T. Boone Pickens talks natural gas at WasteCon event in Long Beach

Oil magnate and clean energy champion T. Boone Pickens tried to whip up enthusiasm for domestic natural gas this morning while speaking at the Long Beach Convention Center.

Pickens, founder and chairman of investment firm BP Capital Management, delivered the presidential keynote address for the Solid Waste Assn. of North America’s WasteCon 2009 event. He took a folksy, can-do approach while touting his Pickens Plan for energy reform, cheerleading for U.S.-produced fuel sources while urging the country to “get off foreign oil from the enemy.”

The plan, first publicized in July and later through millions of dollars worth of air time, would end dependence on foreign oil. It would also create millions of jobs by integrating alternative energy sources such as wind and solar into the national grid and using natural gas – “the trump card in the deck” - as fuel.

 “I don’t want to get out of Saudi oil and onto the Chinese battery,” he said in a Texan lilt. “That is unacceptable. We’ve got to do it here, at home, not somewhere else.”

Over three days, WasteCon participants pore over issues spanning solid waste management to greenhouse gasses to recycling.

When not trying to recruit the audience to join his “Pickens army,” the 81-year-old also name-dropped supporters such as Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.).

Pickens said he expected votes on several bills in Congress, including the “Natural Gas Act,” HR 1835, “just as soon as we get healthcare out of the way.” He then railed a bit against cap-and-trade emissions trading programs and general environmental illiteracy in political circles.

“We know more in this room about energy in America than all of Washington,” he told the large, crowded hall.

But although he faulted Americans for allowing years of cheap oil to distract from growing concerns about dependency, Pickens suggested that America still has more barrels of oil equivalent (BOEs) of natural gas than Saudi Arabia has oil.

“It’s cleaner, it’s cheaper, it’s abundant, and it’s ours,” he said.

-- Tiffany Hsu

Photo: Pickens in 2007. Mark Boster, Los Angeles Times

Comments

[mitchey]

Isnt our oil good enough why do we need other countries oil

[AA]

T. Boone what happened to all your talk about windmills????

[Bernard Forand]

Dear Firas If you would do your homework and evaluate the chemical break down of ng. and the amounts that we have to use without foerign dependecy,we wouldn't be having this conversation.I gather I'am conversing with a child playing on daddys computer. Good luck on your future eduactional endevors. Best to ya Bernie

[mike roddy]

Natural gas is finite and polluting, just as with other fossil fuels. Electricity in the US doesn't come from oil, it comes from coal, also produced here in the USA. Gas is less polluting, and emits a little over half of the CO2 that coal does. But why not ditch the whole fossil fuel trap and focus on clean energy?

We don't really know how much natural gas is in the ground, and some predict shortages before we run out of coal. Data about inventories is difficult to pin down because of the depth and complexity of the formations. I see no reason to trust Pickens' opinions on this. I learned many years ago that when a charming Texan tries to sell you something, run away as fast as you can.

[Jones]

It's possible that the super giant oil fields in the Middle East are declining in production. They don't provide field-by-field production data, so there is no way of knowing what they have and what they can produce. Their oil, might not be as dependable if OPEC can't increase production because of aging oil fields. With new demand from China, India, other emerging markets - energy and oil experts think its going to be tough to meet this demand with supply. Fact - Oil Fields die! Do you trust OPEC, Russia, and Venezuela with their production and reserve numbers? I guess we have to since we are dependent on those oil resources.

Sheila, most natural gas producers, distributers, NG engine manufactures are publicly traded companies. Everyday, the average person can log onto an account and buy or sell stocks. You'll find oil and gas stocks in mutual funds, pension funds, endowment funds, IRA's, etc. If you think using clean, abundant, domestic natural gas for transporation is a good idea to bridge america from imported oil, then feel free to invest in the business. Set up an online trading account through Ameritrade or E-Trade and purchase stock in natural gas companies. It could pan out to be a good investment.

[sheila]

“It’s cleaner, it’s cheaper, it’s abundant, and it’s ours,” he said.

uh, don't you mean it's YOURS?? or are you planning on giving it to Americans since it is our natural resource, one that you have tried, very successfully, to monopolize and manipulate??

how can people fall for this corrupt mercenary's double talk?

[Firas]

“get off foreign oil from the enemy.”
Is this guy nuts??? Calling the countries providing 40 years of dependable supplies the enemy!!