The Permitorium Net Widens -- Not Only Offshore, but On-Shore Also

The Bush administration opened up 2 million acres of western Federal land for energy research and development (i.e., horizontal drilling, oil and gas exploration and production) back in 2008.

The current administration put that initiative on hold to restudy the issue.

Again, this was a shovel-ready opportunity to increase oil and gas supplies for the nation -- three years ago.

It's anybody's guess where "we" would be now, three years later, had the projects been allowed to progress. No wonder the President says, when gasoline is $4.00/gallon and oil is $113/barrel, that there are no quick fixes. Of course, there are no quick fixes when solutions keep getting shut down.

This follows in the wake of the EPA shutting down Shell in the Arctic due to an ice-breaking vessel.

Yup, no quick fixes.

(Oil is up almost another dollar tonight -- futures -- closing in on $114. Remember, Bank of America forecasts $120 oil with spikes to $140 possible. The summer driving season has not yet begun; the Mideast situation seems to be escalating; and, the Fed admits inflation is about to pick up. Yup, no quick fixes. One almost wonders if the president sees himself as a deus ex machina: don't let a crisis go to waste.)

CLARIFICATION

Based on an "anonymous" comment sent in earlier, at least one person was apparently confused by this post and another post in which ten new permits were issued today by the state of North Dakota. It took a few minutes to figure out what "anonymous" was saying, but "anonymous" felt that ten new permits issued today was evidence that no "permitorium" exists.

The "permitorium" on this blog refers to the Federal government's delaying action on new permits. The new permits updated daily on this blog have to do with state permits, and nothing to do with Federal permits. The state of North Dakota is doing a fantastic job fulfilling its responsibilities.