Why should we be exporting energy?
By Arkie69
@Arkie69 (2156)
United States
November 17, 2008 9:50am CST
It doesn't make good sense to me to export one ounce of energy out of the US. The figures below are from the CIA Facts Book so they should be pretty close. It shows we export Electricity, oil and Natural Gas. Then turn around and Import a lot more. If this goes along with everything else we do then no doubt we are paying more for the imports than we are getting for the exports. That's usually the way we do business. The figures below shows we are importing and exporting all three forms of energy.
Imported & Exported Energy
Electricity – production 4.062 trillion kWh(2005)
Electricity – consumption: 3.816 trillion kWh (2005)
Electricity - exports:19.8 billion kWh (2005)
Electricity - imports:44.53 billion kWh (2005)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 71.4%
hydro: 5.6%
nuclear: 20.7%
other: 2.3% (2001)
Oil - production:7.46 million bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - consumption:20.8 million bbl/day (2005 est.)
Oil - exports:1.048 million bbl/day (2004)
Oil - imports:13.15 million bbl/day (2004)
Oil - proved reserves:21.76 billion bbl (1 January 2006 est.)
Natural gas - production:490.8 billion cu m (2005 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:604 billion cu m (2005 est.)
Natural gas - exports:19.8 billion cu m (2005 est.)
Natural gas - imports:117.9 billion cu m (2005)
Natural gas - proved reserves5.551 trillion cu m (1 January 2006)
2 responses
@cowgirlheart (114)
• United States
17 Nov 08
How typical is this? How can we find out which idiots are in charge of this and vote them out of office? This is absolutely crazy. If only the United States could learn to take care of their own FIRST, how different a place this would be. Every country should be concerned with their own citizens first, before attempting to "help out" any one else. This just makes me sick. Really, how do we find out who is making this happen and then how can we make it stop?
@Arkie69 (2156)
• United States
17 Nov 08
Well all this isn't being done by the government. This energy export is being done by the big oil companies and also by the companies that generate the electricity. They are probably all one and the same but they have different names. Trying to help some poor country that is in need has nothing to do with it. Although I agree all this help we export should be spread around this country first. You can bet there is a greater profit being made by exporting our energy.
It is said the Alaskan pipeline was built the way it was to get the oil to the coast of Alaska so a lot of the oil could be exported to different countries without the American People knowing it. You can watch a tanker loaded with oil leave the port but how are you going to know where it is going?
I also agree we need to do some serious house cleaning in Washington. The people that are in office knew exactly what was going on and did nothing to stop it. Every one of them need to be put out on the street and barred from politics for the rest of their life. A bunch of them need to go to jail because there had to be a bunch of money being passed under the table to look the other way and let this thing happen. I still say this crash was planned and has been in the works for several years. I think if it had not been allowed it would have stopped.
@cowgirlheart (114)
• United States
18 Nov 08
WOW - and these oil billionares cry when they don't make enough millions in profit. I guess it isn't enough to stick it to Americans, they've got to stick it to the world. I agree about the dirty politicians too - they need to be help accountable!
