Wasent there a recent development in oil drilling equipment that allowed rigs to be farther from the actuial oil field, and actuially turn the drill toward the field like a pipe snake. I would be willing to wager that further development in this technology would provide both an economical and envyronmentally friendly method for getting to this oil. it may not be a solution to th energy crisis that will eventually be at hand, but using that oil to process another form of fuel (like Methane hydrates) could make a big improvement. we just have to want to do it. compromise on both sides.

My understanding is that there are already companies on some Utah sites that are actively drilling. Why is there no news about fledgling companies like Freedom Oil & Gas in the media? Or is this just a hoax where somebody is trying to generate cash for themselves by selling something that either doesn't exist, or cannot be touched.

Okay. But we all know that the oil will go to other country's. And will there be profit shareing like in alaksa? and why isn't it open yet, and mabe instead of selling it to all these other country's keep it here to drop the gas prices. But also we must not forget that we still need to work on other alternitives as well.

It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure it out. You crush the shale and heat it and extract the oil. The oil companies are just trying to maximize their profits by not having any start up costs by getting the government to pay for that. Any chemical engineer can figure the process out and that it is economically viable at $40.00 a barrel.

If our country moves to be more independent from oil, our country as a whole would be stronger, more powerful, less effect by world politics via energy and pollution. Our U.S. government owns hundreds of square miles of land. If more lakes were built on top of these hills and mountains for water retention, as we make electric from solar, or wind water could be pumped to reserves. Then later, draining these reserves to make electricity. Imagine how strong our country would be, if we really were truly energy independent from other countries as well making less pollution in the environment as well.

We as a country have ever increasing oil and gas prices yet we do not even use our own oil? How ridiculous is it to export our oil to another country while buying oil from the Middle East? I wish we would at least use our own oil to help bring down the gas prices instead of complaining to OPEC about there prices and increasing output? The whole thing seems absolutely idiotic to me? Am I wrong? We are going to tear up Utah to get the oil out of there for what reason? To sell to some 3rd world country? I am not for doing that unless it is to help decrease the gas prices for Americans! If it is going to be used to pad the wallets of the big oil companies who will export it to some foreign country then it is a waste of the wilderness areas for nothing! I do not think a new yacht or rolex is a good trade for wilderness areas which have existed for thousands of years and are currently enjoyed by many people, not to mention the wild animals which inhabit these areas. Priorities?

Leo is exactly right. The massive greed displayed by the U.S. is out of control. People struggling to fill a gas tank to go to work, while trying to feed a young family has NEVER been more critically difficult, while oil corporations are making, obscene, record profits every 3-months -- millions of dollars profit per hour -- and they don't care! Our leaders, repubs and dems do not care either. The rich get richer and the rest of us are prohibited from joining them. I believe this level of greed, becoming more and more apparent to all Americans is the weak link in free enterprise and possibly could be the down fall of this great Republic. Realize, the Swiss franc is already worth more than our dollar! WHY aren't we divorcing ourselves from Muslim-controlled OPEC oil when we have enough in reserves, enough from Alaskan pipelines (even though we give it to Japan, who charge us for it at a profit) we coud use for years until we extract the Utah oil that is said can last for the next 500 years! Stop OPEC Now!

Yeah, oil shale is fine, but let's go a bit further. Put the development $$$$ into electric autos that get 250 miles per charge and make it economical to charge them overnight when most electrical use is lower. Also lets authorize the building of 50-60 new nuclear reactors eliminating the need for fossil fuel burning forever for that soruce of electricity. I drive 25 miles each way to work and an electric car costing $25,000 would definitely be a choice for me. (See TESLAMOTORS.com - no I have no connection with Tesla.) As for oil, I'm fine for drilling in the western states and in Alaska. Let the wildlife adapt a bit instead of hurting millions in the wallets! And what's with burning our FOOD to make ethanol? How utterly STUPID can we get? No, don't answer that!

There is an engineer that is ready NOW to produce this at $20 a barrell!!!!! What are we doing here? No wonder other countries see us as greedy Americans- asking OPEC to increase production for us while we have numerous resources to tap into right now and fix our problems.

The Oil-Sand Industry has been a target for Scams whereby some fly-by-night companies sell Unregistered Stock in the Company, and do Demonstrations, of reported, bogus machines? So far no results. SEE:
Abbeville, Vermilion Parish, Oil Scams? On the Net

im not in full understanding of the whole oil business. But dont you think that maybe we arent getting enough oil to supply our whole countries needs and possibly that the oil we do gain is being sold for more than it costs to import making importing it cheaper because americans are more greedy. Also we get most of our oil from venezuela and china, not that that changes much really. But still theirs obviously one important reason we aren't using our own oil because why would our own government hurt our economy like that. But hey its mostly politics so i'm sure theirs lots of government scams going on we dont know about.

Bakken has 504 BBOE in various Williston Basin, ND locations. A second, the Three-Fork Sanish play, is now productuve and may contain an equal amount. Single zone "Shale fracturing" to release oil from the shale gave limited oil release, but later Horizontal drilling in '09 with multiple zones fracked (up to 24) have increased oil flow by up to 20 times or more. Storage tanks and the only pipeline are reported full. In all the US has estimated reserves of well over 2 trillion BBOE Actual yield may be 1.3+ trillion BBOE. At current consumption rates, we have enough for about 1400 years, and haven't looked at COLO or WY shale, plus using fracking in dry wells of TX, OK, LA, NM. In 2010 we may be close to being independent provided Pelosi lets oil men be oil men. They know how to protect the planet - she doesn't. Last, the govt collects 25% of the price of a barrel at the refinery, then about another $60/barrel at the pump. Now they want to charge a Cap & Trade tax to satisfy nonexistent Global Warming. Can you afford $8/gal at the pump!