ANWR

[Danny]

So how far out can they get horizontally? It seems like you would have to drill sideways for many miles to stay off the property unless the oil happened to be right on the edge.

[dingo]

I believe the limit of their reach is really depends on how far they want to go with the drillhead and how strong of a pump is available. The further you go, the stronger your pump needs to be to pull the oil out.

[Danny]

So what is typical? A mile -- 5 miles -- 100 miles?

[ynot]

Wake up and smell the pizza burnin.friggin politicians will do exactly as they please,always have always will.

[Winterstorm]

http://www.howstuffworks.com/framed.htm ... whatis.htm

[Hefe]

I would like to ask, what human activity would be "OK" in a wildlife refuge(in any reader's opinion)? Could we make trails and hike? could we hunt? could we fish? Ride our bikes? Drive our gas drinking, evil SUVs on a road that runs through such a refuge? How about Drill holes in rocks that lie within a refuge, or mark it up with ugly chalk? is a wildlife refuge a "non-human" only club?

[Guest]

why don't you bike to the red?

I wish I could! I'm proud to tell you that my car will be 5 years old in just a few weeks and only has 39k miles on it. More than half my trips to the Red are shared - the rest I have to meet my ex in the vicinity to pick up my kids. I take many other measures to protect our environment as well. We all should do everything that we can. The trouble is that there is a major trend (understatement) toward bigger everything in recent years, with no sign of relief. I'm all for taxing the hell out of gasoline so people will think before they burn it up so indiscriminently. We pay relatively little for our gas here and there is NO shortage or problem getting it.

Ynot, you are correct - however there are still politicians who listen to their constituents and the Fat Lady hasn't sung about ANWR yet. The technology for minimizing the risk of environmental impact may exist, but mark my words, whatever method is least expensive and most efficient is the way that oil will be extracted. Even that sideways drilling requires heavy machinary and manpower, and you can damn well bet that wildlife will not get the right of way.

[/end rant]

[Guest]

I would like to ask, what human activity would be "OK" in a wildlife refuge(in any reader's opinion)? Could we make trails and hike? could we hunt? could we fish? Ride our bikes? Drive our gas drinking, evil SUVs on a road that runs through such a refuge? How about Drill holes in rocks that lie within a refuge, or mark it up with ugly chalk? is a wildlife refuge a "non-human" only club?

Somehow I missed this post before my rant. My personal opinion is that in a wildlife refuge all human activity should be restricted to that which leaves no trace - human powered locomotion only (i.e. your feet), no hunting, no fishing, no biking, and certainly no gas powered vehicles. LNT includes (for me) no drilling of bolts or drilling for oil.

And Hefe, I have nothing against people who drive SUV's who really need them. The problem is that the vast majority of people driving them these days do not need them. They don't haul or take them off road. Hell most people don't even get them dirty. Those are the people that really need minivans but are too ashamed to drive them.

[512OW]

Hmmm.....heres a thought.......WHO THE HELL CARES???????

You can't change it.....live with it.

I have 66,000 miles on my car....and it's a year and a half old.........and If I could afford a big ass SUV that guzzled even more gas, I'd do it......why?

So I'd be cool, of course.

Isn't that the reason you bitch about the environment? To be cool?

Of course it is. OH, you CARE.......well, I care about being cool......whats the difference.

OH YEAH......you're plight is worthy.....well folks, thats only your opinion.

[ynot]

and I thought I was being cynicle(sp?). Sheesh,512 thats plain apathy.