Oh, Boy...
At least when the ice is gone, it will be easier to get to:
The future of the Arctic will be less white wilderness, more black gold, a new report on oil reserves in the High North has signalled this week. The first-comprehensive assessment of oil and gas resources north of the Arctic Circle, carried out by American geologists, reveals that underneath the ice, the region may contain as much as a fifth of the world's undiscovered yet recoverable oil and natural gas reserves.
This includes 90 billion barrels of oil, enough to supply the world for three years at current consumption rates, or to supply America for 12, and 1,670 trillion cubic feet (tcf) of gas, which is equal to about a third of the world's known gas reserves.
Good news for the drilling crowd, sure.
And I don't care if we drill in ANWR or not, because when you look at those numbers up there you need to realize one thing: Those are FINITE resources.
There WILL be a day when we run low enough on oil that we won't really be able to use it anymore.
There's nothing really infinite in this universe, but there are things we could use for thousands & millions of years. Wind will continue to scour the earth until the sun goes 'nova and boils the oceans dry. The sun is getting more and more useful every day, frankly.
On a completely unrelated tangent...
It kind of reminds me of people that believe the Bible is word-for-word truth. If it is, there is no God.
Ever read The Book of Revelation? It puts finite measures on heaven itself (Rev. 21:16):
The city was square, its length the same as (also) its width. He measured the city with the rod and found it fifteen hundred miles in length and width and height.
If you've got the god-belief thing going, you probably think of her/him as omniscient, all-powerful and all that. That's infinity talking, right?
Then that last book of the Bible comes along and puts physical measures on infinity.
Can't have that...
This rant has been brought to you by Earl.
Have a nice day.
Comments
Easier if we don't have to fight for it.
http://www.military.com/news/article/russia-conducts-north-pole-test-flights.html?col=1186032310810
MOSCOW - Russia's navy conducted test flights near the North Pole on Thursday, boosting its military presence in an area believed to contain vast quantities of oil and natural gas.
Cpt. Vladimir Serga, a naval spokesman, said that Il-38 anti-submarine bombers and Tu-142 long-range strategic bombers of the Northern Fleet took part in the exercise, in which the planes' crews tested radio and weapons systems management equipment.
Serga described the exercise as successful.
The flights come two days after a Russian missile cruiser began patrols in the Arctic.
The Marshal Ustinov, a nuclear-capable missile cruiser, was deployed Tuesday in the Arctic area "to provide for the safety of Russia's shipping industry," the navy said in a statement.
Russia has been increasingly assertive in the Arctic region as global warming makes the area's oil and natural gas resources more accessible. Last year Moscow sent an expedition to plant a Russian flag on the seabed under the North Pole.
Posted by: Kirkrrt | July 26, 2008 06:09 AM
From the comments, a head sploding item
"While russia virtually has bullied its way into taking total command of the North Pole, the US Military is spnding 700million dollars to upgrade Pakistans airforce, PAKISTANS AIRFORCE??"
Posted by: Kirkrrt | July 26, 2008 06:11 AM