Reader Responses

When you're digging yourself into a deep hole, the first thing to do is stop digging!

The longer America delays becoming oil independent from foreign oil, the deeper the hold America is digging on our oil/energy problem. Today an oil rumor dislocation causes an oil/gasoline price increase. An oil flow disruption causes large price increases of gasoline, goods and services.

America runs on oil and gasoline. Oil is part of many products we produce and consume and part of manufactured products cost, including cost of raising crops. Oil is part of moving products to markets, transportation and providing energy costs.

Mr. Lewis Williams' letter (July 20) in the Tyler Paper describes the difficulties, risks and costs ($2 to $5 millions) to drill one oil well - which may become the proverbial dry hole. The same day in the paper's Texas Drilling Report it was reported only five oil well completions, one well producing 18.65 barrels of oil per day; four wells producing 9 barrels per day or less.

These two items tell me if U.S. leases had more oil, companies would be drilling on these leases rather than for nine barrels per day.

America's non-independence from foreign oil makes for scary economic and security possibilities. OPEC shuts off delivery of oil to America or drastically cuts back oil production; Iran blocks oil deliver going through the Straits of Hormuz or Venezuela's Chavez stops oil delivery to America, etc.

July 22 a Tyler Paper article on "Oil Profits" reported Exxon/Mobil Corp. shelled out $5.5 billions on oil exploration. Could Exxon/Mobil spend more on oil exploration, governments take in less gasoline taxes, other energy producing methods be started and built? Yes, and more.

A national oil/energy program needs to be legislated to make America's oil independent - before lack of oil/energy costs the people their independence.

Johnny R. Higgins
Edgewood