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Fla. Senate Boss: No Offshore Drilling
July 1, 2011
Senate President Mike Haridopolos said Thursday that while he’s in favor of boosting domestic oil drilling, and interested in studying “all options,” the Legislature will not pursue new drilling in near-shore Florida waters in the coming legislative session.
“Not in Florida waters, not this session,” Haridopolos said.
Haridopolos, R-Merritt Island said he and House Speaker Dean Cannon have agreed that the technology around the safety of oil drilling and what led to last year’s BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill need to be fully understood before moving forward with new drilling in Florida’s nearshore waters.
By The News Service Florida
Comments
22 Responses to “Fla. Senate Boss: No Offshore Drilling”
REGARDING:
“Geothermal is good…if you happen to be sitting on a volcano. Of course, there are the volcano down side, too. ”
There’s two basic types of volcano and those which involve basalt tend to be kinder and gentler, ergo safer to be around.
I’m not sure geothermal would be bad anywhere (other than the associated earthquakes, of course) but it’s just easier and cheaper near hot zones like that one because you don’t have to drill so deep to get to hot rock. Salt domes also are hotter than other areas, so it might be possible to run a bit of geothermal using heated brine. I’ve never looked into it.
Anyhoo, I was just answering the question asked, that yes, there are many approaches being used even by people who are expanding their fossil fuel usage. There WILL come a time when assorted reserves are depleted. Many of the oldest reserves have done so. Many coal beds have been mined out. The result of the emissions might be so harmful that we want to stop as soon as possible.
I fully agree those who think the solution is smaller cars are forgetting that even if you drain a bucket slower, you still drain it in time. It might give more time to develop those alternative energy concepts but there’s no proof we need the time, just that we don’t want to cut back.
David for shipstones as Heinlein envisioned
@David,
So China is building nuclear plants all the while they are consuming large amounts of coal and oil. If you mention the word nuclear in the US, people get nutty and ill-tempered.
I like solar and wind for power, but the technology isn’t there, yet, to be an effective, efficient substitute. Of course, wind is only good if you’re not a rich democrat senator who is disturbed by the unsightly view.
Wait, Japan is dropping nuclear in favor of solar? See my remark regarding China. I like solar, it charges the batteries in my boat and motorcycle and keeps my yard lights going…as long as I have good rechargeable batteries in them.
Brazil-who is doing what we can’t do in the Gulf, thanks to our present federal administration–drilling for oil-is using food for fuel? Is that the same as using up all our food corn for fuel when it hasn’t made one significant difference in our fuel consumption? I believe it is more important to eat than to drive. By the way, hemp is supposedly a more usable fuel substitute from what I hear…seriously.
Geothermal is good…if you happen to be sitting on a volcano. Of course, there are the volcano down side, too.
One reason that diesel fuel is so expensive in the US is that much of it is exported to Europe-where they use it for motor fuel far more than we do, as compared to gasoline.
All that was meant to be somewhat tongue-in-cheek; what my point is-and was-I’m not against alternative forms of energy, but I am also not for shutting down our economy and culture while we wait for it. We still need fuel; right now, that fuel is ‘fossil’ fuel. Let’s make good use of that resource for ourselves in the meantime.
I am not willing to sacrifice our culture and lifestyle in favor of those who are.
REGARDING:
“Are China and Russia, or any other country, doing anything to reduce their dependency on hydrocarbon fuels?”
China is building a number of nuclear power plants, that would reduce dependence on fossil fuels.
Spain is working hard on solar power to replace fossil fuel dependence.
The USA and other countries are building wind turbines capable of generating something like 2 megawatts each when the wind blows. That would take something like 500 to equal a one gigawatt nuclear power plant, but it’s something.
Germany and Norway are two countries among many which are expanding solar power generation. Japan recently decided they wanted to go that route due to the nuclear problems associated with the earthquake and tsunami.
Brazil is big time into ethanol from sugar cane for fuel. They also built a hydroelectric plant a few decades back which was supposed to put out the total energy demand of most of South America. Power transmission is a problem, but it definitely replaced much fossil fuel power.
Greenland or Iceland (I can never remember which) is going big time into geothermal power generation. They can produce aluminum from ore with zero carbon dioxide output that way. (In fact any manufacturing which requires electricity can be moved there, so maybe the jobs will quit going to China and start heading north.)
