My family heads to southern California every June to spend time on the beach with extended family. On the way there and back we pass through Bakersfield. Visible from I-5 and Highway 99 are a number of oil rigs. Some pumping, some are motionless.With oil prices rising it seems obvious the US should pursue more drilling in the US. I'm not talking just about off-shore drilling - I mean on-shore drilling. More oil would mean lower gas prices and more US workers employed.
Crude oil production in California averaged 731,150 barrels per day in 2004. You can see a map of current oil fields in California here. Is there potential to expand California's oil production?
Whenever people discuss drilling in Anwar I often think about the oil rigs in California's Central Valley. Millions of Americans drive through Bakersfield on I-5 and Highway 99 every year. Lefties and environmentalists go mental at the thought of oil rigs in Anwar, where nobody lives, but don't think twice about oil rigs in Bakersfield. Is Bakersfield chopped liver?
Unfortunately, we don't have leaders rising to the challenge presented by the oil crisis. Here in California, our GOP governor is worthless on energy issues. He gives speeches on alternative fuels and conserving energy but never does a thing that would produce more oil.
And hey, if oil rigs are good enough for Bakersfield they should be good enough for Anwar.
Photo of Bakersfield oil rig via: Hubertpeaks.com
