I have had it with the Republicans conveniently forgetting the actual numbers of oil production in the first term of President George W Bush. I have written many time about this but, I once again have to fight back against the complete misinformation that is being promoted by people on the right, like Senator Jim DeMint.
Let’s look at real number of the Bush vs. Obama administration and specifically federal land numbers.
According to the Bureau of Land Management, the agency tasked with reporting oil drilling permits, etc. on federal lands has reported that in 2001, the Bush administration approved only 3,439 permits increasing slightly to 3,802 by 2003. It wasn’t until 2004 that Bush doubled the permits approved, but by they dropped dramatically back down to 4,579 in 2005.
In 2009 under President Obama, there were 4,487 oil drilling permits approved to drill on federal land and in 2010 there were 4,090 permits issued and finally by 2011 there were 4,244.
Now, let’s look at new wells started.
In 2001,under President Bush, 3,448 wells were started dropping dramatically down to 2,871 in 2002, then only 2,957 new wells in 2003, and only 2,702 in 2004 and finally dropping to 1,742 in 2005. In comparison in 2009 under Obama there were 3,267 new wells started, in 2010 there were 3,166 and 2011 there were 3,260.
Now we will look at new leases on federal land. In 2001 Bush issued 3,289 new leases, only 2,384 in 2002, and 2,022, in 2003 and finally 2,699 in 2004. Now let’s compare Obama’s actions, in 2009 there were 2,072 new leases, in 2010 there were 1,308, and finally in 2011 there 2,188.
So when we compare two Presidents and the first term, Obama is NOT halting any production any more than George W Bush. In fact in some areas he exceeded President Bush. This needs to be explained by the Republicans, because it looks like Obama is more of an oil president than Bush.
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Ingarose
Mar. 15th, 2012 at 9:56 pm
This article has a lot of facts and figures. Unfortunately, Republicans do not believe in facts. They use emotions, they lie a lot and make it seem authentic.
A lot of people on the left want Rush Limbaugh off the airwaves. thinking that he is dangerous. Well, he is in a way that the GOP has put him on a pedestal, yet he is not as dangerous as the whole Fox News outfit. Jon Steward is right calling Fox News a dirty name. The worst is Hannity. He really tries everything possible to bring Obama down. He appears so serious and always gets experts who agree with his view. I can only get through half an hour of his show, after that I have to change channels in order to stay sane. Yet,you all know that Fox has a large viewership. Some say it is an older audience which may be true, but they vote more often than the young.
While Hannity is pure emotional, spewing lies after lies, O’Reilly tries to come across as the adult on Fox by always having liberals on. Yet, I think he is more evilish than the others.
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Rebuttal to stupid liberal
Mar. 16th, 2012 at 1:14 am
Nice job cherry picking the numbers 2001-2003, 2005 were lowest number of permits – pre-Obama. Notice that 2006, 2007, 2008 were conveniently left off the article. Any comment on number of drilling leases issued in 2010 vs. prior years? No, I would guess not!
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SinghX
Mar. 16th, 2012 at 10:05 am
Here “Stupid”…here are the facts:
During 2003, the price rose above $30, reached $60 by 11 August 2005, and peaked at $147.30 in July 2008.[1] Commentators attributed these price increases to many factors, including reports from the United States Department of Energy and others showing a decline in petroleum reserves}} Reference not available –>,[2] worries over peak oil,[3] Middle East tension, and oil price speculation.[4]
[Pay attention, "Stupid"...]
For a time, geo-political events and natural disasters indirectly related to the global oil market had strong short-term effects on oil prices, such as North Korean missile tests,[5] the 2006 conflict between Israel and Lebanon,[6] worries over Iranian nuclear plans in 2006,[7] Hurricane Katrina,[8][9] and various other factors.[10] By 2008, such pressures appeared to have an insignificant impact on oil prices given the onset of the global recession.[11] The recession caused demand for energy to shrink in late 2008, with oil prices falling from the July 2008 high of $147 to a December 2008 low of $32.[12] Oil prices stabilized by October 2009 and established a trading range between $60 and $80.[12]
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Duke Snider
Mar. 16th, 2012 at 11:16 am
OK…where are the current facts and how do they relate to your response or the biased article?
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SinghX
Mar. 17th, 2012 at 11:20 am
How do I respond? I think you and “Stupid” are one and the same person who hasn’t the balls to admit that the facts are relevant to the topic by refusing to accept the facts…check-mate/game over so don’t play “let’s move the goal line/do over
–you got nothin’, now move on.
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Ray Medeiros
Mar. 16th, 2012 at 1:56 pm
Yeah, I cherry picked numbers! I used Bush’s FIRST term and compared it to Obama’s first term.
