Tuesday, April 27th, 1999

Announcements: Final exam is Tuesday, May 4th at 10:10 in 112 Kern Building

Lecture notes:

I. ANWR (The American National Wildlife Refuge)
    A. In the 1950's, northern Alaska was protected by the ANWR; no one can build houses, complexes, factories, etc.

    B. The ANWR Coastal Plain is about 1.5 million acres; just a little bigger than the state of Delaware

    C. The area has possibly the last bunch of "good oil" but the area also has possibly the last major part of wilderness in
    Alaska

    D. May 1995, Alaska promised $2.6 billion to the US government if they allowed Alaska to drill in the ANWR
    Coastal Plain; however Clinton vetoed any such bill that passed this

II. Arguments the drilling industry has for wanting to drill in the ANWR Coastal Plain
    A. Less than 1% of the land would even be affected

    B. Oil production in the ANWR Coastal Plain area would significantly increase the gross national product therefore
    there would be less reliance on the part of the US government on foreign oil

    C. By drilling oil in this area approximately 700,000 jobs would be created

III. The arguments against drilling in the ANWR Coastal Plain area
    A. Oil is a nonrenewable product therefore why ruin the wilderness in the area to get a product that will be gone
    eventually

    B. Destruction of the pristine environment in Alaska

    C. People are worried that there may be spillage on the pipeline, on the tankers, or in the infrastructure

    D. There would be a significant loss in the amount of Carabao in the area

    E. Unknown ecosystem

IV. Alaskan Oil Production
    A. Prudhoe Bay--9.6 billion barrels

    B. Kuparuk River--2.5 billion barrels            *In total, these three areas produce about 1/4 of US oil production

    C. Endicott (offshore)--0.5 billion barrels

    D. 85% of Alaska's budget comes from oil production

V. Groups against drilling
    A. Grenich Indians worried about the Carabao

    B. Other natives care about the Carabao but also know how many jobs will be created by drilling oil therefore they
    are on the borderline

VI. Where does oil come from?
    A. Made of hydrocarbons or fossil fuels

    B. Need three (3) things to make oil
            1. Dead animals and plants (plant remains produce gas while animal remains produce oil)

            2. Time

            3. Heat (too much heat gives off natural gas; need a specific thermal history to get oil)