I don't see a reason to build that pipeline, do you?

[Barbella]

Nah...none at all. Good God, people....

"Islamist militants have seized full control of a town southeast of Yemen's capital, raising their flag over the citadel, overrunning army positions, storming the local prison and pledging allegiance to al-Qaida leader Ayman al-Zawahri, residents said Monday.

The capture of Radda in Bayda province, some 100 miles south of capital Sanaa, underscores the growing strength of al-Qaida in Yemen as it continues to take advantage of the weakness of a central government struggling to contain nearly a year of massive political unrest."

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Al-Qaida has raised its flag over the citadel," one resident told Reuters by telephone. "Its members have spread out across the town's neighborhoods after pledging allegiance to Ayman al-Zawahri during evening prayers (on Sunday)."


"The move is likely to raise concern in neighboring Saudi Arabia, the world's top oil exporter, and the United States about al-Qaida's spreading presence in Yemen, which lies next to important oil and cargo shipping lanes in the Red Sea."

http://worldnews.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/01/16/10165335-al-qaida-raises-flag-over-yemen-town-pledges-allegiance-to-terrorist-leader

 

[TomFitz]

I do support the Keystone Pipeline.

But I want to be sure that all the environmental t's have been crossed.

The oil industry does not have a good track record of this score either in terms of honesty or performance. I supported the Trans Alaska pipeline in the 1970's, and also supported the long drawn out negotiations over it's construction. There have been many minor scandals with Alayeska and the pipeline's record of of spills is only adequate.

I'm sure if we had rubber stamped it the record would have been far worse.

There are no 20,000 instant jobs to be had from constructing this pipeline. And oil prices and supplies are stable enough that we can enforce a global embargo in Iran, the world's third largest producer.

The Keystone pipeline will be good for us strategically.,

But we have the luxury of waiting and making sure it's done right.

 

[TomFitz]

There is no oil in Yemen. There is hardly a government in Yemen. This is a threat that the US and Saudi Arabia can deal with pretty easily.

 

[jammer]

I do support the Keystone Pipeline.

But I want to be sure that all the environmental t's have been crossed.

The oil industry does not have a good track record of this score either in terms of honesty or performance. I supported the Trans Alaska pipeline in the 1970's, and also supported the long drawn out negotiations over it's construction. There have been many minor scandals with Alayeska and the pipeline's record of of spills is only adequate.

I'm sure if we had rubber stamped it the record would have been far worse.

There are no 20,000 instant jobs to be had from constructing this pipeline. And oil prices and supplies are stable enough that we can enforce a global embargo in Iran, the world's third largest producer.

The Keystone pipeline will be good for us strategically.,

But we have the luxury of waiting and making sure it's done right.

Tom , I agree with most of what you posted, especially about the need to protect the environment and how good it would be for the construction folks to have the jobs, even if it were for only a year or two. However, other than the shipping industry and maybe a few refineries (America has been closing them down since the 80's), who stands to amke money off the pipeline? Won't it be Canadian owned? Isn't the oil that will be piped thru it Canadian oil? Won't most of the oil be sold to countries other than the USA? What control will the USA have over the pipeline and its contents?

 

[Number_58]

Well, that isn't what was reported as of March of 2011...

Yemen is the world's 32nd biggest oil exporter

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/energy/oilandgas/8397571/Yemens-oil-and-gas-facts-and-figures.html

 

[OldGaffer]

Tom , I agree with most of what you posted, especially about the need to protect the environment and how good it would be for the construction folks to have the jobs, even if it were for only a year or two. However, other than the shipping industry and maybe a few refineries (America has been closing them down since the 80's), who stands to amke money off the pipeline? Won't it be Canadian owned? Isn't the oil that will be piped thru it Canadian oil? Won't most of the oil be sold to countries other than the USA? What control will the USA have over the pipeline and its contents?

You raise inconvenient questions that will be promptly ignored.

 

[jammer]

True Gaffer, barbie likes to post things she thinks is anti-Obama, but when she is confronted with real questions she runs off to post more rightwing BS.

 

[Barbella]

They've studied the project for THREE YEARS....how much time is "enough"?

