Interesting statistics from the Energy Information Administration...a division of the U.S. Department of Energy.The Arctic National Wildlife Refuge is expected to contain a mean average of 10.3 billion barrels of oil (compared to 246 billion barrels located in Saudi Arabia). That would, according to the U.S. Government, sustain the equivalent of two years of American oil usage...at current consumption rates.
If used at the same rate as the Prudhoe Bay Field the ANWR reserves would be virtually tapped out in 20 years. The U.S. Government predicts that over that twenty year time period Americans can expect to save $0.1 per gallon of gas during that time period.
The two major groups that would profit from oil drilling in ANWR would be the oil companies (which produced the largest profit margins in American business history last year) and the citizens of the state of Alaska (who are exempt from sales tax and received an $1100 dividend per taxpayer last year from oil receipts.).
If you don't trust me...find these figures out yourself by accessing the U.S. Government's own website and type in ANWR.
It begs the question...how much is it really worth to the average American to drill for oil in ANWR? According to the U.S. Government...one penny per gallon of gas savings for twenty years for two years worth of American gas consumption.
Is the potential damage, no matter how small, to the coastal plain of Northern Alaska worth that amount of savings?
That's up to you to figure out.
