With the price of gas going up there is movement in the energy industry to develop unconventional petroleum sources and apparently the Book Cliffs may hold the key to America's energy diversification.
The BLM estimates that there are up to 19 billion barrels of oil in Utah in the form of bitumen, a tar soaked clay found predominantly in the eastern part of the state. It's potential development on a grand scale would be the first in the nation.
Canadian based Earth Energy Resources Inc. is well known in the extraction and processing of tar sands into petroleum and is prepared to do the same in Utah. The energy giant already leases up to 7,800 acres of state land and is prepared to start immediately with the development of the Book Cliffs valuable resource.
Environmentalist are worried of the resulting impact to the environment with the extraction and processing of the bitumen on such a grand scale. There is concern that the pooled toxic wastes could poison the surrounding soil and underground water table. Wildlife could be severely impacted.
Could the Book Cliffs become an ecological dead zone if the energy industry where allowed to develop the tar sands? What do you guys think?
The BLM estimates that there are up to 19 billion barrels of oil in Utah in the form of bitumen, a tar soaked clay found predominantly in the eastern part of the state. It's potential development on a grand scale would be the first in the nation.
Canadian based Earth Energy Resources Inc. is well known in the extraction and processing of tar sands into petroleum and is prepared to do the same in Utah. The energy giant already leases up to 7,800 acres of state land and is prepared to start immediately with the development of the Book Cliffs valuable resource.
Environmentalist are worried of the resulting impact to the environment with the extraction and processing of the bitumen on such a grand scale. There is concern that the pooled toxic wastes could poison the surrounding soil and underground water table. Wildlife could be severely impacted.
Could the Book Cliffs become an ecological dead zone if the energy industry where allowed to develop the tar sands? What do you guys think?
