Scottish Independance & Possible Huge Oil Discovery

a reply to: midicon

Totally agree about currency union. Is a bad idea other than as a short term transition measure. Salmond hasn't blown the indy campaign as it is not his to blow.

Think it will be very very close.

a reply to: ScepticScot

It's the new open carry by these that is the issue.

a reply to: Kester
Don't really see it as an issue. Would hate to see armed police being the norm but also like to think they available if required.

don't think it has any bearing on Scottish independence

originally posted by: ScepticScot
a reply to: midicon



Totally agree about currency union. Is a bad idea other than as a short term transition measure. Salmond hasn't blown the indy campaign as it is not his to blow.



Think it will be very very close.

He has the platform, if last night was anything to go by then he has to offer more. He should have mentioned David Cameron, Shetland and the oil rumours. Come to think of it, why on Earth would David Cameron go to Shetland anyway?

a reply to: midicon

The greatest weapon the 'Yes' campaign has is David Cameron and all he stands for.

The greatest asset those on the 'No' side of the fence have is Alex Salmond et al.

Go figure.

a reply to: Freeborn

Salmond is actually fairly popular up here. Clearly not so much south of the border.

a reply to: ScepticScot

Seems a bit funny it's being slipped in around the same time.

a reply to: Freeborn

I don't disagree with you Freeborn.

2nd

a reply to: D8ncer

I predict we will soon see some sort of war or devastation over there that will require troops & "aid" to be sent there. After all, that's what happens with other countries, Africa being the most recent victim.

a reply to: knoledgeispower

Err.....Africa isn't a country, its a continent.
And the war and devastation that occurs in Africa hasn't only been a recent thing, its been going on literally for centuries.

Where will there be a war?
And who between?

a reply to: Kester

Only if you don't think it is possible for 2 completely unconnected events to happen at very approximately the same time.

originally posted by: Soloprotocol
Various experts have estimated that there is around the same amount of Oil left in the North sea as what has already been taken out, around £1.5 Trillion....

The £1.5 trillion figure is (ahem) quoted by the people who want to make people believe they will be rich, rich, rich, if they vote for independence. Oh, how oil and greed clouds people's judgements.

Recent estimates suggest that activity in the North Sea fields will last for decades with 24 billion barrels of oil equivalent, valued at £1.5 trillion. / This £1.5 trillion figure has been around for a while and comprehensively attacked by many critics including the Treasury in Westminster.

The nationalists appear to get to that number by multiplying the most optimistic assessment of how many barrels of oil and gas are left in the North Sea – by the price of $100 per barrel. You then convert that into pounds and hope the exchange rate holds up.

In a report last year, the industry group Oil and Gas UK estimated that there are still 15 to 24 billion barrels of oil and gas in the North Sea. Sir Ian Wood’s review of the North Sea industry today takes 12 billion barrels as the likely low extreme and, again, 24 billion barrels as the high.

etc...

Source for above

Just trying to help people appreciate the politics behind such assertions.

Regards

a reply to: paraphi
If the figures in your source are correct that it would cost £1 trillion to extract the oil and gas we might as well just give up and cease drilling now...but wait, the UK government just issued 333 licences this past year to private companies to drill in the north sea...the most licences ever to be issued in one year...

Please explain why would they do that if these companies have been told that the fields have all but run dry and the cost of extraction would be too much.

Trust me on this, we will still be extraction oil and gas for the next 40 years...how do i know this, I know this because Westminster and their payed lackey's say we wont. They lied to us before countless times and have been caught out. i dont see anything different here.

originally posted by: Soloprotocol
If the figures in your source are correct that it would cost £1 trillion to extract the oil and gas we might as well just give up and cease drilling now...but wait, the UK government just issued 333 licences this past year to private companies to drill in the north sea...the most licences ever to be issued in one year...

And your point is? You probably need to look at what the licenses were for and whether (for example) they were renewals or speculative drilling etc...

Please explain why would they do that if these companies have been told that the fields have all but run dry and the cost of extraction would be too much.

Where there is money to be made you'll find companies willing to make the money, albeit the returns will reduce as will the amount of money. Look at deep earth coal mining as an example - it just becomes too costly.

