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Tuesday, August 19, 2008

McCain Offshore Oil Drilling Hype


I have to say that I’m not to sure that this is such a bad idea given certain conditions. Conditions like our government going nuts in tax breaks for solar research, wind power research, hydrogen and natural gas research as fuels for our nations cars, trucks and busses. If the government focuses as much attention to these energy sources as they have on oil then maybe then we can look at offshore drilling for the time being? At least for the time being while the research is going on and improving the science and network needed to functionally serve these new technologies. Back in the 1970’s we had the first oil crisis where our nation was held hostage by OPEC and in 2008 we have our nation held hostage by energy traders. It’s a known fact that there is not one single answer to changing the source or usage of our energy needs.

One of the biggest gripes against McCain making this trip to an oil rig is the fact that his largest campaign contributors are from most of the big oil companies. Many far more qualified people are saying that even if we start drilling off shore in a large scale it could be ten years before the results drop the cost of oil down even just a few pennies? What about the millions of acres in known oil rich locations on land, in the continental United States that the oil companies already have access too?

Over at the Houston Chronicle they have this story on McCain using an oil platform to back up his thoughts on offshore drilling…

McCain uses oil platform visit to promote more drilling
By PHILIP ELLIOTT Associated Press
Aug. 19, 2008, 2:54PM


ABOARD THE CHEVRON GENESIS — Republican presidential candidate John McCain visited this oil platform in the Gulf of Mexico today to call for increased offshore drilling that he claims would lower the cost of food and heating homes.
McCain traveled 130 miles by helicopter to tour the massive facility, which produces 10,000 gallons of oil each day. He criticized his Democratic rival, Barack Obama, for not supporting such a plan.

"He says it won't solve our problem and that it's, quote, not real. He's wrong and the American people know it," McCain told reporters.

Obama's campaign, meanwhile, called the four-hour excursion nothing more than a stunt. Obama supporter and former Iowa Gov. Tom Vilsack compared McCain's position to the "Beverly Hillbillies" television program where the main character — Jed Clampett — stumbles onto an oil gusher. McCain, he said, has "a Jed Clampett energy policy."

McCain and his aides believe the pocketbook approach can connect with voters — and, in turn, suggest that Obama wants people to pay more for gas, food and heating.
- Houston Chronicle

One of the things that keeps coming into my mind is that Senator McCain flew by helicopter 260 miles round trip to an oil platform offshore that is only producing 10,000 gallons of oil per day? That is a quote from the story by the AP. If my calculations are correct then that platform is only producing 182 BARREL’S of oil per day at 55 gallons per barrel? I’m not sure that mega platform is even going to pay for McCain’s helicopter ride with one days production. After refining and what have you, how many gallons of helicopter go-go juice do you get. I’m thinking that the helicopter is burning a hell of a lot more gas than your average Chevy pickup truck. I’m guessing that the AP story has a problem with checking facts and CNN has the rig producing 10,000 barrels a day which is a huge difference in numbers. Even still, go-go juice for any kind of chopper is not cheap and they eat the stuff up like its candy to a baby.

How much would you like to bet that the helicopter trip was free courtesy of Chevron? How much money do you think is going to flow into the McCain campaign coffers for this trip to the offshore oil rig? John McCain’s energy plan is a joke and everyone knows it. He’s even being dishonest with himself for the sake of the almighty dollars rolling into his campaign from big oil companies. John McCain knows that any effort to put offshore oil drilling rigs in the Atlantic will be shot down in the Senate by every single state with a shoreline to the Atlantic. If putting up a wind farm off the coast of my home state in Massachusetts was a battle, you have not seen anything in comparison of battles if there is even one remote possibility that the fishing industry off the Atlantic coast were ever harmed by any form of oil drilling disaster or leak. Hurricane Katrina destroyed 113 offshore oil rigs in the Gulf of Mexico and the environment and the fishing industry paid the highest price for that natural disaster. Over at the Washington Post they have this to say about offshore oil rig disasters from Katrina…

McCain and the Safety of Offshore Drilling
By Michael D. Shear

In an energy speech recently, McCain said that: "As for offshore drilling, it's safe enough these days that not even Hurricanes Katrina and Rita could cause significant spillage from the battered rigs off the coasts of New Orleans and Houston."

In fact, Katrina and Hurricane Rita caused damage to oil rigs and storage facilities in the Gulf, according to press reports and government studies.

The hurricanes totally destroyed 113 oil rigs, according to the government's Minerals Management Service, and damaged 457 pipelines. The resulting oil spills were large enough to be seen from space, according to several reports.
- Washington Post

Offshore oil drilling is not the only answer to the energy crisis we are facing courtesy of Wall Street investors. Research into many other avenues and looking at the possibilities of new forms of energy is the answer. The top three are Solar Power, Wind Power, and Natural Gas. All of which this nation has an overall abundance of. Does McCain talk about these energy sources? Yes he does but his heart and soul is brought to you courtesy of big oil and free helicopter rides to their offshore oil platforms.

McCain, McSame, McBush, McRove, whoever the hell he is today does not have the answer or even a valid plan for the next couple of decades and our nations energy needs. It is becoming apparent that McCain’s plan is more of the same and screw you. Thank you very much and please donate to the McCain for President campaign. NOT!!!

