Why?

My mom gets a small payment from an oil well. She expected it to go up since the price of oil has risen so dramatically. When it didn't, she asked about it and was told that it was "old oil" and the price for it was set at the level it was when it was first drilled. No wonder there is so little new exploration even though the land is leased.

I am just guessing but I believe that the payments for oil on government land (ANWAR and Off-shore) will be small. Mining and logging on government land is basically gifts to private corps and the taxpayer even pays for the roads to the booty. There is no reason to believe oil will be any different, particularly in light of the oilmen in control and the delusion that it is a national emergency.