Bob McDonnell has been touting a "study" by a "professor at Old Dominion University" of oil and gas drilling off the Virginia coast. Here's what Bob McDonnell's website says on this subject:According to one estimate, there are 130 million barrels of oil and 1.14 trillion cubic feet of natural gas off Virginia's coast. A study by a professor at Old Dominion University, forecasts that natural gas production alone off Virginia’s coast would create 2,578 new jobs, and produce $271 million in state and local revenue. Unfortunately, the Democratic candidates said no to Virginia jobs and yes to the special interests.With that, I went looking for this "study." I Googled it. I called the Old Dominion University library. I chatted with a librarian at the Arlington public library. I emailed ODU professors in economics and geology. So far, none of these sources seem to know anything about Bob McDonnell's "study" (which is not sourced, by the way...fascinating).
I also contacted my former colleagues at the US Energy Information Administration, the policy-neutral, independent, analytical, and statistical arm of the US Department of Energy. Here's how one of EIA's top U.S. oil supply and reserve experts responded when I asked him if he had heard of this ODU "study."
1) There are no official estimates of oil and gas resources lying offshore of just Virginia. The estimates we do have are for the entire Atlantic [Outer Continental Shelf - OCS], are decades old, and are primarily based on long-outdated seismic technology.
2) I’ve not seen, or previously even heard of, the reputed ODU prof’s prognostication.
In sum, at least for the time being, Bob McDonnell's "study" remains elusive, as does the "reputed ODU prof" who purportedly penned it. More broadly, these claims to supposed reserves off the Virginia coast, and job numbers associated with those reserves, remain highly sketchy at best. Personally, as much as I dislike everything Bob McDonnell stands for, I find it hard to believe that he would completely invent a study. At least for now, however, the "study" remains elusive and the hunt continues. Any leads, please email me at lowell@raisingkaine.com - thanks!
