminate debt and lessen dependence on foreign oil.
These are the reasons why I believe there should be more investment in space research and technology. It would be a time consuming and financially draining quest, but the pay off in new technology, applications, resources, and expansion opportunities make it a goal to strive for. As our rate of consumption of Earth’s natural resources continues to increase, it is imperative that we invest in the research of outer space as a possible solution to sustaining the human race.
Buzz Aldrin once said “Mars has been flown by, orbited, smacked into, radar examined, and rocketed into, as well as bounced upon, rolled over, shoveled, drilled into, baked and even blasted. Still to come: Mars being stepped on.” While the verity in this matter is true, it still demonstrates the lack of progress produced by NASA. NASA, a publicly funded program, has been experiencing a deficit in funds due to the increased importance in other programs like education or healthcare. To address this issue, the leaders of technology and innovation- John Bezoes for Blue ORigin; Richard Branson for Virgin Galactic; and most importantly Elon Musk for SpaceX- have stepped up to fill in the need of more capital in space funds.
Faster space travel is needed to make any new deep-space discoveries. There really are cost-effective options for space travel.
" Oil is the life blood of our modern industrial society. It fuels the machines and lubricates the wheels of the world’s production. But when that vital resource is out of control, it can destroy marine life and devastate the environment and economy of an entire region…. The plain facts are that the technology of oil-- its extraction, its transport, its refinery and use-- has outpaced laws to control that technology and prevent oil from polluting the environment…" (Max, 1969). Oil in its many forms has become one of the necessities of modern industrial life. Under control, and serving its intended purpose, oil is efficient, versatile, and productive. On the other hand, when oil becomes out of control, it can be one of the most devastating substances in the environment. When spilled in water, it spreads for miles around leaving a black memory behind (Stanley, 1969).
finding new ways to drill for oil and also refine it more efficiently to ensure that
Accordingly, regardless of requirements of requiring a lot of energy to power the laser, the idea of applying laser technology to the oil and gas industry is a feasible option for improving the drilling process.
Why I chose offshore Drilling? I chose offshore drilling, because I recently saw the movie trailer of Deepwater Horizon, where a drilling oil rig fails, and the oil that is being pumped spills into the water, and the oil gets caught of fire, a lot of people, and sea animals become endangered. I don’t know what about this movie, all I know is that I always find myself thinking about what I would do it I was on the rig. With Offshore drilling being an option that I could research about, I wanted to further grow my knowledge about this topic, so I can come to a further conclusion on whether or not this is a good move for us, or if it will damage the ecosystems. Another reason is, always when I go over to my grandparents house, my grandpa is always
In today’s debate offshore oil drilling and fracking are a huge controversial issue, whether it is worth the risks and damages it is causing our planet. When off shore oil drilling takes place it is the process of drilling for oil out in the middle of the ocean, and collecting the oil in oil rigs. The fracking process that oil and gas companies use to extract natural gas and oil by using large quantities of water mixed with toxic chemicals, and injected underground to crack dense rock and release the oil and gas (“Fracking is Harmful”). Off Shore oil drilling and fracking are keeping the economy thriving however, it is destroying our ecosystem, physical wellbeing, and nature, therefore, drilling and fracking should be banned and be forced to