What we really need is a really good, really cheap energy storage device, a better battery.
David for better living
@James,
I don’t think I used the word ‘deserve’, but I’ll go with it. Who, then, is to decide what we deserve? Why can we not deserve to use our resources as we see fit; why can we not deserve to use whatever we can afford to use?
Are China and Russia, or any other country, doing anything to reduce their dependency on hydrocarbon fuels? If we shut our economy or culture down to fit into this global citizen mentality, we will find ourselves subservient (more than we already are, economically) to superior cultures.
As I stated, I am not against researching for better, more efficient fuel sources, but in the meantime, we must survive on the resources at hand.
As for the comment regarding not enough oil to support us, I must again disagree. A new field in TX is making more than a million barrels per day. The fact that we can’t refine it is, again, a product of arbitrary government controls that prohibit new ways of refining or the building of new facilities to handle the work. It wouldn’t matter if we tripled our production, the refining of oil is limited to old technology and limited facilities. Of course, the EPA is doing all it can to try to shut it down.
As for the efficiency of automobiles; again, I think your premise is flawed. Automobiles of today are more than twice as efficient as those of years past. The Avalanche (oh yes, I drive an evil SUV) I drive gets about 18 mpg; the 1972 Chevrolet pickup my late father drove got less than 8.
We deserve, sir, what we can afford to deserve; both individually, and as a society. It is called freedom and independence.
With gas prices what they are. Drill right now.on the beach if that’s what it takes
@SW…thanks for your thoughts but I just can’t agree with them. I do not believe we in the U.S. have a right to as much oil as we want just because you feel our society or culture deserves it. If you research oil exploration efforts including drilling in Alaska the amount that would be found would never keep up with the demand for our fuel hungry country with automobiles that are not efficient. Notice how many SUV types are back on the road again. Think of the future…our children growing up today without things. We have become a nation of greed and gimme…NOW!!
@ SW
Thank you sir you have very eloquently expressed exactly what I believe.
They also need enough inspectors on watch to keep people like the BP executive on board that day in line, the inspectors NEED STOP PRODUCTION AUTHORITY when standards aren’t being met.
I’m not sure of the numbers but there are around 3500 rigs in the GOM there are only enough inspectors for the Minerals and Mines Dept. to visit each rig for 4 hours a day 7 day a week for a 8 hr work day and not travel time between rigs. AND STILL NOT INSPECT EACH RIG AS REQUIRED BY THEIR RULES ONCE A MONTH ! ! ! Severely under staffed….
A once a month visit is not enough, they need to be watched more regularly, if not continously. And by surprise visit with permanent placement of inspectors on a rig that has problems with compliance.
On another note, we don’t control the price of oil, the vast majority of it comes from the middle east, WHY? We have plenty of our own, we just don’t want to drill for it or give people jobs we’d rather give our momey to the middle eastern types……
Last but not least technology needs to be developed for alternative sources.
I asked about a gas/ electric car recently, it only uses the electric when its going less than 25 mph, I don’t know about you , but as far as I’m concerned thats just not good enough for the asking price of the vehicle.
@James,
I know you’re sincere and your heart is honest about the way you feel. However, I must vehemently reject your argument, sir. Your premise if flawed.
We use a lot of oil because our technology and our culture allows-nay, requires it. I don’t care about other countries use of oil. Let them take care of their own business; I am not a globalist, sir, I am an American. I care about our taking care of ourselves, our lives, our economy, and our culture.
If alternative sources of energy were so popular, our free market would support them. The technology hasn’t gotten there, yet; for whatever reason. If other countries (that I don’t care about) were all over this, they would be light-years ahead of us…but, they are not.
I am not against exploring other sources of energy; I am not against research and development of those alternative sources. In the meantime, I am for using all the oil that it takes to make our country survive. I am for drilling anywhere a rig can be placed; I am against supporting foreign dependence on crude oil.
Raising prices to European levels is absurd. The reasons their prices are so high is that they have no energy of their own; they are more dependent on foreign crude than we are.
Moving prices to those levels would absolutely devastate our economy on so many levels. For example, oil isn’t just for gasoline or diesel. It is used in cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, plastics, paint, fertilizers, and pesticides to just name a few.
