Why do we buy oil from far east when we could drill off shore and bluid refines?

that would make oil as cheap as coalWhy do we buy oil from far east when we could drill off shore and bluid refines?
Good question I have been asking that a long time. Why did we let the EPA shut down the drilling off our coast? I say we shut down the EPA. There is more oil around our parts but the greenie weenies have the laws locked up so we can't drill or refine.Why do we buy oil from far east when we could drill off shore and bluid refines?
We do not have enough domestic oil to support our habit. Also, drilling has a terrible impact on the local environment. The saudi's have basically sold their countries environment out. Should we do the same? I don't think so.


A better question would have been, why do we continue to rely on oil when alternative energy sources are available cheaper, and with less impact on the environment.
Tell it to the congressmen from FL and AK.
There is oil all over the world, but it's most plentiful and easy to pump in the Middle East. There are not many companies here willing to invest the $Millions in capitol equipment needed to pump the volume required to support our appetite for Oil... Even at the current high prices it's still cheaper to import oil from other Countries. There are solutions such as renewable energy sources such as solar %26amp; wind power generation, plant based fules such as Ethanol, etc... but even Ethanol has fixed costs that are very high, (capitol equipment and factory costs), eventually these other fuel options will win out over oil, but it will take time. Until then the best thing we can all do is conserve energy as much as possible to reduce demand.
Without all the BS...





Because it is Cheaper. No one in thier right mind (and especially someone in business) pays more for a material than they have to. that includes Crude Oil.





Contrary to popler OPINION, its not cheaper off shore, nor could be made a cheap as coal. Sorry but the marketplace rules regardless of what we may think.





wer
Just wanted to add to the discussion.


I've heard that the crude oil ';quality'; itself is different.


Crude oil from the middle east is ';easier'; to refine into a useful form than other crude oil from other places.





Yes, I also believe we should have made refineries in Alaska and anywhere possible in the US 10 years ago in the name of national security and economical stability.





Btw, the middle east only supplies less than 1/3 of the worlds crude oil.





The US self produces 40% and imports 60% from foreign countries.


Out of the imports, only about 20% comes from the middle east.
Oil under your feet does not mean you can pipe it out easily. It takes a lot of tech. to do so. Will that be more economical than buying from others? Moreover, the terrain and geographical structure in far east is such that makes it easy to get oil from underground.
Where are you planning to drill for oil offshore? We don't have any oil here, except for a tiny bit in Alaska. Unfortunately almost all of the oil is in the middle east. And there is not an unlimited supply of it there.
I'd like to think that we are 'using up THEIR oil first' but that is not the case.





It comes down to money. And environmentalists.





No new refineries have been brought online in this country in over 20 years. The costs, environmental red tape, and the NIMBY factor pretty much kill that idea when it's proposed for an area...





The costs of drilling off shore are tremendous, and the DEEPER water you have to drill in, and the deeper it is under the ocean bed, the MORE expensive it becomes.





In case you were not aware of it, the ';NIMBY'; factor works like this:





We all realize the fact we need a new refinery (or factory, or power plant, or landfill, or whatever).





We STRONGLY SUPPORT that we build one as soon as possible...however Not In My Back Yard...





get the point? Everybody seems to agree that we need new refineries and oil fields, but nobody wants them near where they live!





NIMBY trumps need.





However, oil will never be as cheap as coal - in an era of declining production and skyrocketing demand, it will never be 'cheap' again.