Should the U.S. Allow Offshore Oil Drilling?

Should the U.S. Allow Offshore Oil Drilling?

Our lives revolve around oil. Oil brings food to our stores, comprises the fibers in our carpets and makes the plastic in our DVDs. With demand so high it’s no wonder attention has turned to supply, with some advocating the U.S. lift the ban against drilling for oil off its coasts. Is offshore oil drilling a golden opportunity, or would it only create a tidal wave of disaster?

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  • Cajun72
    Due to the Economy It Would Not Be A Bad Idea

    I think that we should allow offshore drilling for two reasons 1. That it could help with our current problem of gas prices and 2. It would provide a huge amount of jobs.
    If we could drill for more oil then it would obviously help lower gas prices. I know that studies have shown that it is possible that there could not be as much oil in the outer continental shelf that people have previously estimated, but even if there is enough out there to solve the problem long enough so that we can come up with a way to solve the enrgy crisis.
    I know for a fact that in areas of the deep South, especially in southern Louisiana, Alabama, and Mississippi, as well as many parts of Texas, many people go work in the off-shore oil industry. Where I lived in South Louisiana it was extremely common for the men to go work off-shore right out off high school. Although it is a dangerous job, many men will do it because the pay is very good and there is are great opportunities for advancement. This does not include the amount of jobs that are provided by the refineries that are in New Orleans and Houston.

    - Cajun72US February 5, 2009 9:06AM

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    • Yesterday
      Due To The Economy, It Would Not Be A Good Idea

      You said: "[drilling] could help with our current problem of gas prices."

      It would help if you read up on the other side of the argument. If you had, you would have realized that the impact on gas prices has been estimated to be just a few cents lower. Is it your opinion that this small decrease in the price will solve our current financial issues? What's more, the effects would probably be a about decade or so from now. What, I wonder, are we going to do about the energy crisis in the meantime? Money that our government could be spending researching alternative fuel sources will be spent drilling instead.

      As a second point, you said: "it would provide a huge amount of jobs."

      This is a valid point. However, increased research on alternative energy also has the potential to provide employment opportunities. Research and testing requires scientists, supervisors, technicians, etc. Either way you turn, there will be jobs. Down one path are the oil drilling and refining jobs which, as you pointed out, are dangerous. Down the other are jobs that are far safer and probably pay just as well, but these jobs would better America and the world. I know which I would choose.

      - YesterdayUS February 8, 2009 3:40PM

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      • Cajun72
        Due The Economy, It WOuld Not Be A Bad Idea

        I don't think that a small price decreaase will solve our current financial issues, I think that it will help alleviate the problem until we can find a better, more permanent solution to the problem. My thought process behind that is that if we can lessen our dependance on foreign oil then we should be able to better control prices. Off-shore drilling is the solution in the meantime. Besides the fact that although the government does control where we dig, they do not control who drills there.

        I see what you are trying to say that research will also provide jobs, but the jobs they provide are not in a generalized field. How many jobs will be provided if they are for those who are scientists and researchers? Oil-rig jobs will cater more to the masses.

        - Cajun72US February 11, 2009 9:31AM

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