Pipeline paralysis: The left’s latest fossil fuel obstruction tactic

The U.S. economy is growing, in part because of a booming energy industry. Yet, not everyone is pleased and some are looking for and finding ways to throttle fossil fuel production. U.S. crude oil production is growing by leaps and bounds, topping out at 11.7 million barrels per day in November — about twice what it was in 2010, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA). And the International Energy Agency (IEA) projects the U.S. will account for about 75 percent of the growth in global oil production over the next six years. But the energy boom also creates a challenge. Oil is often extracted in barren areas, like Texas’s Permian Basin, and must be transported hundreds, if not thousands, of miles to refineries for processing or to ports for export. The cheapest and most efficient way to do that is through pipelines. There are currently about 72,000 miles of crude oil pipelines in the U.S. and about 300,000 miles of natural gas pipelines. That may sound like a lot, but it’s not enough. The fracking boom is allowing producers to extract crude oil and natural gas from new areas that may not have ready access to existing pipelines. Oil producers can and have turned to rail to transport the oil. But the better option is to lay new pipelines, which are made of high-grade steel and infused with state-of-the-art technology that allows constant monitoring. But there will be resistance. The anti-fossil fuel squads see pipeline resistance as the most expedient way to hamstring the fossil fuel industry. They have had limited success in passing anti-fracking laws through the states — only New York, Vermont and Maryland have done so. Other tactics have also fallen short. In the recent election Colorado voters weighed in on an initiative that would have significantly increased the distance between a new well and any occupied buildings, effectively stopping new drilling. Voters defeated the initiative. But pipeline challenges can be pushed through the courts, where the left historically has had greater success imposing its agenda...MORE