Scientists Find Big Afghan Oil Resources

[phantom power]

March 14,2006 | WASHINGTON -- Two geological basins in northern Afghanistan hold 18 times the oil and triple the natural gas resources previously thought, scientists said Tuesday as part of a U.S. assessment aimed at enticing energy development in the war-torn country.

Nearly 1.6 billion barrels of oil, mostly in the Afghan-Tajik Basin, and about 15.7 trillion cubic feet of natural gas, mainly in the Amu Darya Basin, could be tapped, said the U.S. Geological Survey and Afghanistan's Ministry of Mines and Industry.

(...)

"Knowing more about our country's petroleum resources will enable us to take steps to develop our energy potential, which is crucial for our country's growth," said Karzai, whose government was created after the U.S.-led invasion in 2001 and later won national elections.

The $2 million assessment, paid for by the independent U.S. Trade and Development Agency, was nearly four years in the making, said Daniel Stein, the agency's regional director for Europe and Eurasia. The total area assessed was only about one-sixth of the two basins' 200,000 square miles that lie within Afghanistan.

http://www.salon.com/wire/ap/archive.html?wire=D8GBK7LGH.html

[thecrow]

1. Well, shucks, could it be we invaded the wrong country? n/t

[Dogmudgeon]

2. That's about twenty days of oil

I'm assuming we use 80 million bbls/day, world-wide.

It's significant, and it could lift most of the Afghanis out of their crushing poverty, but it's still far too little, far too late.

--p!

[phantom power]

3. Really something, isn't it. 20 days.

It almost makes me think of the words "peak oil"

[buddysmellgood]

4. Yeah, drill down, and then sideways.