A strange war is breaking out in Colorado and its neighbourhoods in the US. While one section is pushing for shale-plumbing to extract oil, another section is warning the technology is unproven, polluting and, crucially, could eat up the much-needed water.

The Rocky Mountains in western North America is estimated to contain an estimated 800 billion barrels - about three times the reserves of Saudi Arabia. The underground sedimentary rocks   remained a no-go area thus far for various reasons. But trust the Bush administration not to miss the slightest opportunity to push the interests of the corporate oligarchies.

On Oct. 31, the US Congress allowed a moratorium on oil shale leasing to expire. Immediately the Bush administration sprang to action and finalized leasing rules, opening two million acres of federal land to exploration.

Oil companies say that at a time of increasing foreign oil dependence, it would be unconscionable to forgo exploiting oil shale's potential.

"Considering the magnitude of this resource - it is so huge relative to other hydrocarbon resources around the world - it merits taking a look at trying any method we can, safely and responsibly, to get at it," said Tracy C. Boyd, communications and sustainability manager for Shell Oil Co.

But then extracting oil from rocky seams of underground shale is not only expensive, but also requires massive amounts of water, a precious resource crucial to continued development in the nation's fastest-growing region, it is pointed out.