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Politics : Politics for Pros- moderated -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: LindyBill who wrote (125086)	7/17/2005 3:07:31 PM
From: KLP	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 793956

Speaking of natural energy problems: A Chinese invasion? A relative of mine who lived in this area, alerted me to some of these issues....The environmentalists have eliminated jobs over the years, and now we not only doin't have trained people to do these jobs, nor the rigs, but now we have folks from China in to do the jobs, and sent in by Canadian companies.... Would love to hear thoughts on this situation..... gjsentinel.com Thursday, July 07, 2005 It’s easy to share 3rd District Rep. John Salazar’s anxiety over the news that Chinese drill rigs — manned by Chinese crews — could soon be joining the natural gas rush in western Colorado. After all, while residents of the Western Slope have wrestled over environmental and private-property issues involved with gas drilling, we could at least take considerable comfort in the fact that the industry has been a major contributor to the region’s economy, offering hundreds of good, solid, middle-class jobs to area residents. The possibility of Chinese workers taking a portion of those jobs doesn’t sit well, especially when, as Salazar noted, Americans have already witnessed thousands of domestic manufacturing jobs outsourced to places like China and throughout the Pacific rim. Some involved with the gas industry say the Chinese are needed because there are not enough drill rigs or experienced drilling crews to handle all the demand surrounding Colorado’s Piceance Basin now. With increasing demand for drill rigs, “There’s a lack of skilled labor,” maintains Bob Woodworth, a partner in the Denver-based Western Energy Advisors. His company is an agent for and partner with China National Petroleum. Furthermore, while officials with EnCana Corp., said the company “is not actively pursuing” the Chinese option, company officials raised the possibility with industry analysts during a tour of EnCana’s Piceance Basin oil field recently. One company executive, quoted in Canada’s Financial Post, said it could help the company reduce drilling costs, which he said have risen from $8,500 a day a year ago to $14,000 a day this year. One potential problem, according to the Financial Post article, is concern in Washington along the lines of that expressed by Salazar. This corner has long been an advocate of free global trade, and we remain committed to that principle. But among Salazar’s valid concerns is the possibility of Chinese government involvement in a way that places U.S. workers and drilling companies at a competitive disadvantage. The China National Petroleum Company was spun off from China’s state-owned petroleum industry. Additionally, some in Washington have expressed legitimate fears about the Chinese using involvement such as this — and the proposed Chinese purchase of Unocal Inc. — to obtain access to U.S. technology. Those are issues that need more detailed examination before any American becomes comfortable with the prospect of Chinese drilling crews setting up shop in the natural-gas fields of Colorado and the entire Rocky Mountain West.