Topic: Offshore Drilling
Country: Sri Lanka
Delegate Name: Hellen Roos
School: Traverse City West High School
Topic page: background guide and all position papers All Sri Lanka position papers GLIMUN 2008 committees
The world consumes about 84 million barrels of oil per day and the demand continiues to increase. Many countries are dependant on the Middle East, the worlds largest oil producer. The nation of Sri Lanka believes offshore drilling could be a short-and long-term investment for the oil industries.
Therefore, they actively promote offshore drilling. Environmentalists often argue that offshore drilling is pollutive and unsafe. Sri Lanka is indeed aware of the dangers involved in offshore drilling, but they believe that the potenetial gains are indispensable. Furthermore only 2.1 % of the oil spills that enter the ocean come from offshore drilling while 63% of oil spills come from natural seepage.
It is important for Sri Lanka to gain energy independence and offshore drilling could help to guarantee a more stable economy.
OPEC has significant influence on the market. In the past Sri Lanka had escalating oil prices. Sri Lanka sees the benefit that offshore drilling brings and is planning to drill oil by 2009. "At present world fuel prices are increasing every month. Therefore, if we can explore our own oil resources, it will be a great help to boost our economy. Steps should be taken to explore our oil resources by making maximum use of it."the Sri Lankan Petroleum and Petroleum Resources Development Minister A. H. M. Fowzie said. Scientists have predicted the world's oil supplies will probably last until the year 2030 or even longer.
Offshore drilling offers a great possibility to help lower gas costs. Furthermore it gives the people time to invest in alternative energy before fossils reaches their maximum. Sri Lanka encourages offshore drilling and believes it is a major future energy resource.
