Delta Force
Banned
Petroleum exploration of the North Slope started in the 1960s, and in March 1968 the Prudhoe Bay Oil Field was discovered. It is the largest conventional petroleum deposit in North America, and first came online in June 1977, with production peaking at almost a million barrels per day in 1985.
What if Prudhoe Bay had been discovered earlier? Would it have been developed earlier too? Presumably the energy companies wouldn't have been investigating the North Slope if they had no intention to start production soon. Also, what kind of impact would it have on the 1970s energy crises if it entered production earlier, perhaps in 1973 or 1974? Historically, production from Alaska caused United States petroleum production to temporarily plateau and hit a second smaller peak.
What if Prudhoe Bay had been discovered earlier? Would it have been developed earlier too? Presumably the energy companies wouldn't have been investigating the North Slope if they had no intention to start production soon. Also, what kind of impact would it have on the 1970s energy crises if it entered production earlier, perhaps in 1973 or 1974? Historically, production from Alaska caused United States petroleum production to temporarily plateau and hit a second smaller peak.