Dick move

Cheney perpetuates myth about China-Cuba oil partnership

Posted by Kate Sheppard at 1:19 PM on 12 Jun 2008

During his "drill, drill, drill" rant yesterday, Dick Cheney complained that Cuba and China are drilling for oil closer to the coast of Florida than American companies are currently allowed. It's become a common talking point for Republicans arguing that more areas should be opened to drilling -- but, reports McClatchy, it appears to be bogus.

[N]o one can prove that the Chinese are drilling anywhere off Cuba's shoreline. The China-Cuba connection is "akin to urban legend," said Sen. Mel Martinez, a Republican from Florida who opposes drilling off the coast of his state but who backs exploration in ANWR.

"China is not drilling in Cuba's Gulf of Mexico waters, period," said Jorge Pinon, an energy fellow with the Center for Hemispheric Policy at the University of Miami and an expert in oil exploration in the Gulf of Mexico. Martinez cited Pinon's research when he took to the Senate floor Wednesday to set the record straight.

A Congressional Research Service report on Cuba [PDF] came to the same conclusion last year: "While there has been some concern about China's potential involvement in offshore deepwater oil projects, to date its involvement in Cuba's oil sector has been focused on onshore oil extraction in Pinar del Rio province [in Cuba] through its state-run China Petroleum and Chemical Corporation."

Rep. Ed Markey (D-Mass.), chair of the House Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming, put out a statement pointing to the CRS report today. "By perpetuating this myth, the Republicans and their friends in Big Oil are acting as the modern-day masters of deception," said Markey. "It's not the Chinese who are looking to drill off Florida's beaches, it's the Republicans and Big Oil." [UPDATE: Cheney's office admitted he was wrong.]

Markey, Nick Rahall (D-W.V.), Maurice Hinchey (D-N.Y.), and Rahm Emanuel (D-Ill.) also unveiled legislation today that would push oil companies to explore on the 68 million acres of public land, onshore and off, that are already leased for drilling. "It's time for Republicans and oil company executives to stop making the false claim that the U.S. is not making enough land available for energy production,� Hinchey said. It's estimated that 80 percent of the available domestic oil supply is contained in those 68 million acres -- an area the size of Georgia and Illinois combined.

"Big Oil could drill in millions of acres today, without Congress even lifting a finger," said Markey. "This is yet another drilling decoy proffered by the Republicans and their friends in the oil and gas industry."

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5 Comments | Post a Comment

well

if that TOD tour diary is right, it'd be much cheaper and quicker for the oil companies with underperforming platforms in the gulf to find new places in the gulf to drill than to build whole new facilities on land, and this is after all about taking advantage of today's hot market.

by hapa at 1:40 PM on 12 Jun 2008

Go Fuck Yourself, Mr. Cheney

Demanding more oil drilling is simply easier than doing the responsible thing: promoting the research and development of alternative energy and power supplies. One alternative is cannabis, the oil from the cannabis plant can be used for many of the same purposes we now petro-chemicals for. Certainly not all alternatives are created equal but how will we know without funding the research?

by Cacaoatl at 6:35 PM on 12 Jun 2008

Estimates

Has anybody else noticed how much the word "estimate" flies around in the drilling debate? Nobody really knows how much oil there is available to the US, or even exactly where it is.

We do know, however, where the sun shines, where the wind blows, where water flows, where the earth warms, where plants grow, and how to use all these things for increasing domestic energy production.

I watched some of Cheney's speech, and it made me so mad I could barely keep from screaming. He and the whole administration are hypocrites, saying they want to fight the "addiction to oil" and "fight climate change", but kicking and screaming to keep things the same.

Boehner and the Republicans have been looking for a new slogan lately, and I've got one for them: "Status quo's the way to go!"

by Kenny B at 7:34 AM on 13 Jun 2008

Pull your head out of the sand

I love how you attribute the following to Cheney, but fail to back it up:

Vice President Cheney yesterday called for a substantial increase in domestic drilling for oil and other natural resources, including in environmentally sensitive areas, saying that only increased production -- and not new technology -- will satisfy the nation's demand for energy.

Talk about misquoting...he said nothing of the sort.

To ignore the fact that Cuba is 90 miles off our shores and is working with China to drill with 60 miles of Florida is akin to sticking your head in the sand. It's happening--a simple Google search will show you that the New York Times reported on this back in May.

Further exploration of oil along with research into renewable energy is the answer to today's energy crisis. Saudi Arabia and others like them are laughing at how stupid Americans are for allowing prices to sky rocket while they cling to the thought they can save the world by not drilling in Alaska and the Gulf. While you are rich enough to not feel the pinch you're furthering the plight of poor American's who can hardly feed their famalies let alone pay more to foreign countries for the gas they need to get to work.

by clueinpeople at 9:08 AM on 14 Jun 2008

Clarification

Regading the Cheney quote: He did not say that increased oil production was the ONLY way to satisfy hte nation's demand for energy.

by clueinpeople at 9:10 AM on 14 Jun 2008
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