Heavier Environmental Regulation on Oil and Gas Drilling Activities
Regulating Oil and Gas Drilling and Transport
Introduction.
The American economy runs on energy produced from oil, coal, natural gas, hydroelectric power, nuclear power and renewable sources like solar and wind energies. In fact according to a report in the Congressional Research Service, oil provides the United States with 40% of its total energy needs. It is used in myriad ways, providing "…fuel for the transportation, industrial, and residential sectors" (Ramseur, 2012). Because of the great need for energy to fuel the American economy, oil in "vast quantities" enters the country and moves through the country by ships and by pipelines, Ramseur explains in the Congressional Research Service. Hence, it is inevitable that some spills will occur, and they certainly do occur, notwithstanding the attempts by the industry to conduct its business safely.
The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) reports that the U.S. consumed 6.87 billion barrels (about 18.83 million barrels a day) in 2011, and that was a slight reduction from the 7.0 billion barrels consumed in 2010 (www.eia.gov). As for the amount of natural gas consumed in the U.S. annually, the EIA reports that Americans used approximately 24.38 trillion cubic feet in 2011 (www.eia.gov). There is no doubt that until such time as renewable sources provide far more energy for the nation, oil and natural gas in particular will be in great demand.
This paper reviews current environmental problems associated with oil and gas production and offers strategies for safer ways to regulate oil and gas production.
Thesis: Because of the risky strategies energy corporations take in retrieving oil and natural gas – and due to the leaks, spills, blowouts, tankers running around and other errors and disasters associated with oil extraction and transport – major new environmental regulations must be put on place regarding the drilling for oil. Moreover, current tactics for producing natural gas from existing wells – a process known as "fracking" – are not safe, do not protect the environment, have the potentiality of bringing harm residents and communities, and should be strictly regulated.
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