Oil and Gas Exploration at ANWR Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

Oil and Gas Exploration at ANWR - Assignment Example The major and new technologies that have led to an increase in oil drilling are the hydraulic fracturing technique and the horizontal drilling techniques. These technologies make it possible to drill oil, from tight shale rock formations. Cogswell, therefore, explains that these technologies will manage to increase the production of oil in the United States by approximately 30%.   However, there is a considerable debate on whether to allow offshore drilling in the United States. The issue of offshore drilling gained a wide media coverage when President Bush canceled an executive, issued by the then President in the year 1990. Furthermore, President Bush was calling for an increase in the oil drilling of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. There is a considerable debate that surrounds this issue, on whether to drill or not to drill oil in this region. President Obama is against the drilling of oil in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, citing the fact that it would lead to environ mental damage and pollution. On the other hand, President Bush was an avid supporter of drilling of oil in this region. His argument was that it would help in meeting the oil demands of the country. Despite the existence of this debate, this paper takes a stand that drilling of oil in the ANWR is harmful to the environment, and there is a need of regulating companies responsible for drilling oil in this region.  The problem and issue under consideration are that the drilling of oil in the ANWR is harmful to the environment of United States.