INSTANT VIEW: Bush to lift ban on exploring for oil in OCS

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President George W. Bush plans to lift a ban on oil exploration in the Outer Continental Shelf and make a statement on energy needs at 1:30 p.m. EDT, the White House said on Monday.

Following are comments from analysts and government officials about the decision.

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JIM RITTERBUSCH, PRESIDENT, RITTERBUSCH & ASSOCIATES,

GALENA, ILLINOIS:

"It's a long-term deal, it's not going to have any impact on today's market, per se.

"In the short term, it's no solution to high gasoline prices. This is oil that we won't see for years, by the time it arrives, we're likely to have too much of it."

PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN OF DEMOCRAT BARACK OBAMA

"If offshore drilling would provide short-term relief at the pump or a long-term strategy for energy independence, it would be worthy of our consideration, regardless of the risks. But most experts, even within the Bush Administration, concede it would do neither. It would merely prolong the failed energy policies we have seen from Washington for thirty years," Obama campaign spokesman Bill Burton said in a statement.

TOM BENTZ, ANALYST, BNP PARIBAS COMMODITY FUTURES INC. NEW

YORK:

"There is so much pressure on all politicians to do something about high energy prices. This is something that might help somewhere down the road. But even if we lift the ban, we are not talking about oil coming to market in the next 10 years. It's going to be a long time. There shouldn't be any impact in the short-term.

BRENT BLACKWELDER, PRESIDENT, FRIENDS OF THE EARTH.

"President Bush and John McCain should be trying to end America's addiction to oil, but instead they're pushing this gimmick that won't do anything to lower the cost of gas. It's time to stop playing politics and start finding solutions.

If John McCain and George W. Bush were serious about addressing this crisis, they would work to create alternatives to driving and make cars and trucks more efficient -- not push a land grab for the oil companies."

TIM EVANS, ENERGY ANALYST, CITI FUTURES PERSPECTIVE, NEW