Look Who it Was Random video

What Powers Japan? Gas. From The Jungles Of Sumatra Indonesia

1,803 views · Published 15 October 2017 · 3:01 · Indexed 8 November 2026

Channel: David Hoffman · 2017 · Film & Animation

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The time was 1975. An oil crisis had occurred and OPEC turned off the spigot causing prices to rise dramatically. Oil companies said that they had to find new sources for oil and gas and that meant exploring in places they had not going before.

I got the fantastic job to go to four incredible locations with these new exploratory wells were being drilled. That included Sumatra, Indonesia, in a field that looked at the time like it would be an insanely big natural gas find. Back then, members of Congress were blocking the passage of legislation that would have allowed the United States to drill for oil and gas of the Atlantic and Pacific shelves. 

But Indonesia – Sumatra somewhat near Banda Ache was open for exploration. I made four lengthy what were called "infomercials" on these four locations one of which you are seeing here. There are many stories I could tell about what happened to me while I filmed in the jungles of Sumatra with the people of Ache all around me. Some very helpful. Some pretty scary with the weapons they were carrying.

I asked an oilman where this gas would go and he told me that it would go to Japan. I suspect that it still does.

This documentary film is three minutes long. Very few advertisers today would give a filmmaker the opportunity to make a three minute piece like this.

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