Drilling for oil off N. C. coast

[Captain Stanman]

Governor Beverly Perdue recently appointed a panel to study the feasibility of drilling for oil offshore of N. C. Being an avid fisherman plying the waters up and down the Atlantic coast and the Gulf of Mexico, I am concerned about the effect that this industry would have on the environment.

No sooner had the word been received from Raleigh, the environmentalist propaganda machine started, "polluting oil rigs", attacking the Governor for her study. The intent of this letter is to educate North Carolinians, to the best of my ability, on the environmental effect oil rigs would have on the N. C. coast. Many of you have only seen photos of oil rigs and have been misled too long by the "enviros". What follows is my personal experience, those that fished with me and my fishing friends from Alabama, Florida and Louisiana who have spent their entire lives fishing around these "environmental polluting hazards". Caution, what follows may be shocking to some of you so please put your preconceived thoughts behind you and read this with an open mind.

A comment made by local Dave Newsom, a Fishing Team Member: "I myself was an opponent to offshore drilling until first given the opportinuty to see and experience fishing amongst the rigs back in 1999. It soon became apparent that my own preconceived biases toward offshore drilling were based solely on ignorance of the true facts and perhaps based on the rhetoric of the environmental activists who regularly condemn drilling. After many years of fishing in the oil fields and among literally 100's of rigs and NOT ONCE seeing any evidence of any environmental damage did I begin to realize that perhaps my preconceinved notions were incorrect."

Many opponents of offshore drilling like to use the 1969 Santa Barbara spill as an example of why offshore drilling should be banned. However, in reality, the faulty practices and technologies which led to the Santa Barbara event are far removed from the modern technologies employed today. That very event (the 1969 spill) led to use of automatic shut off valves which prevent such "blow outs". I know of no such similar incidents in the Gulf of Mexico fields which include literally thousand of wells since use of the automatic valves became widespread."

Unless you traveled to the Gulf of Mexico, and fished from at least 40 miles offshore of Biloxi, Miss., you might not even see an oil rig. Your convictions regarding drilling for oil is based solely on mostly misleading and unfounded statements by a few. Marcus Kennedy, noted saltwater fisherman in Louisiana, Alabama and Mississippi gives his life long perspective: "I was born in Biloxi, MS, grew up and lived my life in Mobile, AL. I have fished the Northern Gulf for over 40 years fishing around the gas/oil rigs, a major part of this great experience. The offshore rigs have provided great habitat for the fish we all seek to catch; red snapper, grouper, king mackerel, tuna, marlin, etc. Any adverse impact that the rigs have had on the environment pale in comparison to the advantages they have provided for the area. We also have many inshore rigs that have given us great places to catch speckled trout, redfish, flounder, etc. in a way similar to the offshore rigs. Not once in my memory has there been environmental damage to this area from an accident with an oil/gas rig or pipeline. The oil/gas companies that own and operate these rigs have been great assets to the sportsmen of this area. From providing significant funding to our Depts. of Conservation and Natural Resources, to sponsoring fishing tournaments, to providing jobs and support industries, the impacts of the oil/gas industry here is very good."

In the past 9 years I have had the distinct pleasure of fishing the Southern Kingfish National Association National Championships 5 times in the northen Gulf of Mexico, where oil rigs are somtimes 500 ft. apart. My very first experience next to an oil rig was jigging baitfish to use offshore, prefishing for the SKA Nationals. The first drop of the 3 hook Sabiki Rig, took several minutes to reel in, every hook had a fish on it. There were 3 two to three pound blue runners on the hooks. We looked at each other in shock, knowing that what we read about this fishery was true, the oil rigs are really fish magnets. It only took a few minutes to fill our bait well with the baits we knew would catch us the 50 lb. plus king mackerel we were hunting for. The oil rig structures are an oasis that provide the forage for the predators that we fish for and for many other species. In those 5 years we fished over a hundred rigs, fishing the same rigs 20 to 30 times. All the hours we spent fishing next to and around oil rigs, NEVER have I or anyone on our Team has ever seen a rainbow. (A rainbow is the effect that oil has when introduced to water.)

In 2003 there was a bite of 40 lb. fish at the CA 25 rig for 2 to 3 hours. There were 256 boats fishing that area on tournament day and every boat was tied to a 40+ lb. fish. In November 2009 on tournament day at the Horseshore Rigs, rig number MP 306; the bite was on when we got there at 9:15 AM and contined thru the day for 167 boats. When we left to weigh our fish in at 2:45 PM, they were still catching Kings from 25 to 74 lbs.

Just think for a moment. If the water was polluted in the Gulf from oil spills, why would there be so many big fish around the oil rigs? The big fish are there due to the abundance of smaller fish that they feed on. Pollution would kill the smaller fish first and the larger predators would leave. Are there only King Mackerel at the rigs? No, these oil rigs are populated by every species of fish that is off our N. C. coast and maybe a few more. However, there is one exception, overall they have more and bigger fish than we do. Note the 74 lb king mackerel caught in November 2009 at the Horseshoe rigs. This fish was caught in the same area the fleet of 167 boats was fishing. It is largest King Mackerel ever caught during a competitive event. There is a reason that the 10,000 member Southern Kingfish Assn. fishes their National Championship there every year, as well as the biggest tournaments in the world. It is due to the quantity and quality of the fish available for the contestants. The Gulf of Mexico is regarded as being one of the premier fishing destinations in the world and without a doubt the best in the continental U. S. It never used to have that reputation; I'm convinced it's due to the oil rigs, an oasis and magnet for all sizes and species of fish.

