Home News Opinion Videos Blogs Features Family Notices Classifieds Photos Events Clubs Advertising Contact
Sport Focus on the Land Entertainment
Editorials Columns Letters
News Market Place
Letter
Perceptions versus facts
Saturday, September 22, 2012
Petroleum Exploration and Production Association chairman Chris Bush told the oil and gas summit this week that the public has sometimes been subjected to scaremongering, emotive debate and misrepresented data.

“We need to do more to put the facts out in front of people, to provide information that will not only rebut the mis-truths, but give the public confidence in the way our industry operates.”

I have to say, I read this and had to try hard not to laugh. I have been doing a bit of “rebutting” myself and have gone out of my way to avoid misrepresenting data or misplacing the truth.

I see the need for public confidence “to fulfil the Government’s exploration goals” and I understand only too well “the future energy situation”. It is the Government that has the blinkers on when it comes to the benefits, or lack thereof.

A PR push will change not one single fact. It may change people’s perceptions, but then John Key has already demonstrated his ability in this department at the last election. He changed people’s perceptions but he didn’t change the facts.

PETER JONES
Comments
Peter Jones
01:48 p.m. Sunday, Sep 23, 2012
Fracking: Boom or Doom
America's hydraulic fracturing gold rush portends the greatest environmental disaster of a generation
By Denise Grollmus Wednesday, Sep 19 2012

In 2008, there were just 29 earthquakes in the Midwest. Three years later, after fracking became widespread, the figure had more than quadrupled to 134. Most of them were clustered close to wells.
Peter Jones
01:42 p.m. Sunday, Sep 23, 2012
Still, the industry uses its initial figures to sell drilling as a long-term gold rush. Not only do they overestimate earnings to landowners, but also they are able to borrow huge sums of money against these exaggerated estimates.

"After a decade of fracking, we're beginning to be able to show that, without a doubt, this was simply a very well-orchestrated public relations campaign," land owner Deborah Rogers of Fort Worth says. "There is gas there, but is there as much as they said? No. Are we gonna see the economic stability they promised? The answer is no."
Peter Jones
01:19 p.m. Sunday, Sep 23, 2012
Quebec’s new natural-resources minister, Martine Ouellet, says she doesn’t believe the controversial method of extracting natural gas from shale, known as “fracking,” can ever be done safely.
“I don’t foresee a day when there will be technology that will allow safe exploitation (of shale gas),” Ouellet said in Quebec City.
“Our position is very clear: we want a complete moratorium, not only on exploitation but also on exploration of shale gas. We haven’t changed our minds.”

From the Vancouver Sun.
Peter Jones
01:00 p.m. Sunday, Sep 23, 2012
A review last year by the New York Times found that less than ten percent of 9,000 Texas shale wells had recouped their estimated production costs within their first seven years.
Peter Jones
10:03 a.m. Wednesday, Sep 26, 2012
Companies like Apache Oil get finance on the basis of what they call "proven undeveloped reserves". In oil & gas speak these reserves are called PUDs.
The deal is that they exaggerate the size of the reserves and then borrow millions of dollars off God at less than 1% against them.
In Kiwi speak, Apache Oil is pulling its PUD. Heh Heh.
Poll

Do you agree with a bid to pull bridge jumpers away from unsafe road bridges in the city by building “bombing platforms” for youngsters in safe places along the Turanganui River?

Please read: Call for ‘bombing platforms’
Yes
No
Don't Know
Send in your
News
Letters
Columns
Events
Clubs
Classifieds
Poll suggestions
Explore The Gisborne Herald
News Editorial Features Events
Sport Letters to the Editor Family Notices Clubs
Focus on the Land Columns Classifieds Advertising
News Features Polls Photos Contact
64 Gladstone Road, PO Box 1143, Gisborne, New Zealand | Ph: +64 6 869 0600 | Fax: +64 6 869 0643 (editorial) | Fax: +64 6 869 0644 (advertising) | News Hotline: 0800 NEWSLINE (639 754) | info@gisborneherald.co.nz Copyright © The Gisborne Herald