Local Lawmakers Tour SEK Oil Well
By: Jennifer Penate
Updated: May 24, 2012
Congresswoman Lynn Jenkins and Congressman Billy Long believe local energy production can lessen dependency on foreign oil, create jobs and reduce the country's debt.
They focused on kansas because it is one of the states with a large oil industry.
Derek Moore owner of Moore Energy has be drilling oil for 17 years in Southeast Kansas.
"40% of the oil in the U.S. Is produced by small producers like me," says Moore.
Two weeks ago he started pumping oil from a 160 acre lot outside Girard. The 45 wells on that property laid dormant for 25 years.
"What we've been able to do is restore these wells and rework them. They don't put out a lot of oil but they put out a little bit," says Moore.
Kansas Congresswoman Lynn Jenkins (R) and Missouri Congressman Billy Long (R) toured the oil wells today; Using it as an example in the nationwide 2012 American Energy and Jobs Tour.
"To point out energy and the resources we do have," says Congressman Billy Long (R).
The politicians say that expanding domestic oil production would lessen the country's dependence on foreign oil.
"Ppredictions are that in 5 years that the U.S. Could pass Saudi Arabia and Russia in the world's largest oil producer," says
Congresswoman Lynn Jenkins (R).Oil company owners say once domestic production is boosted, there should be added economic growth.
"Could lead this country out of it's economic downturn right now," say oil company owner David Blakely.
Moore says the site at Girard is expected to produce around 1,800 to 3,6000 barrels of oil a year. He adds each barrel is 45 gallons of gas.
Currently, the Kansas oil industry is worth $4.3 billion.