Are you implying George Bush was an environmentalist his first term and turned into an oil drilling president his second term?
Please. You guys are completely inept to do any logical thinking on your own
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Alex Laird
Mar. 22nd, 2012 at 3:01 pm
Considering the author clearly states in the article that he only compared the first term of both presidents (because you can’t compare two samples that are not equal, and different motives will motivate presidents between terms), this is hardly cherry picking or deceit of any kind. There was full disclosure, something you rarely get from news outlets that just want to sell a good, hyped story.
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TimFromLA
Mar. 16th, 2012 at 3:14 am
The problem is, even with all the drilling, we sell the oil on the world market. We have a surplus according to Indy Senator from Vermont Bernie Sanders on the Thom Hartmann show, None of the oil drilled here is for domestic use. And because of oil speculation, a barrel of oil is artificially high. Sanders also said that we have a surplus of oil and a demand comparable of that of 1995. But because our oil is limited, as President Obama said, we need alternative form of energy. And the Japanese created something amazing
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CrxfMz2eDME
A hydrogen power car.
So no, they hate facts and all we can do is sigh
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Matt
Mar. 16th, 2012 at 11:15 am
Also, the hydrogen powered car has been an idea for as long as I can remember (I’m not terribly old though…). Fuel cell tech and hydrogen combustion is not a revolutionary technology, but I think it’s important for moving forward.
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Duke Snider
Mar. 16th, 2012 at 11:24 am
We have had hydrogen capability for some time. The problem with hydrogen is the cost of extracting it – usually from water – making it a very impracticable fuel at this time. Perhaps somewhere down the line, but not today. Additionally the safety of the product as an automotive fuel has a lot of problems. First off it is extremely cold in liquid form, highly explosive, and as many car accidents there are today – it could prove (at this time of development) deadlier then most can imagine.
Not a good alternative but one worth looking into with new technologies. We have a hundred years of known oil not to mention what is yet to be found. To be having this debate now only demonstrates exactly what the Obama administration fears and is attempting to do. Divert your attention to how badly he wrecked the economy and to draw your attention away from his failed policies.
It is time for the Buffoon in Chief who said he was up to the job to admit he was not and either resign or be voted out. Given his arrogance and all about me instead of all about America it is more than likely the people will have to help him resign in the next election and replace all the liberals with conservatives (I said conservatives and did not specify a political party – just a mindset) who can repair our economy and arrest the run-away energy cost as well as bring food back down to earth. Under Obama hamburger has jumped from .89 a pound to 3.55 and rising…but I can’t afford arugula either.
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Tim
Mar. 16th, 2012 at 12:35 pm
Duke, you have missed a few points. I run my current internal combustion Volvo on a 40% hydrogen mix and I get around 46 miles to the gallon. Hydrogen is barely any more dangerous then the 20 gallons gasoline bomb you are already setting on. Yea, 42 mpg is not great but this is a four thousand pound car and it gets better mileage then many cars half it’s size. China’s new car purchases last year were 50% electric. I wounder how that works. We were paying four dollars a gallon for gas in 2008 another election year.
America has 2% of the worlds oil reserves and what is left according to the oil men (I come from a family of oil men) is hard to get out requiring deep drilling and lots of water which is why the oil company’s have hundreds of permits that have never been drilled.
Drilling is not the problem with prices. Saudi Arabia now has to have $80.00 a barrel oil to make their economy work. It is simple math. This is in line with all the major middle east producers. They have based their entire economy on nothing but oil and now it’s harder to get.
We have gone from 1 billion people on earth to 7 billion on earth in 112 years.
There are thousands of options on the table and no one is talking about them Check out CleanTechnia.com or Smart Planet.com to find out what is really going on.
I love the Obama wrecked the economy. -700,000 jobs a month when he took office and two wars that a previous president would not put in the budget so that he would not get the heat. Yea, we need another village idiot from Texas to straighten all of this out.
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Tim
Mar. 16th, 2012 at 12:42 pm
Duke, I forgot to add that the reason your hamburger is so expensive is because there was a drought last year and the cattleman had to put down all their stock. It was kinda “in the news”. Worst drought in 200 years. Your going to have to find something else to eat for the next couple of years.
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SinghX
Mar. 17th, 2012 at 11:27 am
Yaybutt, yaybutt, I’m movin’ the goal post AGAIN (says Podunk Duke/aka “Stupid) so’s I kin re-ask the same question about facts that are already established, but turn it into something else to suit mah personal prejudice and judgement against a president who is doing more drilling than the “W”!
(this moron is a waste of time…)
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Mark
Mar. 16th, 2012 at 6:41 pm
Hydrogen powered cars are a bad idea because hydrogen is not nearly as common and available as people think it is. It is in a fact a fairly limited resource, probably more so than oil.