Trust me on this, we will still be extraction oil and gas for the next 40 years...how do i know this, I know this because Westminster and their payed lackey's say we wont. They lied to us before countless times and have been caught out. i dont see anything different here.

I'm sure there will be oil in 40 years, but whether it will be something to write home about is another matter. On your mistrust of government. What makes the Holyrood lot any different? Anyway, the analysts and companies do not lie because they are making the money, taking the risk and doing the work. The government just takes the tax slice.

Regards

Why live the UK? For gods sake the British Colonial Empire was one of the most successful, if not the most successful Empires in History. Leaving the UK is making Brownies without the chocolate, trust me it doesn't work!

And even if Scotland gets some of the oil do not expect the same success as Norway! And who wants stuff 3-4 times more expensive then usual?

originally posted by: elixz
Why live the UK? For gods sake the British Colonial Empire was one of the most successful, if not the most successful Empires in History. Leaving the UK is making Brownies without the chocolate, trust me it doesn't work!

And also one of the most brutal....Concentration camps...The British Empire invented them. Anyway, the sun set on the empire long ago. it's time to get out while we still have a chance, because once the Oil is gone we will be back in the stone age.

Oil Wealth has helped so many ordinary people in so many nations .....

www.forbes.com...

Well it has hasn't it? Iraq, Russia, Venezuela........

Let's all remember how our nation benefited from our North Sea Oil back in the 1970s/1980s boom times.

www.newstatesman.com...

The problem is that a politician's career is geared to winning your vote and often involves massive increases in public spending coming up to a national election.

So the questions for Scotland are "How do you really think you will personally benefit from the remaining oil reserves?" and if that seems a positive then "Do you really believe the political ruling parties of Scotland will continually put the nation before their own lust for power when dealing with any such resources?"

That's the gamble residents in Scotland have to take should they vote "YES". The opposite vote leaves ties to a remote Parliament in London.

As a few others have said, many of us from the regions of the UK outside the London/SE areas feel as dis-enfranchised from Westminster as Scotland does.

If Scotland leaves the UK then good luck. But then what becomes of the rest of the UK?

It seems that since the Cold War ended there has been an ever growing trend to de-construct some of the old nation states in Europe whilst also a push for a massive European Superstate from certain nations. Which all seems to be a little bit confusing.

Apparently Scotland wants to leave the UK but then also be part of the EU..ruled from Brussels but free from London..Well not exactly because the UK Pound will also be the national currency. It's all a bit uncertain isn't it?

Where exactly are we all supposed to be heading with all of this?

It's always seemed to me to be a vote about "Ideals" rather than what the cold hard reality will be. Which no one can totally predict.

I am anticipating a similar issue should a UK referendum on EU membership come up.

Although at the end of the day the interests of big business will prevail because they have the political 'influence'.

a reply to: Soloprotocol

I am thankful for the British, I doubt Hong Kong would've been such a good place without the Brits.
Concentration camps? Say something to the Vikings, the Mongols. Oh did the Native-Americans enjoy and proper during the O'great American expansion? I am pretty sure China isn't paradise either...


The British did a great job, and if they'd had stayed longer and didn't get bankrupt maybe they could've further Modernized their none-white colonies.

If the worst comes to be, let's hope Scotland will at least remain in the British Commonwealth.

I personally don't have a problem with police open carrying albeit if we got our gun rights back too and could open carry. Crime would be slashed and we wouldn't have our women at the mercy of rapists like they have been recently in Glasgow. Albeit the majority of these rapists being Muslim or eastern European. Another reason I'm voting no and will be voting for the UK to get out of the EU completely should we get the chance. Now I'm reading the Palestinian flag will be raised over Glasgow city council. Jeez...

Oil issues aside. Scotland contributes more to Westminster than it takes back. People talk about things like Scots getting free University and prescriptions...

Yet any UK citizen can come and get the free Uni in Scotland, many thousands do every year. And free scripts?? England only pays £6 if I'm not mistaken... big whoop. Come live stateside for a few years if you want to know about f*cked up healthcare.

The way I see it, Independence for Scotland will do England good also because they will be forced to re-evaluate their position on the never-ending influx of immigrants and handout benefit culture. England is collapsing much faster than Scotland will if it gains independence.