McCain himself and his actions, statements, and just disregard for the truth are the loudest and clearest reason why people should vote for change and Barack Obama for President of the United States of America.

Related Links:
Ocean View Helicopters has info on Helicopter MPG
T. Boone Pickens Plan actually has a plan to break the oil crisis
Think Progress has this on what Katrina did to Oil Rigs

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Thursday, July 17, 2008

Wind Power White Knight Oil Barron


T. Boone Pickens is running a national television and internet campaign to save this country from the strangle hold of imported oil and I’m backing his plan. I signed up as a member simply because he is right. America is spending $700 Billion dollars a year on imported oil and that money is going out of this country to fund God only knows what. And this oil man for life is putting his money where his heart is and building a coalition of people that can make a difference on our nation’s oil addiction. You can check out his video here. I highly recommend it!

For a life long oil man to see our nation’s dependence on oil as wrong has to tell you that he can speak from experience. When he is personally backing the development of wind power in this nation by building a 4000 MW wind farm in Pampa, Texas then you know he is serious about this subject.

All of my adult life I have been energy conscious and a conservative of the use of any energy source. My wife hated it when I started buying fluorescent bulbs for all the light fixtures in the house in the mid 1990’s. And yes she was an energy conservation terrorist swapping out my energy savers with regular light bulbs whenever and wherever she thought she could get away with it. Eventually, I would find her evil doings and undo them with a replacement bulb. This battle went on for several years until she became tired of the war and surrendered.

When the cost to heat the house by natural gas was getting ridiculous, I installed a wood pellet stove that redeemed my “Cheapo in Chief” status with the fluorescent light bulbs as the house was warmer and cozier. She was happy, I was happier with the cost to heat the home reduced by two thirds! While she and my daughters saw the warmth as nap inducing technology, I saw a renewable energy source and a gas bill at summer prices.

This had me looking at other ways to save energy and that is when I stumbled upon a gas fired tank less hot water heater from Bosch on the internet. Tank less hot water is huge in Europe and is slowly now catching on in the United States. Trust me, six females in one house use a ton of hot water and yours truly was always the one jumping in the shower to find no hot water left. The old forty gallon water heater could never keep up and even when we were away it was running up my gas bill and that didn’t make any sense.

Needless to say I was looking at home sized wind turbines and solar panels for the house. That involved a lot more technical know how and installation than my paycheck could afford. Anything to reduce the energy use we have had was scrutinized and looked at for avenues of savings. We came across information on front loading washers and the high energy efficiency they had and combined that with a matching dryer for our clothes. Water bill went down, electric bill went down.



Check out this site from T. Boone Pickens on actually changing our dependence on oil and let me know what you think. Something has to change and it might as well start with us.

Papamoka

*****Wind Power and Generators has linked back to this post...

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Thursday, December 27, 2007

Tankless Hot Water Heater



There is nothing worse than jumping into the shower and all the hot water is gone just as you finish soaping up. Needless to say the expletives coming from Mom and Dad as they finish their cold shower can be heard throughout the entire home. In my home the culprit for the expletives is usually me because Mom is up first, followed by two teenage daughters.

In our previous home we had a tankless gas hot water heater from Bosch Aquastar installed that I loved. No huge tank heating water 24 hours a day burning natural gas even if we were off on vacation. When you turned the hot water on the water was instantly heated from the time it left the unit till you were damn good and ready to get out of the shower. Even if your wife and five daughters had all previously showered just before you. The true benefit is that even with long showers by every person in the house we still saved a ton of cash on our gas bill every single month. We averaged about $40 bucks a month in savings.

There is only one downside to converting from the ancient technology of heating water in a forty or fifty-five gallon monster that sucks money out of your checking account every month, the start up cost. Depending on the size of your home and your hot water needs you can spend between $1000 to $1800 to convert your gas or electric water heater over to tankless hot water. With some of the higher priced units supplying six gallons per minute of hot water you get what you pay for so sizing your home to the usage is critical before you invest dollar one. The payback according to some sites is a 20% to 50% savings on your hot water utility bill every month.

If you want to explore this just a tad further then you can Google search it in the link on the sidebar by copying and pasting:

Tankless Gas Water Heater
Or
Tankless Electric Water Heater
Or
Tankless Liquid Propane Gas Water Heater

One of the other advantages to having a tankless hot water heater is the lifetime of the products is far greater than any form of tank water heater. On our Aquastar it was rated for a 25 year lifetime based on average use. On these newer units you would have to do a little research and see what they are up to now. Needless to say the payback on any of the tankless hot water heaters is probably around the three to five year range.

Just for the record, some of these units are pretty complex with the installation so you might want to contact the appropriate trade for the installation of the unit. This is not the average do it yourself project since the work involves gas pipes and electric wiring to service most of the units. Make sure you ask them if they have ever installed one before you hire them to do your install. My guesstimate to convert your home to tankless hot water included the cost of having it professionally installed.

Happy Hot Water Showering,
Papamoka
This post is dedicated to my cousin Julie who inspired me to write it. Thanks Jules!

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