Preoccupied with the T-P’s non-capitalization of a geological noun, I neglected a more flagrant mistake in the same article: Pam Radtke Russell reported the results of Chevron’s Jack 2 well test as “a development that could double the nation’s oil reserves” when “[the drilled trend] is thought to hold 3 billion to 15 billion barrels of oil [and] the nation’s current reserves are about 30 billion.”
WHOOPS! 15 billion equals 50% of 30 billion and not 200%. Forget geology education, we have some basic ‘rithmetic skills to work on. Good thing our City Accountant caught and questioned this new math:
How can 3 billion to 15 billion barrels double 30 billion barrels? I readily admit that I know nothing about Big Erl and how it operates. But am I missing something in the math here?
Donning my ScienceGirl cape, I rushed to Da Po Boy’s rescue with a more reliable article which states clearly that the Jack 2 test may boost U.S. petroleum reserves by 50%.
Pam, stay after school and write this on the chalkboard a hundred times:
30 + 15 = 45, not 60.
Please offer prayers to Pascal that Dubious Dave doesn’t run with this. Quel damage!
Calm down and read the whole article before blogging. Take a walk, pet the cat then take a deep breath.
Then give yourself a break.
Well, the “double” comment was the very first sentence, but my eyes blurred that and focused on the tertiary goofup.
My friend’s kitty took a nap on my lap today and I didn’t sneeze. It was amazing. Cats are awesome.