Thread: Gas Drilling hits 10 year low

In 2006 they said if the drilling started then, it would be 7-10 years before it showed at the pump.

So, if we had started then, we would be starting to see a difference in thee coming year or so. Amazing how fast time goes by.

Originally Posted by goober

Yep, there are the lowest number of rigs drilling for gas in ten years.
But, before you blame Obama, factor in that the oil rig count is the highest since 1987.
Gas drilling is down 30%, because gas prices are collapsing. Gas prices that hit $7.97/ MCF in 2008 are around $3 MCF and could be below a dollar in another year or two, there is that much gas being developed. The industry is pulling back on drilling because if the price collapses then the return on their investment will suck. Bad for them, good for the rest of the country.

This could fuel a manufacturing boom in the US, for products where energy is a bigger cost component than labor.
And the good news is that exporting gas to China is an expensive process, we'd still have a big price advantage.

Natural Gas - U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA)

Natural gas production is about the only thing on the horizon that can rescue this economy and neither the Obama nor the government can take the first ounce of credit for it.

Private sector to the rescue. There's a lesson in that.

Originally Posted by darth omar

Natural gas production is about the only thing on the horizon that can rescue this economy and neither the Obama nor the government can take the first ounce of credit for it.

Private sector to the rescue. There's a lesson in that.

And would that lesson be that the government does not prevent private industry from extracting energy?
Despite all the whining about red tape and environmental hurdles, we have a thriving energy sector.

The private sector needs to step up and start producing CNG powered cars, conversion packages and stations to fuel them.

Originally Posted by Damn Yankee

The private sector needs to step up and start producing CNG powered cars, conversion packages and stations to fuel them.

I think the same thing about Hydrogen Fuel Cells.

Just take a 1970 Muscle Car, put in a HFC engine and turn numbers that blow away the original car. Hot Rodders would be enthusiastic. Plus it would create businesses like in the movie Dilemma which would make sound kits for the cars to make them SOUND like muscle cars as well. I even had that idea 5 years ago myself. Just not able to do it.

Take a OTR truck, make sure ONE fill up with an HFC system will go from Boston to LA. No stops other than for sleep, food and bathroom. Show how it can transform the industry with 0 pollutants.

Originally Posted by Wlessard

I think the same thing about Hydrogen Fuel Cells.

Just take a 1970 Muscle Car, put in a HFC engine and turn numbers that blow away the original car. Hot Rodders would be enthusiastic. Plus it would create businesses like in the movie Dilemma which would make sound kits for the cars to make them SOUND like muscle cars as well. I even had that idea 5 years ago myself. Just not able to do it.

Take a OTR truck, make sure ONE fill up with an HFC system will go from Boston to LA. No stops other than for sleep, food and bathroom. Show how it can transform the industry with 0 pollutants.

Converting a classic car and putting a fake noise in it would be blasphemy.

Originally Posted by Wlessard

I think the same thing about Hydrogen Fuel Cells.

Just take a 1970 Muscle Car, put in a HFC engine and turn numbers that blow away the original car. Hot Rodders would be enthusiastic. Plus it would create businesses like in the movie Dilemma which would make sound kits for the cars to make them SOUND like muscle cars as well. I even had that idea 5 years ago myself. Just not able to do it.

Take a OTR truck, make sure ONE fill up with an HFC system will go from Boston to LA. No stops other than for sleep, food and bathroom. Show how it can transform the industry with 0 pollutants.

You mean zero pollutants with that vehicle. But you need natural gas or electricity to make hydrogen to put in the fuel cell. Why not just skip the step and use CNG in the vehicle? Its an easy conversion in a gas vehicle, and the "hot rod" sound would be identical.