The US Department of Energy's Failing Policy on Oil Domestic Production

EIN News says, "As Days of Easy Oil Fade in Middle East, Firms Turn to Newer Techniques. The days of easy oil for the Middle East are not yet over, but energy companies in the region have recently started testing newer, costlier techniques to enhance oil recovery, as fields show signs of aging. (nytimes.com)."

Easy oil is over about everywhere. We have tapped the oozing oil of California and the shallow-drilled oil of Pennsylvania and Texas. However, technology has significantly improved, and what was previously considered difficult drilling is now considered easy. The major difficulty that the drilling companies are facing is governmental restriction, particularly in the US.

Saudi Arabian oil from present wells will ultimately be mostly exhausted, just as was oil from California, Pennsylvania, and Texas, and the Saudis will find it still profitable to produce some oil through secondary recovery even though more expensive. However, there are new opportunities for primary oil production in Siberia and deep drilling in the Gulf of Mexico and off the coast of Brazil. We have recently proven the existence of gusher oil in the Gulf through the unfortunate incident of the BP oil spill. However that should not detract from the fact that we have made a major discovery and should allow drilling companies to develop technological improvements for greater safety to the environment, as we harvest this oil.

The US Department of Energy under Ken Salazar doesn't see it this way. He likes the current conservative approach. Take no risks. Unfortunately, this automatically leads to no success. We sorely need domestic oil and need to give drilling companies opportunities to develop their techniques in the US, which with continued technological improvement will not be as costly as is now predicted. The highest cost is to be restrictive and be dependent upon foreign suppliers for our domestic needs and unfortunately our military needs.

Lets kick out Ken Salazar and get somebody into our Department of Energy who can see this improved picture.