US Explores Offshore Oil Drilling

The US government wants to overturn a 26-year ban on offshore oil drilling in the U.S., and open a part of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) for petroleum exploration. The U.S. has an estimated 3% of global petroleum reserves, but consumes close to a quarter of the world's oil. Offshore territories and public lands like the ANWR that don't allow drilling may contain up to 75 billion barrels of oil, according to the Energy Information Administration (EIA). Although it sounds like a lot, it's not enough to make a significant impact in a world where global oil demand is expected to rise 30% by 2030, to nearly 120 million barrels a day. Also, offshore drilling is rather expensive and would only be feasible if the price of oil remained high.

In North America, we are addicted to oil. We would go to every corner of the earth if we could find oil. What will be the impact on the environment if this ban is overturned? As well, in the United States this year, oil is a pawn on the political landscape. This is a much more serious issue than to be used as an election ploy. We must find alternative sources of energy. We cannot depend on oil, because it is a limited resource. The time has come to change to hybrid vehicles, solar and wind power and other methods to offset the environmental damage and the dependence on oil.