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Jay
Mar. 16th, 2012 at 9:44 pm
You serious? Hydrogen is not an uncommon resource! It is one of the most abundant on the planet. Also, the extraction process is done by applying electricity to water to produce hydrogen gas, so your saying that water and electricity are scarce resource? I bid you good day sir……..I said good day
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Andrew
Mar. 16th, 2012 at 6:22 am
Does this have anything to do with the price of oil rising exactly with this graph? Of course it does. The reason why there are more wells being drilled is because it is actually profitable to extract in the US now. Has nothing to do with the president unless he is in charge of OPEC.
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Shiva (Moderator)
Mar. 16th, 2012 at 10:19 am
I too wonder how the Republicans are going to justify the fact that we are a net exporter of oil while at the same time complaining that Obama is not letting anyone drill. I have an ugly feeling that some people, or some person is going to have a very uncomfortable seat when it comes to debate time. To me the question is not so much what has Obama done compared to Bush( or should I say Cheney) but exactly where are we in energy production at this moment. we are all producing a goodly part of the entire Bush era. So while they candidates can run around and claim all they want, and Jim DeMent can do as usual teabag lie syndrome the facts are going to come out in the debates.
This is just another area where I agree with the premise that they are not interested in the presidency but only in the Congress.
Good research Ray
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Kirby
Mar. 27th, 2012 at 12:32 pm
I missed your comment before. The U.S. is a net exporter of oil? Is that what you said? Man, the level of ignorance in that statement is off the charts.
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Duke Snider
Mar. 16th, 2012 at 11:11 am
The leading headline clearly indicates you lack of bias and desire to communicate a rational thought. After all Republicans are stupid and blind Obama loving Democrats are enlightened to the point of absolute ignorance. The fact remains — the real facts — all the new drilling are from Bush era permits on PRIVATE lands OBAMA CAN NOT STOP OR CONTROL – or it would be stopped just as it is on the majority of government land. The realities are gasoline was 1.38 locally in Kentucky when Obama walked into office and is just under $4.00 a gallon today.
Obama is a failure and has caused the dollar to lose 33% of its value in his first 3 years making one of those 3 dollars worthless and accounting for at least 1/3 of the increase. His policies has created an 8% (and depending on how you do the math as high as 11% when you add in the rapidly rising energy prices)inflation rate coupled with a GDP debt ratio greater than Greece and a dollar value falling faster than the official alleged inflation rate (falling 11% a year for the first 3 years) will soon re-create Jimmy Carter style stagflation and the real potential collapse of the dollar.
That tingle you feel running down your legs from Obama is his urinating on America and or or your brains leaking from your porous sponge filled heads.
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Ray Medeiros
Mar. 16th, 2012 at 1:54 pm
Do you (DUKE) even READ the article before commenting? You said…”The fact remains — the real facts — all the new drilling are from Bush era permits on PRIVATE lands OBAMA CAN NOT STOP OR CONTROL”
This entire article compares the FIRST TERM, permits issued under Obama and Bush, new wells under Obama and Bush and finally new leases under Obama and Bush.
Are you IMPLYING George W Bush was a tree hugging liberal in his first term and turned into a rapid oil drilling machine his second term?
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Matt
Mar. 16th, 2012 at 11:13 am
I looked up may of the statements in this article and found them to be RESOUNDINGLY one sided and narrow. The fact is, Obama is approving fewer Applications to Drill. I love Obama, and the fact he is sticking it to oil companies is a plus for me. Let’s continue to spur innovation and responsibility by paying a little extra at the pump. I have already noticed less hummers on the road than I did this winter. Oil is a product of the past and it’s time for us to evolve and actually do good for the future.
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Ray Medeiros
Mar. 16th, 2012 at 2:47 pm
Sorry Matt, but these FACTS i used is directly from the Bureau of Land Management
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Jaybird2005
Mar. 16th, 2012 at 11:14 am
Ok, for a short time we are (or at least were) a net exporter. So why is the price going up? We should have plenty for ourselves and even if the World price is higher, shipping adds something to the price. There seems to be a disconnect between “supply” (net surplus) and “demand” (lower usage).
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Tim
Mar. 16th, 2012 at 12:51 pm
Here is how I see it.
2008 oil prices through the roof. Election year.
2012 Election year.
Obama say’s, lets cut corporate welfare for oil and use it to produce smarter energy. Oil company’s say “whoa funny colored boy not so fast”. Prices go up.
Oil company’s get new front man in White House. All’s good, the next generation can fix it.
American drilling was down during Bush years because when a Bush is in office we get our oil from the Saudi’s. They are family after all.
