Yes Bill, I'd say you are a low mileage driver. The wife puts over 20,000 driving to work, and into town on weekends in her KIA Sportage. The son drives roughly the same amount going into town for college and to hockey practices and games. I put over 30,000 on my Ford F-350 last year just going on hunting trips, camping, fishing trips, and to Anchorage for Hockey Tournaments. Mostly on trips where I needed to tow a heavy trailer. My daily driver is a Suzuki Samurai, and I have 27,000 on it since I rebuilt the engine last year. I drive it around locally.
It's 400 miles to Anchorage, 200 miles to Paxson, or Cantwell, 400 miles to the North Slope. 100 miles to the White mountains. And all of those are one way.
As for oil, why are British Petroleum, Conoco Phillips, and Exxon Mobile, capping wells on the North Slope? Profit margin, that's why, they are waiting for the price to go even higher before they start pumping more. Our Dollar is going down, the oil companies are withholding oil, and the bleeding heart environmentalist won't let us drill where there is known oil. The reserves in ANWR are reported to be larger than Saudis. Oil has also been found in other areas of the state.
Natural Gas? The Big Three have been sitting on it for over 30 years, and are refusing to develop it. Our Governor has said develop it or lose the lease, and she started pulling leases. Governor Palin also invited plans for a gas pipeline from the North Slope to the lower 48. Suddenly Conoco Phillips is trying to get into the act.
Refineries is what is needed, and Arizona and New Mexico is not the place they are needed. They are needed where shipping is available. Crude Oil has to be received and the different products shipped out. Coastal port cities are where they are needed. East Coast, Gulf Coast, West Coast, California get over it.