Now that the price of gas has skyrocketed, oil hungry nations are looking for new sources of oil. According to a recent Time.com article: Drilling for Oil Way, Way Offshore, the western Amazon is the new target for oil exploration. While we squabble over whether to drill offshore in the U.S. and presidential candidates promise to find new energy resources, be they oil, wind or something else, the real victims will be overseas.
According to a PLoS One research article written by five leading ecologists, conservation scientists and indigenous rights advocates:
“The western Amazon is the most biologically rich part of the Amazon basin and is home to a great diversity of indigenous ethnic groups, including some of the world’s last uncontacted peoples living in voluntary isolation. Unlike the eastern Brazilian Amazon, it is still a largely intact ecosystem. Underlying this landscape are large reserves of oil and gas, many yet untapped. The growing global demand is leading to unprecedented exploration and development in the region.
It will be difficult for any South American country to pass up the revenue that tapping into these reserves will mean. The best we can hope for is that road-making will be limited and safety precautions taken. Not drilling in the western Amazon seems highly unlikely, according to the Time article:
“In April 2007 Rafael Correa, the President of Ecuador, made a bold proposal: to permanently forgo excavation of the country’s largest untapped oil reserve, located beneath a national park, if the international community would compensate the country for its lost revenue. No one has taken him up on the offer yet.”
In the meantime, according to a Reuter’s article, Ecuador says could help settle Chevron suit, Ecuador is still trying to settle a lawsuit of up to 16 billion in environmental damages. The lawsuit charges that Texaco (subsequently purchased by Chevron) polluted the jungle and damaged the health of the local population by dumping 18 billion gallons of oil-laden water from 1972 to 1992.
Resources:
- Time.com: Drilling for Oil Way, Way Offshore
- PLoS One: Oil and Gas Projects in the Western Amazon: Threats to Wilderness, Biodiversity, and Indigenous Peoples
- Reuters: Ecuador says could help settle Chevron suit
Enjoy this post? Get more like it. 
Subscribe in a reader or by Email.
OH FUCK IT….
sorry for being so trivial, it is past midnight in France and reading this doesn’t really make me depressed and hopeless.
The Amazon rainforest is already in great danger. but with this, it seems in 30 years it will a nice neat desert and us a bunch of bones frying…
my previous comment has a huge mistake : I am tired, I am depressed and hopeless. reading this news… damned human greed.
Some people would rather be dead and extremely rich than alive and moderately rich….
If you think that’s a good idea, I may contact one of my readers in Brazil, Alexandre Mansur. He is a journalist in Brazil. He may give us more data on that.
Edouard, Your emotion and passion is honest. No judgement from me on that. I wish we would pursue alternative energy sources with such vigor as we pursue oil and gas. It does seem that we give no thought to the future, only the immediate need and profit that will come from it. I know there are companies who are doing their best to provide alternatives. If only…
Yes, it would be interesting to have Alexandre’s perspective. ~ Daryl
Hi. Your readers may want to review the website below to get a better understanding of what has happened in Ecuador’s Oriente. The information provided on the video is inaccurate and highly misleading. http://www.texaco.com/sitelets/ecuador/en/
Thanks.