 

[Barbella]

Let's see.....it's been studied for 3 years....I'd think that would be plenty of time, except, of course, it's politically inconvenient in an election year....

What difference does it make WHO makes the money off the pipeline? So what if Canada does? The main concern IS, or SHOULD BE, that we CAN buy it when we need it. There's absolutely no such guarantee while we're relying on the Middle East. We shouldn't want to need THEM for ANYTHING.

 

[Barbella]

Is that a personal attack? Looks like it to me.....

 

[Saladin2]

What is Yemen got to do with building a stupid pipeline?.....LOL.....

 

[Barbella]

I like your avatar...."Rise Against" what? Stupidity? I'm all for it.....

 

[Saladin2]

Hey at least I know Yemen has nothing to do with building a Stupid pipeline...Stay on your horse...Don't worry about Yemen...LOL

 

[Minotaur]

There are good reasons to make sure that this is done safely. The Keystone XL pipeline would carry 900000 barrels of dirty tar sands oil not oil and that makes it potentially toxic if the pipeline is weak. The second aspect is Texas wil lhave to refine it to make it useable and if the pollution problems are not FULLY addressed those who live around it may have shortened lives.

I think the tailing ponds are Canada's to deal with but certainly we better know what we are agreeing to since we are talking about this impacting many states, not just Texas.

 

[Corruptbuddha]

Here, here.

The idea is sound. But we have to make doubly sure the engineering is sound as well.

A star for you Tom.

 

[Saladin2]

Just think ...This fiasco will provide all of about 2% of America's energy needs.....Oh joy...

 

[Corruptbuddha]

Why not build a refinery for this stuff in Canada?

Has this even been explored?

*edit(* Nevermind, I see that it has:

One question that has come up in the comments is why not simply build refineries in Canada to process the crude instead of constructing a pipeline that will bring the fuels to Texas?

Reader StrideOrlov says that it comes down to cost:

“It is far cheaper and safer to move the crude oil to refineries that are located near where the refined products will be used than to refine the crude nearer to the oil wells and then try to transport the very volatile distilled products to distant markets. And remember, refineries are LOT more expensive to build and maintain than pipelines. So you get the added factor that it is cheaper to build a pipeline to move the crude to an existing refinery site than it is to build a whole new refinery.”

Which prompted Bob Ivey to ask:

“The refined products are not used in Texas, they are used all over the country and in most cases shipped by pipeline to terminals where it is transferred to trucks for local delivery. So how would a refinery in Nebraska be different than one in Texas except for access to the Gulf of Mexico for export?”

StrideOrlov responds:

“Actually the refined products ARE used mostly in Texas, supplying the metro areas for San Antonio, Houston, Austin and Dallas/FW, plus the artificial rubber plants in Pasadena (a huge consideration there).

There are major refineries in 2/3 of the states of the U.S. The refineries in the western tip of Texas which supply the surrounding region of N.M., Ariz, southern CO and western Texas. The big ones in the Houston-Beaumont area, plus the ones in sourthern LA supply the south central region as I mentioned above. California has numerous major refineries which supply the West Coast. New Jersey supplies most of that region of the northern East Coast, while Alabama helps cover the SE region. Plus smaller, but still major, refineries all over the central states like MO, MI, IL and so on to fill the gaps.

Transporting gasoline is dangerous and expensive. That is why refineries are spread all over the gasoline-crazed United States. But so much of the artificial rubber that fuel our industry, especially our tire manufacturers, comes from that one town outside of Houston (Pasadena) that the refineries there can never seem to get enough crude to keep up with demand.

 

[Barbella]

Mary....they've been studying for three years. It's very hard for me to believe they simply need more time, and it's pretty clear that the foot-dragging is due to nothing but political expediency.

 

[PhilFish]

Phil could take over Yemen. just sayin...

 

[Barbella]

So...the people who are "concerned" (such as Saudi Arabia and the US) are just bloody idiots?

Gotcha. Maybe YOU should apply for "the job", since you seem to know better than them.

"The move is likely to raise concern in neighboring Saudi Arabia, the world's top oil exporter, and the United States about al-Qaida's spreading presence in Yemen, which lies next to important oil and cargo shipping lanes in the Red Sea."