philip

2 Vote

newcitizen 10 years, 7 months ago on Oil drilling draft bills sent to Cabinet

Not a single major, or minor economy in the world is trying to move beyond fossil fuels. By all means you should push for alternatives, but that is currently exactly what they are, just an alternative to our mainstay, fossil fuels. A very tiny area of Alaska still sees some residual effects of the Exxon Valdez oil spill, which was the result of outdated shipping technology, a drunk captain, and very poor regulation. We have learned from such tragedies, and looking back and digging in our heals to point to one particular incident is a disservice to progression.

Should we not be pushing for better regulation, better oversight, and better use of our resources, rather than blindly pointing at oil and yelling that it is the devil?

2 Vote

newcitizen 10 years, 7 months ago on Oil drilling draft bills sent to Cabinet

This new trend in debates you are alluding to is called an Ad-Hominem, and is nothing new, and not what is happening here. Philip is attacking your arguments, not you. Nowhere do I see a personal attack in any of their statements.

1 Vote

newcitizen 10 years, 7 months ago on Oil drilling draft bills sent to Cabinet

I don't see the world beating down our doors in order to invest in any non-petroleum businesses here. By all means, I think growing those are a fantastic idea, but that does not mean that we can look for oil as well.

All of the things you mention would be great but can all be done alongside a healthy and profitable petroleum industry.

3 Vote

sheeprunner12 10 years, 7 months ago on Oil drilling draft bills sent to Cabinet

U go Philip, the only disgusting thing is that the political cronies will be licking their lips waiting on kickbacks.................. SMT

2 Vote

newcitizen 10 years, 7 months ago on Oil drilling draft bills sent to Cabinet

I hope you realize that every tool or technology that allows us to live our modern lives is due to taking things from hundred of feet (up to miles) below the surface and using them. Where do you think the iron for the steel in your car, or the saw blades that cut the wood for your house come from?

You can thank the life you have now, which is far better than life 50, 100, 500 or any amount of years ago, on the things we have taken out of the ground, including fossil fuels.

1 Vote

newcitizen 10 years, 7 months ago on Oil drilling draft bills sent to Cabinet

Or the Norwegian model, or the Canadian model, or the Russian model, where the country has tight regulations and earns high royalties while letting private companies invest in the infrastructure and do the work.

1 Vote

islandboy 10 years, 7 months ago on Oil drilling draft bills sent to Cabinet

To say that this prospect would be an amazing opportunity for our country is an understatement. The oil prospects identified by BPC have been classified as supergiant as one of the structures are believed to hold over one billion barrells of oil (there are 20 of them by the way). With the government and Bahamian people standing to split the profits 50/50 with the company it would be unwise not to commercialize any find if exploration drilling confirms that we have oil. When you look at how transformative the petroleum sector has been to the economy of some nations, norway and qatar for example, can we really afford not to confirm and develop a natural resource such as petroleum. When you look at how many offshore wells are drilled every year globally the risk of catatrosphic events such as blowouts is really small. This coupled with new safety equipment now available as a result of the Maconda accident in the Gulf of Mexico further minimizes the risks. Billions of barrells of oil is already shipped through the Bahamas each year as we have several major transhipment lanes for oil tankers running through the islands. This coupled with Cuba drilling on the opposite side of the maritime border means we are already assuming all the inherent risks but are getting none of the benefits. That first prospect they are planning to test could be worth 100 billion dollars (crude ~ $100 per barrell) over its lifetime.