Aug. 2001 Vol. 222 No. 8  Editorial

Thomas R. Wright, Jr.,  Publisher

Helping Jeb

As soon as President George W. Bush was elected, we began getting calls from local media types, asking if we thought he would be good for the oil and gas industry. Judging from the reaction by most, there was surprise when the answer was, "He’ll be OK, but we don’t expect any special favors." It seems that because Dubya had been an oilman, the media expected that he would favor the industry over other considerations.

We were surprised as well that these same media folks didn’t remember that George The Elder (also a former oilman) chose politics over the industry when he extended the moratorium on drilling off Florida and California just prior to his campaign for re-election. When reminded of this, they seemed to understand our concern about "the apple not falling far from the tree."

By now, you’re probably wondering why this has come into discussion. The answer is Florida – no, not the vote counting process, but the issue of offshore drilling. Like his dad, Dubya apparently has chosen politics over offshore development. Only this time, it’s about brother Jeb’s re-election.

Under pressure from the citizens of Florida and Gov. Jeb Bush, the Bush administration caved in and reduced the area to be included in proposed Sale 181 of the Outer Continental Shelf. Originally set to include 5.9 million acres, the area has been cut to only 1.5 million acres.

Now, one might expect Dubya to make a slight concession to help his brother and repay the state that allowed him to become President, but just a quick look at a map of the area left us outraged. Not only did the Bush administration delete a large section relatively close to shore (half of which is no closer than the Main Pass and Viosca Knoll Blocks already open to exploration), but it also cut a huge area that’s at least 115 mi from Panama City and 213 mi from Tampa Bay.

As stated above, we didn’t expect any favors, but this is disgusting.

Wish we’d said that. It’s not often that we agree with newspaper columnists, but Jim Barlow, a business writer for the Houston Chronicle, recently wrote an opinion article about developing the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) that made some very good points. He started by describing how the caribou herd has multiplied while living in around the Alaska pipeline and the field development complexes at Prudhoe Bay. Then he explored the mindset of those who want to prohibit ANWR’s development. Here’s how he views the thinking of those opponents:

"We buy things we don’t really need. We’re greedy and selfish, instead of thinking of the greater good. The most extreme of these folks (the development opponents) really believe man is a parasite and Mother Earth would be better off without us. Except, of course, for themselves and like-minded people who can be trusted to appreciate and guard nature’s bounty."

While on the subject of media surprises, we tuned in to an ABC News Special in June, titled "Tampering With Nature with John Stossel," expecting to see a hatchet job on everything industrial. However, we were pleased to see Mr. Stossel challenge the doomsayers’ warnings on genetic engineering, global warming, etc. Stossel talked to activists who say humanity is destroying the Earth and pre-industrial life is better, then presented persuasive arguments as to why they are wrong.

One segment showed how our educators are imposing their bias on our children. In an interview with a group of kids, it was obvious that they were parroting the doom and gloom they had been fed in class. The interview, in fact, was a retape using a second group of kids after parents of the first group forced ABC to pull the original segment. They claimed that Stossel asked leading questions and that the network misrepresented (italics are ours) the nature of the piece. Actually, ABC says the parents didn’t complain until they were approached by the Environmental Working Group. In case you missed it, you should order a video tape ($29.95) or transcript ($8.00) by going to:

http://www.abcnewsstore.com/stossel/html. Click on "Tampering with Nature."

In training. The former resident of this page, one Robert W. Scott, keeps us supplied with oilfield trivia, various jokes (most we can’t print) and the political antics he runs across during his daily net-surfing excursions. His latest story takes a poke at the mainstay of the E&P business:

Seems a local boy, who had a reputation for being a 40-Watt bulb in a 100-Watt lamp, sauntered into a bar carrying a bucket of manure and a shotgun. He ordered a beer, and after downing it, tossed the bucket into the air, blasted it with the shotgun and walked out.

Three days later, he returned, again carrying a bucket (full of the same stuff) and the shotgun. But before he could place his order, the bartender said, "Hold on there, partner. Last time you were in here, you made such a mess it took us days to clean it up. Before I serve you anything, I want to know what that was all about."

The young man somewhat apologetically replied, "Well, I got a job with that big oil company in town, and I’m in training to become a petroleum engineer. And everybody I talk to says all they do is drink beer, shoot the – and disappear for three days."