Oil is a source of energy that seems to be disappearing. However, every time the price of crude rises, the economy suffers and crude is again and again the subject of heated debate between supporters and detractors. Among these seemed to be Joe Biden, the president of the United States of America, who after his arrival in the White House made several allegations in favor of renewable energies, leaving out the powerful American fracking and shale oil industries. However, high inflation and a rise in the price of crude oil created a unique situation: Biden approved a plan to extract more oil in Alaska, despite strong opposition from environmentalists.
Alaska’s recent oil history shows an absolute downward trend. This state came to produce more than two million barrels of crude oil each day in the late 90s, becoming one of the US oil gems. However, environmental constraints and lack of profitability in some projects have reduced Alaska’s production to less than 500,000 barrels per day. Now, the ‘Willow’ project promises to bring energy back to life in a state of oblivion. Alaskan citizens enjoy an annual income from the oil tax.
Joe Biden approved this Monday controversial oil extraction project in the state of Alaska, called “Willow”, which according to the company ConocoPhillips will create 25,000 jobs during its construction, and another 300 jobs permanently when it is operational. That plan has been criticized by environmental groups. Alaska wants oil to be important in the world again.
The approval appears in a report published this Monday on the website of the Department of the Interior and in which the details of the project are offered, which will be led by the oil giant ConocoPhillips.
Oil extraction in three zones
For now, the Biden administration will only allow ConocoPhillips to begin drilling for oil in three locations. The company had asked to start the exercise of work on two other points, but the executive postponed its decision on this matter according to the report.
According to ConocoPhillips, the project could produce 180,000 barrels of oil per day at full capacity, will create 250,000 jobs during the construction phase and another 300 permanent jobs when it is operational.
Likewise, ‘Willow’ will generate between 8,000 and 17,000 million dollars in tax revenue for the federal government, the state of Alaska and local governments in the area, says ConocoPhillips on its website.
The project will be located in the Alaska National Petroleum Reserve, a federal public land some 200 miles north of the Arctic Circle, in what is considered one of the richest and least explored areas of biodiversity in the United States. .
Dozens of environmental groups, such as the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), criticized Biden’s decision on Monday as he made promises to dismantle greenhouse gas emissions and promote clean energy.
Several groups have also warned that they are considering various options, including asking the Biden administration in court to stop the project.
Opposition environmentalists
Environmental groups are attacking the “willow project,” saying it will pollute Alaska’s water and air and affect the migratory patterns of animals.
It was not long after this that the willow project was announced; The White House has approved the imposition of limits on oil drilling in the Arctic Ocean and on Alaska’s North Slope, in an apparent attempt to please environmentalists.
But these restrictions only affect future projects and not those that have already been approved, the details were released in a memo on Monday at the White House.
