New Allies in the Natural Gas War
America needs to capitalize on her abundance of natural gas. That subject has been examined numerous times at this site and elsewhere. It can heat our homes, power our industries, generate our electricity, and fuel our vehicles. It can create jobs that fuel our economy, and it can completely change the world’s political climate.
We import over 70% of our energy needs, and export hundreds of billions of dollars in the process. Money that could be rejuvenating our economy is instead empowering and financing our enemies.
Two new allies appeared on the battlefield today.
At the Huffington Post, Bob Barr is promoting the aggressive debate of the Natural Gas Act, a true bipartisan economic engine that has long been overshadowed by the partisan debate over healthcare. In the House, over 130 supporters have signed up, representing all political persuasions in that body. In the Senate, the initial legislation was proposed by a Democrat, Bob Menendez of New Jersey, and it now has more Republican co-sponsors than Democrat, though Harry Reid is among the Democrats who support the bill.
And though this legislation has been kept in the dark, it is beginning to gather its share of the spotlight as concerns over the economy begin to outweigh healthcare legislation.
Closer to home, US Rep John Fleming, R-Minden, is aggressively attacking Democrat efforts to stop the production of natural gas from shale by regulating hydraulic fracturing out of existence. Fleming is openly criticizing Rep Henry Waxman, of Cap & Trade fame, for questioning eight natural gas companies about the chemicals they utilize in the sand and water mixture used to fracture the shale in which the gas is trapped.
From the Louisiana Oil and Gas Association -
“The same team that brought America the job-killing, tax-hiking cap-and-trade legislation appear to be at it again,” Fleming, R-Minden, said in a speech last week on the House floor.
Hydraulic fracturing has been used to recover oil and natural gas from shale formations for decades, and has been safely and effectively regulated by the states’ environmental agencies. Now Waxman is attempting to bring the process under the jurisdiction of the EPA. Under the current administration, their involvement can only be a roadblock to progress; progress this country needs to put us on the road to economic recovery and energy independence. As Rep Fleming candidly and accurately says,
… production in the Haynesville Shale pumped $4.5 billion into Louisiana’s economy and created more than 32,000 jobs.
David Vitter is supporting this. Bill Cassidy is supporting it. John Fleming is supporting it. Natural gas production is good for Louisiana, and good for America. We need to support it, too.
As Bob Barr approaches the conclusion of his post, he echoes an argument that has been raised in this venue many times.
Members of Congress and Senators are motivated by heat. So we’ve got to turn up the heat. They have to start getting their mail rooms and inboxes flooded with positive messages, well-articulated messages, petitions, postcards, emails, whatever it takes. Why? Because the NAT GAS Act is a win-win. But we’ve got to start now. If we don’t, every day that goes by means it becomes harder and more expensive to mount that effort.
One of the more profound effects of the healthcare debate has been the awakening of “middle America,” the average “Joe” who had been dormant and ambivalent for years. The Natural Gas Act, the No Cost Stimulus, and similar legislation, are other topics that “Joe” needs to become familiar with, then involved with promoting.
Telephone numbers and email addresses for members of Congress are readily available and easily obtained. Use them to express your support for this sensible, much needed, bipartisan legislation.
I really don't think people quite understand how big the shale gas revolution can be for America's future. It's a true game-changer.
I don't think so, either, and try though I might (LOL), I can't tell them by myself, which is why I was glad to see Barr's post on the Huffington Post. The more we can educate people, the better.
I really don't think people quite understand how big the shale gas revolution can be for America's future. It's a true game-changer.
I don't think so, either, and try though I might (LOL), I can't tell them by myself, which is why I was glad to see Barr's post on the Huffington Post. The more we can educate people, the better.
BTW, here is a YouTube of Fleming's speech:
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BTW, here is a YouTube of Fleming's speech:
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We need to encourage more cars to run on natural gas. The Honda Civic GX is the only one that you buy right now because we're so focused on electric cars, but removing our dependence on foreign oil almost certainly running a large number of vehicles on natural gas, as (for example) Brazil does.
I thought Brazil was running a lot of sugar cane based ethanol. Are they using natural gas as well?
Brazil is using a lot of ethanol from sugar, but other South American countries (i e Columbia) are operating a lot of dual fuel cars that switch from CNG to gas at the flip of a switch. We need to encourage fleet conversion and fueling stations with public access, then commercial stations will follow suit with compressor stations and metering dispensers. Conversion of private vehicles is "cat and mouse" with the availability of fueling facilities.
The Honda is the only readily available car, but conversions for others are equally available, and relatively inexpensive as they (unfortunately?) qualify for up to 80% tax credits just like solar panels.
We need to encourage more cars to run on natural gas. The Honda Civic GX is the only one that you buy right now because we're so focused on electric cars, but removing our dependence on foreign oil almost certainly running a large number of vehicles on natural gas, as (for example) Brazil does.
I thought Brazil was running a lot of sugar cane based ethanol. Are they using natural gas as well?
Brazil is using a lot of ethanol from sugar, but other South American countries (i e Columbia) are operating a lot of dual fuel cars that switch from CNG to gas at the flip of a switch. We need to encourage fleet conversion and fueling stations with public access, then commercial stations will follow suit with compressor stations and metering dispensers. Conversion of private vehicles is "cat and mouse" with the availability of fueling facilities.
The Honda is the only readily available car, but conversions for others are equally available, and relatively inexpensive as they (unfortunately?) qualify for up to 80% tax credits just like solar panels.
I was visiting my wife's country (Colombia), four summers ago, and they have converted a significant percentage of their cars to run dual fuel CNG/gasoline. It is very inexpensive, proven technology. Good old fashioned internal combustion. No "chicken/egg problem" if there is no filling station for compressed natural gas, you can switch to unleaded via a solenoid switch on the dash!! More people take the leap ( $1500-$2000 to install conversion kit and CNG tanks), thus more service stations are willing to invest in compressors/tube banks, a virtuous circle. Why they can do it in a supposedly underdeveloped country but not here blows my mind. They save the more valuable oil btu's for export, better balance of trade, job creation for mechanics and compressor salesmen, no brainer. Also, lower emissions and the cars perform great (no discernible difference in power, actually greater driving range if you top off with both fuels simultaneously). Also, it is not so complicated that your average mechanic can't deal with it (like some other technologies). I'd love to see us use the shale gas in our cars and put more nuclear and wind on the grid, it would free up our foreign policy options to boot.
I was visiting my wife's country (Colombia), four summers ago, and they have converted a significant percentage of their cars to run dual fuel CNG/gasoline. It is very inexpensive, proven technology. Good old fashioned internal combustion. No "chicken/egg problem" if there is no filling station for compressed natural gas, you can switch to unleaded via a solenoid switch on the dash!! More people take the leap ( $1500-$2000 to install conversion kit and CNG tanks), thus more service stations are willing to invest in compressors/tube banks, a virtuous circle. Why they can do it in a supposedly underdeveloped country but not here blows my mind. They save the more valuable oil btu's for export, better balance of trade, job creation for mechanics and compressor salesmen, no brainer. Also, lower emissions and the cars perform great (no discernible difference in power, actually greater driving range if you top off with both fuels simultaneously). Also, it is not so complicated that your average mechanic can't deal with it (like some other technologies). I'd love to see us use the shale gas in our cars and put more nuclear and wind on the grid, it would free up our foreign policy options to boot.