Peak Oil (page 3)

Undecided

Haven't you heard? God is going to destroy 99% of the population and that will cure the oil problem. Everyone will grow their own food and the energy needed will be provided by the all powerful Holy Spirit.

Ken P.

IronGland

If oil production is about to go into decline, im glad i'm american. At least we can make sure we have whats left of the oil for ourselves. Maybe it will be enough to keep electricity going so we can watch the world descend into chaos on Fox News while eating a Big Mac.

Realist

the sensless waste of energy (driving SUVs, keeping all lights on etc. etc.) is certainly regrettable...but the horror scenario this guy is drawing is rediculous. estimates of oil supplys range from 100 to 200 years. today its already possible to produce oil from renewable sources which could easily be made sufficient to supply the pharma and plastic industry. also the technology exists to build enough solar cells, wind mills, hydro power plants etc to supply the required energy (even if we have to cut bck on the energy wasting). my favorite is still by far fusion energy but if indeed the coal, oil and gas reserves run out before fusion is available we have sufficient alternatives.

the western world and especially the US could however help a lot in protecting the environment if we all would consume less energy.

from http://www.gasandoil.com/goc/news/ntn12963.htm :

It is well known that the United States consumes more energy than the size of its economy or its share of the world population would suggest. Specifically, the United States produces 22 % of the world's gross domestic product but uses 25 % of the world's energy, and in doing so also accounts for 25 % of global emissions of carbon dioxide.
The European Union accounts for 20 % of world GDP while consuming only 16 % of the world's energy. Proportionately, the numbers for Japan are similar to Europe's. What these figures boil down to is that for every dollar's worth of goods and services the United States produces, it consumes 40 % more energy than other industrialized nations.

Special K

Hi Dan..

I read the whole article..

Sounds scary..

I guess I better buy a small workable farm.. and start learning how to grow some organic food and put up some solar powered panels for hot water.,

sincerely

Special K

maxwell

I didn't read the whole article but the notion that we will run out of oil by 2020 seems a little doomsdayish to me. I do believe we are using oil faster than it can be renewed. And yes it can be renewed. It just takes millions of years so in practical terms we call it an non-renewable resource. However, right now, I think oil prices are a little too volatile for the end of oil to be that close. A commentator at the Washington Times (http://www.washingtontimes.com/commentary/20040403-100457-9406r.htm ) contends that if the US opened up its own oil reserves, they could easily scare OPEC into thinking they might flood the market and force oil prices down. I don't know if that is true, but I do think that running out of oil is the least concern of anyone who is actually dealing with it on the market. If it was a valid concern, I think it would be felt now even if it was 15-20 years away. I do try to reduce my consumption by not owning a car, but honestly, the rest of my life is mostly typically American. I use a lot of manufactured goods, plastic and electric power that eventually fall back on the use of oil. Besides that I ride buses and rent cars occasionally. When I travel, sometimes, I use airplanes or diesel powered trains. I don't think the Western World is going to give up it their way of life unless they are forced to do so. There are optimist who believe technology will eventually allow us to either use the energy sources we are using now more efficiently or take advantage of other energy sources.

ColdRedRain

You also forget that we can grow our own oil. I can't remember where the article is, but there was a machine that can turn 10 chickens into oil in 30 minutes. It can do that to any organism.

So we may run out of mineral oil, but we will have oil in the future.

patio34

Thanks Realist for posting a counter-argument! I haven't really looked into it and, of course, there's always at least two sides to issues. I'll hold up on the cyanide capsules

estimates of oil supplys range from 100 to 200 years. today its already possible to produce oil from renewable sources which could easily be made sufficient to supply the pharma and plastic industry. also the technology exists to build enough solar cells, wind mills, hydro power plants etc to supply the required energy (even if we have to cut bck on the energy wasting). my favorite is still by far fusion energy but if indeed the coal, oil and gas reserves run out before fusion is available we have sufficient alternatives

Pat

DanTheMan

I'll hold up on the cyanide capsules

Could you pass one this way? I'm thinking that starvation would really suck.

I'll just make sure to never let my car run completely out of gas. So if things get really bad, I could take the hose from my clothes dryer, duct tape it to the exhaust...

YAY I'M DEAD!!!!!

XQsThaiPoes

You also forget that we can grow our own oil. I can't remember where the article is, but there was a machine that can turn 10 chickens into oil in 30 minutes. It can do that to any organism.
So we may run out of mineral oil, but we will have oil in the future.

I think you are missing the point.

Imagine you are Joe Luis. Heavy Weight Champion of the world. Undefeated. You are a multi-millionaire. After an amazing career in sports you retire and kick back to enjoy your millions. Next thing you know the IRS is at your door because you didn't pay your taxes. Next thing you know you are back in the ring as an old man getting the crap beat out of you to repay your debt, and you never do. In the end you are relegated to being a doorman at Caesars Palace. This is the oil crash.

We can't tool up over night and turn chickens into oil. We have an energy, and resource debt. Energy and materials that would be free (oil is free to who ever controls the soil it resides in) we would have to get from other sources just to grow and take care of the chickens.

If you have a system for example where you invest 2 cents to get 3 cents return what happens if you only have one cent left? The fear is we won't know we have "ran out" until we will have too little oil left to invest into a system to pick up where oil production left off. If this new system does not exactly meet the demands of the old one, then some place people are going to die or suffer from the side effects.

donkey

I'll hold up on the cyanide capsules

The capsules are made from oil BTW...

XQ's at least someone else is insane like me and understands the real issues with the timing.

Peak Oil

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