On Wed, 15 Jul 2009 22:59:32 -0700, jps wrote:

On Wed, 15 Jul 2009 12:27:03 -0400, Guru of Woodstock
wrote:

On Wed, 15 Jul 2009 08:24:24 -0700, jps wrote:

On Wed, 15 Jul 2009 08:23:50 -0400, Wizard of Woodstock
wrote:

On Wed, 15 Jul 2009 06:41:47 -0500, thunder
wrote:

On Wed, 15 Jul 2009 07:21:05 -0400, Captain Yogi of Woodstock wrote:


Directional drilling has been around since the '40s when Sperry
developed the gyroscope during the war and that technology was applied
to drilling. That technology was improved on in the early '70s with mud
motors (I was actually on the first test bore - Texaco #5 in the Gulf).
The more recent innovation that I'm familiar with is Auto Trek with the
Quantec bits built by Baker/Hughes.

Not directional drilling, horizontal drilling. The shale formation is @
140' thick, 2 miles down. Tricky target. We used to directional drill
to cover more territory from one location, but horizontal drilling is new
to me.

http://nextbigfuture.com/2008/02/mul...fracturing-of-
horizontal_29.html

You say tomato, I say tomahtoe. :)

My point is that the field is bigger and more accessible than previously
thought - plus there seems to be a companion field close to it and the
Canadian fields look to have a similar configuration.

If we have the technology and we can access this supply while we build
our "renewable" future and slowly reduce our dependence on fossil fuels
while keeping prices low and buying time to build a more efficient
transmission system (Smart Grid) with more environmentally friendly
energy sources, why not do it?

This rush to IMMEDIATELY stop thinking about our own supplies of fossil
fuels and change to hopefully new sources is silly.

Hey, I can't disagree with anything you say. It isn't going to be *one*
solution, but a multitude of solutions. Nuclear, wind, solar, oil, and
even coal, will play a part, but ultimately, cutting down on our appetite
has to also be a part.

I agree with you - consumption has to also be a part of the solution.

And here's the odd part - I think that most folks would agree with us.
I mean if you and I can agree, and we're a little apart in the
political sense, why can't the morons running the country see that and
work find the solutions we need?

I don't get it.

You're upset with the conservative trait of resisting change?

You may not be aware of it, but we've entered a cease fire on the
whole liberal/conservative thing.

It seems to be working.

I didn't throw in. I'm an anarchist this week.

ROTFL!!!

Hell, I'm an anarchist most of the time.

In fact, I invented a whole political view point based on certain
anarchist principles - Rational Anarchy. :)