Oil/gas rigs are about 100 to 200 feet high, platforms are about 30 ft. If you have outstanding vision you might be able to see a rig at 20 miles. From what the oil experts say, the N. C. oil rigs would be 40 miles offshore. They would NOT be visible from your beach house. Do you put lights on your Christmas tree? If you do, that's what an oil rig looks like at night, a giant Christmas tree, we think they are absolutely beautiful.

My northern Gulf sources tell me the preparation process prior to a hurricane requires the shutting off of all valves so none of the oil can escape, even if the rig blows over. The oil drilling/oil rig technology has improved drastically in the past 20 years. The water in the Gulf is as pristine as the water is in the Carribean Sea.

Due to the domestic oil policy of the current administration in Washington, oil rigs are being dismantled, 50 to 60 of them in the past year. Some dismantling procedures may leave a platform. Platforms have a bottom structure that remains and will continue attract fish. Unfortunately, some are taken down completely and sealed off allowing the ocean bottom to return to its original state, a muddy bottom witout any structure to support any kind of marine life.

[Captain Stanman]

THERE ARE OIL SPILLS IN THE GULF!!!!! OK, this is what some of the doubters have been waiting for. However, these spills are not caused by oil rigs, but by FOREIGN tankers that spill while lightering or when they run aground. One other advantage of drilling for domestic oil is the elimination of the source of pollution from the foreign tankers.

My sources from the northern gulf who also fish the coasts of N. C. southeast Atlantic seaboard (NC to FLA) in king mackerel tournaments reminded me about the sewage pollution problems that are prevalent off our south atlantic coast. There are outfalls, sewage pipes, where treated and untreated sewage is pumped into our rivers and the ocean. When we experience tropical rains over 6 inches, the sewage treatment plants cannot handle the volume of water, they overflow and introduce raw sewage into our rivers and the ocean
.
We need to create jobs not only in N. C., but throughout the U. S. Emerald Isle resident Vic Gulley stated: "Off shore oil rigs will create JOBS....... fishing would be better......."more revenue for the state and hopefully no new taxes."
What better way to create jobs than by having a new industry come into our state. Once the rigs are built, another industry would regain prominensce, charter fishing. The fishing would be "wide open" year round. Use your imagination on the effect this would have on boat dealers, tackle shops, marinas, boat builders, repair shops, tourism,etc. A NEW, vibrant and viable industry will be born in N. C.

Oil rigs are not all about fishing, but fishing is one way we can communicate our position to convince our politicians to go forward with this endeavor since the oil drilling rigs are not the pollution spewing demons we were told they were. There are other considerations like the security of our country, state, county and municipilaty debt, 11% unemployment, lower taxes, etc., and I am sure you can think of many more.


The oil drilling oppurtunity is on our doorstep, please don't close the door on it. Drilling off our coast and increasing the useage of domestic oil must be a top priority, the sooner the better. Oil drilling technology has changed dramatically over the years. I personally want to applaud our Govenor for undertaking this important initiative and support her efforts.

Stan Jarusinski
Stella, N.C.

[Captain Stanman]

[Captain Stanman]

President Obama used his January State of the Union speech to promise "a new generation of safe, clean nuclear power plants" and "new offshore areas for oil and gas development." Judging by its recent decisions, we'd say his Cabinet hasn't received the memo.

Congress's ban on offshore drilling expired in September 2008, and a Bush Administration plan for leasing the energy-rich Outer Continental Shelf was due to begin this year. Yet within a month of taking office, Interior Secretary Ken Salazar halted leasing by extending the public comment period by six months. When that period ended last September, Interior said it would take "several weeks" to analyze the results. It has yet to release a summary.

Newt Gingrich's American Solutions group used the Freedom of Information Act to obtain Interior emails suggesting that the public comments ran 2-to-1 in favor of drilling. Instead of acknowledging this, Mr. Salazar last week informed Congress he was scrapping the Bush plan and that leasing will not begin for at least another two years.

The Administration failed to meet a deadline last month for submitting a court-ordered analysis of the environmental impact of new leases off the Alaskan coast. And in January, Mr. Salazar rebuffed Virginia's request—endorsed by its governor and legislature—to allow drilling offshore. Sensing a pattern?

Onshore, meanwhile, Interior canceled oil and gas leases on 77 parcels of federal land in Utah (a handful have since been reinstated). Mr. Salazar also yanked eight parcels from a lease sale in Wyoming. Several weeks ago a leaked Interior Department memo disclosed plans to have Mr. Obama use executive power—under the Antiquities Act—to designate 10 million acres of western land as "monuments," putting them off-limits to energy development as well as current timber or mining work.

As for nuclear power, Mr. Obama has promised an $8.3 billion loan guarantee to build two nuclear reactors in Georgia. However, Mike Morris, the CEO of American Electric Power, explained at a recent Wall Street Journal energy conference that while loan guarantees were a "nice thing," they were meaningless in the absence of regulatory certainty.

Only five of 50 states have what Mr. Morris calls nuclear-friendly "enabling" legislation that might convince corporate boards to commit capital to a long-term project. The federal Nuclear Regulatory Commission, despite adopting a streamlined licensing process in 2005, hasn't issued key rules.

The Administration also sent mixed signals last week by putting the kibosh on Yucca Mountain for nuclear waste disposal. Energy Secretary Steven Chu has convened yet another "blue ribbon" panel on nuclear waste, which will probably have the half-life of uranium. Companies are already suing the feds for failing to meet legal obligations to collect waste, and the end of Yucca is one more reason for utilities to avoid making large capital bets amid uncertain government policy.

The President says he wants new supplies of home-grown energy, but the government's actions suggest continuing hostility to oil drilling and nuclear power. GOP Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina has been promoting a deal in which Republicans would endorse cap and trade in return for Democrats agreeing to more oil drilling and more nuclear plants. He appears to be selling a bridge to nowhere.

Printed in The Wall Street Journal, page A16