Is Oil Shale in Colorodo the answer for US?

Discussion in 'Economics' started by limitdown, Nov 7, 2007.

  1. That is impressive! The only thing is that it looks like it definitely still has the nuclear waste issue, albeit at a slower pace?

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pebble_bed_reactor
     
    #31     Nov 12, 2007
  2. Cutten

    Cutten

    Hmm, it can't really be hedged for the expected lifetime of an oil project. Hedging oil prices for 1 year is expensive enough, but for 7 years+? The options premiums would be insane, and if you use futures then you are taking on massive cashflow risk if oil rises significantly (just look at all the silver mines that got raped during the Hunt rally in 79-80 - they were hedged and had massive margin calls as silver went up 5 fold).
     
    #32     Nov 13, 2007
  3. nevadan

    nevadan

    #33     Nov 15, 2007
  4. Thx a lot. I was having a great afternoon until I read this!

    You know we should fine those fools a couple hundred thousand every time they increase a tax. That might stop them...
     
    #34     Nov 15, 2007
  5. The statement is made several times regarding the mining of public lands. Does that mean the tax would be specific to actual public lands, or are they considering all lands public? The companies I was referring to in Uintah county Utah have purchased thousands of acres of land and it is therefore private.

    Taxing the extraction of wealth from public lands is understandable. Taxing the extraction of wealth from private lands beyond a standard corporate rate is not at all fair.
     
    #35     Nov 15, 2007
  6. nevadan

    nevadan

    Good question. The link is to a page that has a video of the proposal introduction by Rep Rahall of W Va. It is unclear whether shale mining would be included since oil and gas producers already have to pay severance taxes. Oil shale could fall into a gray area since it is hard rock mining so the law of unintended consequences might apply. One of the things that the bill attacks apparently is the mine patent laws that secure ownership of land for the mine owner.( the possible purchase vehicle of the companies you are referring to?) The bottom line is an increase in government control in the name of "doing good". Like most political solutions it will probably cause more problems than it solves. The Mining Law of 1872 is clearly outdated and needs upgrading and I am certainly no fan of letting foreign multinational mining concerns obtain control of domestic properties to reap the profits and then bail after the good has been taken (Galactic Resources comes to mind), but this is just another power grab for money by a politician imo.





    http://resourcescommittee.house.gov/
     
    #36     Nov 15, 2007