Topic: Bakken

The Standing Rock Sioux Tribe is protesting the construction of the Dakota Access Pipeline, citing threats to their drinking water and the destruction of sacred burial grounds. While the pipeline does not cross tribal lands, it passes underneath the Missouri River nearby. The Army Corps of Engineers is under fire for granting permits without sufficient tribal consultation, leading the governor of North Dakota to call in the National Guard.

Following a crude oil train derailment in northern Illinois, one of the hosts recounts personal experience receiving specialized oil refinery fire training. The technical details of fighting petroleum fires—including the use of Scott Airpacks and specific "sweeping" hose techniques—are discussed to explain why local volunteer fire departments often struggle to contain such massive industrial accidents.

Fareed Zakaria on CNN discusses a shift in global energy markets, claiming the U.S. can now extract shale oil for under $50 per barrel. The hosts express skepticism about the cost of extraction but suggest the "long game" involves using U.S. energy reserves to undermine the financial stability of other natural resource-dependent nations like Russia.

The Koch brothers have surprisingly joined Tesla in supporting a direct-to-consumer sales model, aligning with their libertarian principles. Meanwhile, an Al Jazeera investigation into oil train derailments in West Virginia and Canada reveals that Bakken crude is significantly more volatile than standard oil. The crude contains high levels of propane and butane, making it as flammable as gasoline and prone to massive explosions when transported in non-pressurized DOT-111 tankers.