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Kevin
Mar. 16th, 2012 at 1:25 pm
Duke, you conveniently leave out some facts. Yes, gas was around $1.45/gallon in Louisville, KY when Obama came into office but just 6 months prior to that, gas in Louisville, KY was $4.29/gallon (higher than what it is now – $3.80/gallon). Now what happened from July 2008 to January 2009? The biggest economic collapse since the Great Depression. Of course gas dropped precipitously from July to January because everyone (especially speculators) thought the economy was on the verge of collapse. Well, guess what? As soon as they saw the economy was not going to collapse (the stimulus, saving auto industry, etc) the price of gas shot back up. It went from $1.45/gallon in Louisville in January up to $2.58/gallon in June. This is pure speculation and that is what is driving the high price of gas now. Speculation combines with the record amounts of gasoline exported to foreign countries, combined with gas & oil companies making record profits, the American consumer suffers.
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Kevin
Mar. 16th, 2012 at 1:26 pm
You can see historical prices of gas for the past 6 years nationwide and by city here:
http://gasbuddy.com/gb_retail_price_chart.aspx
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Gywsiw
Mar. 16th, 2012 at 3:14 pm
I still find it funny:
The government ‘gives’ out permits (very low cost) to allow private companies to drill in federal property and sell the product on the world market without any form of royalty of a designated percentage to be supplied to the country.
The government is letting foreign companies (they are all foreign owned now) drill on OUR (taxpayer) land, use OUR tax paid resources, OUR distribution systems, and sell OUR oil to other countries. We get no compensation for them taking our property, but those who are elected give them extra money as incentive.
Am I wrong to see this as electing a sheriff who sells passes for people to enter your home, take your stuff, sell some of it back to you at a high cost while the sheriff draws a paycheck off your taxes, and gives them a cut of your taxes as well. This doesn’t strike anyone else as odd?
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Jean Netherton
Mar. 17th, 2012 at 2:00 am
Ray Medeiros, you did a good job of research and writing. Don’t beat yourself up over the stupid Republicans that can’t be bothered to actually read the rebuttal. Thank you for the info. Bookmarked for my next troll fest.
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Occupy* Posters
Mar. 17th, 2012 at 2:21 am
The data in this poster is incorrect, although it does give the correct overall impression. Here are links to the correct data:
http://bit.ly/2000-2011crudeprices
http://bit.ly/jan2012crudeprices
http://bit.ly/2000-2012rotaryrigcounts
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Alex Laird
Mar. 22nd, 2012 at 3:06 pm
Considering your “correct” links don’t even correlate to the article, I’d suggest you didn’t actually read it. Congratulations, you’re a Republican.
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Janet
Mar. 17th, 2012 at 9:01 am
No one, ESPECIALLY no woman, should vote for a single Republican this year. NOT EVEN ONE. NOT EVEN LOCAL.
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Joe
Mar. 17th, 2012 at 10:52 am
The only reason Obama was handed such cheap oil was Bush just crashed the economy! Don’t live in a bubble and you might know things! http://stockcharts.com/public/1109839/chartbook/155724725
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Joe
Mar. 17th, 2012 at 10:55 am
BTW, how do you think Gingrich is going to give us $250 gas? Bush showed how..crash Wall Street. Is that Newt’s plan? I think we’ve had enough of republican’s “plan” to last a generation or two!
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Kirby
Mar. 19th, 2012 at 1:29 pm
As expected, all my comments pointing out the true facts from the BLS statistics have been deleted. You are so utterly disingenous.
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Alex Laird
Mar. 23rd, 2012 at 12:51 pm
http://www.blm.gov/wo/st/en/info/newsroom/Energy_Facts_07/statistics.html
Please enlighten us, oh Wise One, as to why the three pages the author linked to from this list are not complete. Are you suggesting that, because he only used three and not all ten sources listed on this page, that his research was not complete? And, if so … seriously, do you watch the news?
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Kirby
Mar. 27th, 2012 at 10:52 am
Why the author would use 2001 to 2003 as his basis for comparison is beyond me. Oil was priced at $30/bbl. If you used a three year period when oil was a bit more comparable in price, say the three years leading up to Obama, the picture changes quite a bit. These facts were conveniently deleted when I presented them last time because they are obviously too logical and blow the fantasy as Obama as the “oil president” out of the water. From the BLM site, which is the source forr the data in this article:
New leases 2006-2008 9929
New leases 2009-2011 5568 -44%
Acreage covered under new leases 2006-08 12.0 MM
2009-11 5.3 MM -56%
Drilling permits 2006-08 20479
2009-11 12821 -37%
This is the data from BLM regarding federal lands over which this administration has control. These were also the facts that I presented earlier. So consider yourself enlightened. Let’s see if this info stays here or not. I doubt it.
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