Beaver Island Energy Options

[Gillespie]

We have seen posts on this forum in recent times relating to electric vehicles and such, good ideas that will get better with time! Some time ago I pitched an idea that I don't think we have discussed on the forum. Maybe we could generate some thoughtful input either way.

Many years ago, the McClure Drilling Company was here and drilled several "test" wells to see if there was a potential for petroleum products under this island. I know there was product found. Someone can refresh us on what was found as I do not have the info available here and now.

My idea, in watching us bring in petroleum and propane and brine for the roads, was to have the island as a community put a bond issue together and drill a gas well that could do much to help the long term growth and affordability of life on the island. Vehicles could be converted to run on propane or (natural gas), backup generation could be converted, heating for homes could be reduced significantly and on and on. Add to that, brine from the natural process of extracting the natural gas, could be used to treat our many miles of dirt roads! The cost of transporting these things in to the island is tremendous, not to mention the high risk of hauling propane or petroleum products across the water!

We could come up with reasons not to very easily, lets debate what and how we could do it. Certainly those jobs at risk by doing so could be preserved in managing the local asset owned by the community! How about it?

[Chamber of Commerce]

Very interesting Rich. An on island source of natural gas could be a BIG money saving / making investment that would offer much potential for the island. There would be some negatives ............ But worth a look!

[AEW]

I have thought about this for years, I think it would be awsome for the Island to be energy self sufficiante. I have imagined the possibility of having the Island power plant run off natural gas or propane right here under the Island. There is no reason we cannot do this, as long as the primary goal was a simple one. Provide cheap energy to the island, the possibility of selling energy to outside enterprises is secondary. I have always had a radical thought about drilling for oil, NG and propane, DRILL WHERE IT IS!
Go for it!!!!!!!! and keep it simple............

[TjD]

"Three geologists who persuaded officials from Wisconsin and Michigan to take a big risk last year have hit the jackpot and discovered vast oil fields beneath the floor of Lake Michigan, a discovery they say could put the two states among the world's leading oil producers." http://www.madison.com/tct/news/279776

Maybe the island should consider modifying the harbor or build a new harbor to allow tankers to export and import oil/gas products, rather than increasing our taxes to drill, processes and distribute. If we let private enterprise engage in these action the tax payers will not be on the hook for a speculative ventures. If vast deposit are found the island can build the infrastructure to accommodate its removal. If we had the infrastructure built we could have tankers that pass by the island pull up and drop off our gas products. Since the majority of the price differential between the island and mainland is attributed to shipping this would eliminate that. If a reasonable fee is charged for the use of the island's facilities we could probably lower our local taxes and get mainland prices for our local fuel.

[Dan Wardlow]

(edited to remove non-positive comments)

[AEW]

This can be done, Keep it simple, Propane or NG for the power plant....

[AEW]

http://www.eia.doe.gov/oil_gas/natural_ ... l_gas.html

[Gillespie]

If this "system" were owned by the community it could create a little "Utopian" setup. If the geology supports it, the island community would set up a well drilling authority to research the project and work with people to make it happen. If good resources are found each property owner would become a "shareholder" in the project. If a substantial amount of gas is found, what might be projected as "extra" beyond the needs of the island community for a long period of years, could be sold or "exported" creating the potential for dividends for the shareholders, plus as a system owned by the shareholders it would be nonprofit except for that which is exported. This could create a means to affordably heat homes and propel cars and machinery. I have talked with a geologist friend for many years about this who has copies of the old McClure drilling records. I am sure he would be willing to discuss it publicly. At one time he estimated that it would take half a million dollars to drill the well and establish a plant to separate the products and prepare them for distribution. It is probable that more than one well could be drilled over time but the initial cost if contained could easily be afforded by the community and could likely be borne by a drilling/exploration company which would profit if necessary by the distribution working with the community. I think it depends on the degree of difficulty here. Surely, I agree with Dan that environmental issues have to be addressed but none of that would be out of reach. No one would want negatives to outweigh the positives. As to the windfarm idea, I agree with that too but I don't know how or where we would entice someone to putting that in here unless the larger portion of that which is produced could be exported. Perhaps the gas company could put up the wind generators with profits down the road!!

[Chamber of Commerce]

"But I'm also all for energy independence ... has anyone ever explored the idea of putting a wind farm on the west side of High Island? The middle of Lake Michigan consistently has excellent wind properties for energy production."

NorthernIslander ran a story a few months ago about a Muskegon based firm that is exploring the concept. The story reported they plan a "test project" located in Muskegon Lake. The grand plan is for wind generators in the middle of the big lake, "out of sight."

[TjD]

My apologies , I thought you guys were joking about this.
I am surprised that you all are embracing spending tax dollars for the local government to get into the energy producing business.
Since most tax payers on the island spend a limited time here do you honestly thinks its fair to have them pay more of their hard earned dollars to the local government so that some of the local year round population can have cheaper energy cost.

It's socialism, which appears objectionable to some people only when they're not the recipient.

If the local government is going to go deeply into debt on a project I would prefer it would be to pave the roads around the island to facilitate electric vehicles.

However, with that said, if this idea moves forward and you need some land to drill on count me in if you want to drill on my land. With royalties for the land owner ranging between 1/8 - 1/4 of sale price some lucky islander will make a fortune when the wells are placed on their property.

[Frank Solle]

Gas and oil exploration? On Beaver Island? Whatâ??s next, a replacement for Big Rock at Gull Harbor? Any economy based on finite-resource exploitation is a boom-and-bust proposition, be it gas, oil, minerals, lumber, and as was learned around the Great Lakes, fishing. And the primary boom goes to the suits. The secondary boom goes to the locals, in part for what they do, but also due to the large influx of other workers who take away many â??betterâ?? jobs from the locals, but pass on their wages in service-related ways while at the same time over-taxing the local infrastructure and government services (even the limited ones as we have here). And once the boom is over, the suits go off looking for the next prize while the local community is left with the bust.

Donâ??t believe it? Ask the people of White Pine in the western UP what happened when the copper mine closed, and the school a few years later. Ask the people of Libby, MT what happened after that townâ??s three lumber mills closed over a nine-year period, or about the asbestos-related illnesses left over from the now-closed vermiculite mine. Iâ??m sure there area many more examples. If it sounds too good to be true, it usually is.

Our future is going to be renewable. Whether itâ??s wind or waves or solar. Just the other morning I heard a report on NPR about a new method of storing solar energy â?? not for roof-top panels, but for large-scale generating plants. Once we get the oil companies out of the way of actual progress, out of government, and out of our pockets, we can truly begin to look for the possibilities we should have been seeking all along. This isnâ??t the time to move backwards, itâ??s time to move ahead.

[Chamber of Commerce]

"Our future is going to be renewable. Whether itâ??s wind or waves or solar."

Would nuke back up be OK for when the sun doesn't shine and the wind doesn't blow?

[Chamber of Commerce]

"Gas and oil exploration? On Beaver Island? Whatâ??s next, a replacement for Big Rock at Gull Harbor? Any economy based on finite-resource exploitation is a boom-and-bust proposition, be it gas.................."

What if there were a 50-100 year supply of natural gas?

[pbolt]

OK here is my two cents worth, for what it's worth.
Inviting any oil or gas company to the the island would be a big mistake. do a web search on Alaska more to the point, Gull Island in Alaska, we have oil.
The best would be electric cars, Hybrid cars, Full cells, Hydrogen full cells, Geo-Thermal for heat and cooling, Wind generators but test are still under way in the Thumb now on bird strikes.
In short if your GREEN think GREEN.

[Dan Wardlow]

(edited to remove non-positive comments)