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Doug Domenech, Virginia secretary of Natural Resources, on the fight to resume offshore drilling in Virginia.
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So there's -- -- -- off the coast of Virginia and the state is willing to bypass the president to get added.
-- -- wants to restore a lease sale for energy exploration that was canceled.
After the 2010 BP gulf spill the White House says approval -- come for another five years.
Now there is legislation in congress to go around to the president.
And open up Virginia's waters to drilling anyway.
So win this -- I sure which we now as Virginia's secretary.
-- resources dot dot net and he's been leading the fight to open up the federal waters opera -- -- for drilling thank you for coming on the show.
Are you get a witness agreed to be with you yet how are how -- -- when this one.
Well we've the best part of this is it's really a bipartisan.
Effort we've had great support both with Democrats and Republicans in congress so we think it's.
A reasonable bipartisan effort that president can do now the election's over.
Really see you think he's basically your only -- here.
Well -- -- -- we think that the his efforts certainly could make a huge difference.
We were awarded this sale back in march of 2010 the president.
President Obama awarded the sale to Virginia and unfortunately after the BP spill.
In April -- sale was initially.
Postponed and that eventually canceled.
So what we're trying to do is reinstate that sale.
How how much oil do think we're talking about here I mean what of the estimates been like and how much revenue does it means you.
Well other than the estimates which are actually thirty years old a seismic was done thirty years ago estimate.
That there's 3.3.
Billion barrels of oil end -- over 31 trillion.
Cubic feet of gas offer Virginia on these.
Typically these estimates are over produced when they're actually develop so -- there's a substantial amount out there and according to estimates 31000.
Jobs could be created.
By.
Exploring that area so -- we just think it's good for the economy.
It's good for tax revenue and it's something the president could do.
Yeah I -- -- yet follow this industry for a long time -- whenever they do estimates like that there is very conservative you know there's always a lot more out there that what they're actually saying.
But at the same time I mean the president has been a big a follow.
Of drilling on public lands you know I mean he likes to see how much private coverage drilling is up about private drilling.
He blocked the Keystone Pipeline when you know there were that would have meant a lot of jobs and a lot of oil and lower gas prices for everyone.
So I feel like he's not gonna be in your corner on this one I mean.
What are you gonna do about that what's your most persuasive argument -- and what's your plan if he stands in the way.
Well there is a five year plan in place that the Interior Department has issued.
There are thousands.
Of offshore wells being developed right now in the gulf in in Alaska.
So this is not an unusual activity so the outer continental shelf is there to help us produce energy.
There's huge demand for energy and that in the future the US the international energy.
Agency just produced a report this week that said that the US is poised to become a major supplier of oil and gas.
So again all around the arguments are in favor of developing this resource.
-- -- the same time I mean this is a really tough data be talking about this the BP disaster is back in the news you know we have seen the video all over.
Because they have -- of course come to a settlement billions of dollars the company -- to pay.
Because of everything that went wrong and people always point at that disaster.
You know and and what it did to the surrounding environment -- is right there they point to this and say.
This is why you can't go drill.
Offshore what he stated that.
Well it's -- course the BP.
Does that deep water horizon accident was a horrible tragedy both the human and -- of environmental terms.
But huge gains have been.
Put in place since the disaster but that the federal level with regulators as well as with the industry.
So really the technology.
Safety technology has improved greatly.
And -- so we think again there are thousands of these wells.
Bob running today without a problem so that's the type of thing we can do offer Virginia.
What companies have contacted you about going out -- drilling as VP among them.
We've had a number of companies indicate interest but unfortunately I'm not at liberty to say -- OK so how do you tell me it from a practical point of you real quick before we go how do you keep that explosion.
From happening in your neck of the -- Well again that industry itself has developed -- a whole new.
Company that is there and designed to increase the amount of safety on all of these rigs.
So the amount.
Advances in technology as well as the advances in regularly tracks the industry you trust the industry.
I do mean they you can see what's happened to BP no company wants that to happen at them.
And so it's definitely is -- something we can do.
But we're gonna follow this very closely thanks for coming on the -- Thanks Melissa.
