Why Are These Arabs Here?

Lindsey Williams was getting deeply suspicious. He recalled the questions and answers between Senator Chance and Mr. X, one and a half years earlier.

Senator Hugh Chance asked, “Mr. X, how much oil is there on the North Slope of Alaska?”
“Senator Chance, I’m persuaded there is as much oil as there is in all of Saudi Arabia.”
“Then, Mr. X, if there is that much oil there, there is not an energy crisis.”
(Mr. X’s only answer was a smile, implying that Senator Chance had hit the nail on the head.)

“Mr. X, what do you think the Federal government is really out to do?”
“Senator, I personally feel that the American government wants to nationalize the oil companies of America.”
“Then, Mr. X, if you are so convinced of that fact, have you calculated how long you can remain solvent with present Federal control?”

Mr. X was reluctant to answer at first, but then he looked at Senator Chance and said, “Yes, we are so convinced that in fact we, as oil company executives, have made that calculation.”
“Then how much longer do you think you can remain solvent?”
Mr. X replied, “Until the year 1982.”

Senator Chance said, “Then, if what you say is true, why don’t you oil companies warn the American people of what is going on? After all, it is your neck that is at stake.”
Mr. X replied, “Senator, we can’t afford to tell the truth.”
Senator Chance asked, “Why not?”

Mr. X replied, “Because, Senator, the Federal government already has so many laws passed, and regulations imposed on us as oil companies, that if they decided to enforce these rules they could put us into bankruptcy within six months. Sir, we don’t dare tell the truth.”


Lindsey Williams was now in an unexpected situation. They were approaching the end of the pipeline, and there was a story that must be told. Mr. X had understood one and a half years previously that the American government was out to nationalize the oil companies.

From that point on, Lindsey began to pry into everything he could, to find out all the facts that were relevant. He was a man with a mission. It might be worthy to note that Lindsey Williams was the only Chaplain on this Northern Sector of the Pipeline, and therefore, was the only one who would have access to this particular information. Other Chaplains on the Pipeline would not even have known what I had access to. Therefore they would have no wish to report, either through the media or by the book that Lindsey Williams wrote (These blog posts are from his book).

Lindsey Williams noticed that the permits, which had been issued for the life of the construction of the Pipeline, were now being withdrawn. One day, Lindsey walked into the office of one of the engineers, and he began to show Lindsey what was happening at Happy Valley. Before long he found out that this same story was being multiplied up and down the Northern Sector of the Pipeline.

There was a lengthy manual published which listed all the permits. Lindsey Williams had reviewed it at the beginning of the construction phase of the Pipeline, and remembered very clearly that these were to be the rules which were to be followed by everybody for the entire construction phase of the Pipeline.

Nine months into the completion of the Pipeline and of oil flow, Lindsey Williams walked into the office and began to say, “Chaplain what do you think of this sort of nonsense? Here the Federal government is instructing us to change the entire system of sewage that we have in this camp. We are a few months from the end of our time here, and the system we’ve got has proved perfectly satisfactory. If we do what they tell us to do, it’s going to run into a fantastic cost, and the whole thing will be left here when we move out in just a few month’s time. Have you ever heard of such nonsense? What do you think is their purpose? Why would they want us to remove one system that they approved only a relatively short time ago? Now they’ve decided that that system is not satisfactory and we must have this new one.”

Lindsey Williams was flabbergasted. “Are you telling me that the system that has only been in for nearly two years, is now so faulty that it must be replaced and won’t do for the few extra months we are to be here?”

“Yes, that’s exactly what I’m saying. I find it hard to believe-there’s something wrong somewhere. Sometimes these government regulations are just about impossible to understand. But for us to tear down and haul out our present system would involve a fantastic sum of money. Then we’ve got to actually rebuild this new sewage system, bring it in, put it up, and there is absolutely no point in doing it. The system we have is perfectly satisfactory. It almost seems as though the government is doing its utmost to slow down the development of the Pipeline, and maybe even to make the costs as high as they can. What do you think Chaplain? Are they trying to break the oil companies, or delay the flow of oil? What do you make of it?”

Lindsey looked at him, and then asked, “What do you think yourself? Do you think the new system is justified … is there something wrong with the old system?”

“No, Chaplain! There’s nothing wrong with the old system. The water that comes out from that system after it’s been treated is so pure that you could drink it. There’s absolutely no reason at all why the old system should be taken out. Nor does the water hurt the ecology—it’s just good, ordinary pure water. This whole business is utterly ridiculous, and what’s more, there are a lot more withdrawals of permits taking place up and down the Pipeline. I wish I knew what was going on.”

“Yes, I wish I knew what was going on, too,” Lindsey answered quietly. He kept some thoughts to himself, but was thinking deeply as he left. Lots of things were falling into place, in ways that were clear, but very undesirable. It did seem that the Federal government, for reasons of its own, was doing its utmost to slow down the project and increase its costs.

They wanted to embarrass the oil companies in every way they could, especially financially.
There was more, and more, and more. I talked to yet another executive with Atlantic Richfield, and some of the things he told me were equally as startling. It was about this time I noticed some unusual visitors.

Who were all those men coming into Prudhoe Bay? Why, all of a sudden, are men coming in dressed in Arab garb—why are these Arabs here? What are the bankers from New York doing here? Lindsey had seen them from time to time during the two years, but now they were all converging at one time onto Prudhoe Bay, with instructions to be allowed to see everything. Lindsey personally knew the oil company official who had been designated to be their host. Day after day he came to Lindsey saying, “Chaplain, you’ll never guess who came through today. Chaplain, do you want to rub shoulders with one of the richest men in the world? Chaplain, why don’t you ride in the back seat today? I have with me the Secretary-Treasurer of such and such a company … Chaplain, would you like to witness spiritually to one of the top men you’d never touch, because he would probably never go to one of your church services? … Chaplain today I’ve been designated to take a man all around through the Bay who has come here all the way from Saudi Arabia. In fact, he’s coming in his own hired jet…”

Day after day, Lindsey Williams heard talk like this, and watched as a stream of these financial experts came to Prudhoe Bay. Why were they here? What were they coming in for? Why all of a sudden this interest in Prudhoe Bay? The money men of the world were coming from everywhere. Something intentional was going on. Something that without a doubt was planned, and now it was adding up more and more. Lindsey could see it very plainly. The pieces were indeed fitting together

Reference: http://www.lindseywilliams.net/lindsey-williams-the-energy-non-crisis-chapter-13/