COLUMN: The other side of offshore drilling — royalties, jobs, energy, and great fishing

Although emotions and rhetoric are running high, it’s a good time to at least consider the other side of the offshore drilling argument.  

Allowing exploration beyond 15 miles from shore would not only protect the beauty of our beaches, but allow us to reap the benefits of offshore exploration, a great compromise. 

(The reason fifteen miles is critical is that, due to the curvature of the earth, objects beyond that distance are generally not visible from shore.)

The last oil spill associated with drilling operations occurred more than 40 years (and 10,000 wells) ago, near Santa Barbara, Calif.  Safety procedures and environmental restrictions are strongly enforced, and many sensitive areas such as Alaska or even Mobile Bay have discharge tolerances whereby even a bucket of rainwater can’t be thrown overboard.

The second assurance that we’ll never have oil or tar balls on our beaches is that seismic data apparently indicate that Florida’s potential offshore reserves are deep, and likely to be natural gas, not oil.  (Natural gas emits 30 percent less carbon dioxide than oil, and 50 percent less than coal when burned.)

Although most of the activity would occur in federal waters, Florida would still qualify to receive royalty payments under new Minerals Management Service guidelines, which could amount to billions of dollars flowing into Florida coffers.

High-tech jobs associated with exploration pay very well, and even “blue-collar” rig jobs pay upwards of $75,000 per year.

A 20-mile boat ride for local fishermen and their clients would deliver them to some of the best fishing in the Gulf of Mexico as offshore platforms quickly become artificial reefs and great fishing grounds.

By supporting offshore exploration, I can’t offer you a chance to hold hands and then come back to my place for $5 cocktails as a local businessman has, but I can offer you royalties, jobs, clean energy, and great fishing — all without sacrificing our beautiful beaches.

(For the record, I am a geoscientist but I have no personal financial interest in Florida offshore exploration —other than those mentioned above.)

Al Swiercz is a Santa Rosa Beach resident.