NEWS: Castro Announces Crude Oil Discovery

An oil field containing as much as 100 million barrels have been found off of Cuba. The announcement made by Fidel Castro is welcome news for his country. Cuba must import more than half of the 150,000 barrels a day it needs. Geologists have long speculated that the waters off of Cuba could be similar in oil content to the Gulf of Mexico. However so far examinations of the waters have not yielded major discoveries.



Cuba has been quite tenacious in hanging on to its system of government despite a loss of massive support from the old Soviet Bloc. No doubt this shot in the arm will allow Castro to use the money elsewhere. While they are allied with Venezuela, it is unclear at this time who will develop the oil field. Cuba does not have the capacity, and no doubt some country will be asked to do so.

This makes things all the more dangerous, for the very reasons you point out. Will the US sit idly by while communist cuba, in alliance with communist/socialist venezuala, possibly spread a disruptive agenda across the western hemisphere?

There were already lots of 'issues' and involvement in south america during the cold war, will a surge in resources result in similar involvement? More proxy fighting? The Soviets however had a nuke detterence force, Cuba does not. Venezuala might be a different sort of military problem tho.

Uhoh, Cuba found oil?

Just watch them become more and more demonized by the Bush Administration (maybe upgraded into the Axis Of Evil now that Iraq is out), until eventually they need a regime change.


You know it's true

Yeah, Castro seems to be still fighting the cold war INHO. And the South America aspect to it could be an agenda item. This find if it pans out saves them about 5 billion dollars at 50 per barrrel over about 4 years. Thats more than enough money to cause trouble.

Since I was a littler girl, it was talks about oil in the Caribbean islands, now do to the topography of the Caribbean it makes very difficult to even tried to see if is true.

Why? because the Caribbean island sit on the tips of underwater mountains so to reach the base of these mountains it will means going very deep under water.

I do have the feeling that the Caribbean will have oil, but I don't think is going to be cost efficient to bring it out.

Another thing how in the world did Castro have a team in Cuba to do a research, are they from Russia.?

Originally posted by marg6043
Another thing how in the world did Castro have a team in Cuba to do a research, are they from Russia.?

Could be from Venuzuela as well. The biggest concern for the whole region is the environmental impact the drilling for oil in the area will cause. Look at the havoc a cruise ship can bring to the area. What happens when every island starts drilling. An accident could have Prince William Sound repercutions in an area with crystal blue waters and the like.

Yeah, it could be venezuela.

I imagine that the impact on our ecosystem will be tragic if oil is discovered, Puerto Rico is part of the US and the US has never even tried to find out if is oil in the area.

Now if oil is drilled out from Cuba that means all the other extreme poor Islands will sell the rights to foreign companies to drill, that will be Haiti, Jamaica, Santo Domingo and the smallest of all PR.

This is not good, this news are not good.


We have one of the largest coral reef in the area, sad very sad.

Well, Fidel couldnt get any attention he so desperatedly wanted, so now he comes up with this. I WILL VENTURE A GUESS THAT ITS A LIE.

He just wants to get a reaction from George Bush- he knows this government is only interested in "oil"

I think the stinkin pig of an excuse of a man has really lost it this time- unbelievable!

Originally posted by marg6043
Yeah, it could be venezuela.

I imagine that the impact on our ecosystem will be tragic if oil is discovered, Puerto Rico is part of the US and the US has never even tried to find out if is oil in the area.

Now if oil is drilled out from Cuba that means all the other extreme poor Islands will sell the rights to foreign companies to drill, that will be Haiti, Jamaica, Santo Domingo and the smallest of all PR.

This is not good, this news are not good.

We have one of the largest coral reef in the area, sad very sad.

There are reports of oil in the Bahamas.
The US even has the Bahamas in their list of countries they import oil from, even though nothing has come out of the ground yet. link

There is some debate among Bahamians as to whether the potential ecological damage is worth the economic benefits of being an oil producing nation. Tourism is a major part of the economy and an oil spill could ruin it. Nobody wants to lay on an oil soaked beach or swim in oily waters.

Hopefully nothing like that will happen in Cuba.

Castro is definately begging for a US invasion with his announcement that there is oil to be robbed.

Cuba has become at least 2 degrees more communistl overnight and needs regime change

Naturally the Chinese want some piece of the action as well.

havanajournal.com...

But first the u.s. will wait until castro is dead and hopefully his system will collapse due to gravity after wich the successor maybe can be bought with shares in oilcompanies....

Chavez is another problem, elected by the people, how you gonna sell the world they need democracy if they already got one, maybe some contras from the el-salvador nigaragua era could pull off some inside job...send in the death squads, let's show the world what real terror is...



[edit on 27-12-2004 by Countermeasures]

Originally posted by dgtempe
Well, Fidel couldnt get any attention he so desperatedly wanted, so now he comes up with this. I WILL VENTURE A GUESS THAT ITS A LIE.

ordinarily I would agree with you, but even US geologist say that there is oil in the region. It may not be easy to get at, but its there none the less.

Originally posted by dgtempe
He just wants to get a reaction from George Bush- he knows this government is only interested in "oil"

Perhaps you are right, Castro is looking for attention from the international community, and he knows his time is getting short as the leader of Cuba.

Originally posted by AceOfBase
There is some debate among Bahamians as to whether the potential ecological damage is worth the economic benefits of being an oil producing nation.

Now this is new to me Ace I had not idea that US has Bahamas in any kind of oil list, very interesting.

But like you said the big interest involve on the tourism in the Bahamas will never allow it, not nasty oil in their pristine beaches.

Originally posted by Countermeasures
Castro is definitely begging for a US invasion with his announcement that there is oil to be robbed.

Actually US will never allow drilling in the area of the Caribbean by outside interests.

And for invading Cuba, I will see it as a possibility if Castro starts drilling after several warnings, after all Cuba sanctions limit the amount of business with other nations.

Naturally the Chinese want some piece of the action as well.

Actually the Caribbean is under US watch and control, and China knows that for a fact, the Caribbean is off limits to anybody but the US.

Chavez is another problem, maybe some contras from the el-salvador nicaragua era could pulloff some inside job...send in the death squads, let's show the world what real terror is...

I agree with you but I believe Chavez is very well taking care off and his security is well protected.

Originally posted by FredT

ordinarily I would agree with you, but even US geologist say that there is oil in the region. It may not be easy to get at, but its there none the less.

Yes like I said before since the seventies, had been rumor of oil in the region but had not been very cost efficient to drill it.

And the impact on the environment will be devastating.

Originally posted by FredT

Originally posted by dgtempe

ordinarily I would agree with you, but even US geologist say that there is oil in the region. It may not be easy to get at, but its there none the less.

Could be, but there are many other regions that are said to have crude oil. Fidel Castro is begging and screaming to have publicity, to be the center of attention and because no one cares about him, he continually looks for something- at last once a week.
Sort of like the Hollywood types who say that negative publicity is better than no publicity at all..... Last week he prepared all Cubans for a possible imminent invasion from the USA- Sick puppy....Must be terrible to be the dictator no one cares about...tsk, tsk...

People should perhaps keep in mind that oil is regularly collected out of the Gulf of Mexico, it doesn't constantly explode or spill, and there are lots of functional resorts out there.

Originally posted by Nygdan
People should perhaps keep in mind that oil is regularly collected out of the Gulf of Mexico, it doesn't constantly explode or spill, and there are lots of functional resorts out there.

Agreed, but I doubt Fidel has the EPA breathing down his neck either. Not that "western" oil companies are much better, but im skeptical that the best and dafest equipment will be used either. If he spills, what are we going to do? Slap more sanctions on him?