If you want to pay $20/gal for gasoline, then the price of eggs just went to $25; the cost of a gallon of milk goes to $25; cosmetics rise to triple; pharmaceuticals (if you think are bad now) doubles or triples in price.
There is absolutely no reason, if allowed to drill onshore or off, crude oil prices should be anywhere near what they are.
I agree that alternative energy sources should be developed; but not at the cost of our lifestyle, our culture, our economy, or our independence.
By the way, Exxon will clean up the environment and they will be fined accordingly…if they are at fault for the incident. You are assuming that they are to blame for this, it could be accidental and they could have done everything right…who knows? I’m sure the state and federal regulatory authorities will determine in due time.
I do, in fact, think we are entitled, sir, to any and all resources necessary to make the US work. I am not too concerned with the rest of the world, or what they think of us.
@SW I realize your comment was meant to sound funny but I stand behind my belief we use far too much oil than other developed countries and we should plan for other energy methods rather than destroy our environment for us and future generations. If nations like us would raise oil prices to a higher level people who complained might actually consider alternative ideas to oil for energy. And corporations like Exxon who destroyed the environment twice now should be fined and forced to clean up messes they make. We consume far too much when you consider the rest of the world…unless you think we are entitled to all the natural resources.
In light of today’s Exxon pipeline oil spill in Montana, maybe we should just shut down all oil exploration and production in the US; except for maybe a little kerosene for heating and light.
We can all learn (or re-learn) to ride horses and walk more (or ride bicycles-until the tires wear out).
Better learn to garden, too; and, without the aid of fertilizers or insecticides.
Better learn to swing an ax, too.
All in the name of environment…and getting in shape.
raise the price to European prices!”
So you want Exxon and Citgo to charge us $10 or more per gallon?
David knowing folks are already griping at them
@James,
Really?
@Poly…with those views it sounds easier to just destroy the environment rather than try to reduce our insatiable appetite for oil here in the states…raise the price to European prices!!
@great…I really don’t think Florida voters will do anything to impact him at reelection. Most of us are full of apathy…not political persuasion.
I see the special interest groups have already made it to the Senater Bosses domain. Sir i donot think you are the rest of the negative no any thing about drilling and the safety rules. I retired from offshore after 29 years. Do not blame the rest of the oil field companys on the acts of BP and Transocean. THEY DID NOT FOLLOW THE SAFETY RULES THAT WERE IN PLACE,.!!!!!!!!!
At David, good thinking, they also need enough inspectors on watch to keep people like the BP executive on board that day in line, the inspectors need stop production authority when standards aren’t being met.
At Great, You have an awesome sense of humor, and you are right Haridopolos just lost the votes. I think most of the people in Florida with any understanding of how drilling, transporting, and refining works have no problem with continueing to drill. Its the people who are clueless and just see the results of mismanagement of one rig that are screaming for us to be more dependent on foreign oil. I wouldn’t mind if the put one in my backyard.
Another case of higher gas prices and oil subsities! Maybe all we need is a little extra care and some regulations regarding the safety issues.
Another case of “not in my backyars”! So they WANT us to keep paying those gas subsities and high gas prices. So who has the interests of the people??
put the well in my backyard i need the money
It is not a technology issue, for heaven’s sake. There are hundreds of offshore platforms that have caused no problems.
The Deepwater Horizon problem was a corporate arrogant BP, who violated their own safety and operations program and refused to listen to the DH rig hands and other contractors when they tried to tell them.
I wonder if this bunch is in bed with DC’s mentality, too?
By the way, I wonder why there is no onshore drilling in FL? I guess ALL the oil in FL was in Jay/SR Co.?
Thank goodness! We should stop ALL drilling, on and off shore. We need to leave the oil for the good people in the middle east. That is their livelyhood! We can’t take their only source of buisness away, it would be borderline Draconian! Think about it, these people are so bad off they couldn’t even afford their own planes to attack us with, and now we want to take more business away from them? Do you see how stupid that sounds? Drill offshore, drill inshore, Drill any where you have to to help us get less dependent on others! You just lost a LOT of votes Haridopolos.
The “NOT IN MY BACK YARD”mentality is why the Deep well failure occured. Being closer to shore, where one can send divers down to make rapid repairs or shut the safety valves manually would have prevented such a large scale disaster. and would prevent foreign oil wells.