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According to the article, the total recoverable oil from both ANWR and offshore is 30 billion barrels. Sounds like a lot, until you do the math.
According to the US Energy Information Administration, in 2006 the US consumed 20.7 million barrels of oil per day.
(See http://www.eia.doe.gov/basics/quickoil.html)
In round figures, that means that the 30 billion barrels waiting to be extracted would feed our habit for ~ 1,500 days -- just a little over 4 years at present consumption rates.
The solution to solving our energy needs is to be found in expanding the role of renewable energy and reducing our consumption. Nothing else has a chance of penciling out.
