Venezuela holds the largest oil reserves outside the Middle East

[G_j]

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=102&topic_id=4239252&mesg_id=4239252


Venezuela holds the largest oil reserves outside the Middle East


A new US assessment of Venezuela's oil reserves could give the country double the supplies of Saudi Arabia.

Scientists working for the US Geological Survey say Venezuela's Orinoco belt region holds twice as much petroleum as previously thought.

The geologists estimate the area could yield more than 500bn barrels of crude oil.

This assessment is far more optimistic than even the best case scenario put forward by President Hugo Chavez.

The USGS team gave a mean estimate of 513bn barrels of "technically recoverable" oil in the Orinoco belt.
Chris Schenk of the USGS said the estimate was based on oil recovery rates of 40% to 45%

..MORE..

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/8476395.stm

[Taverner]

1. Say what you will, but I'm glad there is a Socialist in charge of that oil

[dkf]

2. He isn't someone we want to be dependent on.

I still say we need to be energy independent. Chavez looks like a dictator in waiting to me. If one day he gets voted out I predict he ain't going anywhere.

[Taverner]

3. Chavez is already becoming a dictator - but "absolute power corrupts absolutely" isn't just a saying

It's a truism

ALWAYS works that way

You could put Jesus H Christ in the role of Ultimate Ruler, and he'd turn into a bastard after a while

He was awesome until he started getting Absolute Control