Teaching the importance of Oil in Schools?

[Longcol]

I'e read about it in a few Books. It's something America sweeps under the carpet now. Back in the time even Howard Hughes got involved to prevent US joining them.

 

Well give us some links then.

[Longcol]

I think that Cliff has been referring to past oil shocks (usually caused by geopolitics) rather than past peak oil events.

 

I think Cliff tries to make every major world event fit into the "peak oil" theory.

 

Again, I can't see anything to doubt that oil will run out - I just don't subscribe to the doom and gloom theory that we won't find alternatives. If one thing history has taught us is that humans are pretty good at adapting

[Guest sibon]

I think Cliff tries to make every major world event fit into the "peak oil" theory.

 

Again, I can't see anything to doubt that oil will run out - I just don't subscribe to the doom and gloom theory that we won't find alternatives. If one thing history has taught us is that humans are pretty good at adapting

 

Bang on the money.

 

There are numerous hydrogen powered cars in development at the moment, so personal transport is covered.

 

We have wind and solar power in abundance as well as various heat extraction technologies. There is enough nuclear fuel in the world to sort out us, our kids and our grandkids.

 

Relax. Enjoy life. Oil is temporary, energy is permanent:)

[Cavegirl]

I don't want to spoil the party chaps, but peak oil has been recognised in the academic / commercial world for 60 years now and we're still no closer to the magic energy and transport solution you think will save us.

 

Cars are pretty useless without tyres and what do you think tyres are made from? Engine electrical wires are dangerous without plastic coating (made from oil), the ride is dangerous without a seat belt (nylon is produced from oil) and the finish is kind of dull looking without paint (made from oil). Plus as oil is needed to produce the hydrogen (at a net energy loss btw) I doubt the hydrogen car would get too far.

 

My main hope at the moment is that it will happen in another 20 years and that by then we'll at least have come up with a few ways of reducing the impact of a declining oil situation- such as we'll have returned all of the natural nutrients and biota to the UK's soils that 30 years of intensive spraying with pesticides (produced from oil) has completely killed off, thus enabling us to actually grow crops without (oil-based) fertilisers. After all we can't import potatos or corn or wheat from South America or wherever if there's no oil available to drive the ships right?

 

Even having said that I do have a rather niggly feeling that the decline in oil supply may have started in earnest in 2008. If so, it's going to be a very bumpy ride down.

[Longcol]

I don't want to spoil the party chaps, but peak oil has been recognised in the academic / commercial world for 60 years now and we're still no closer to the magic energy and transport solution you think will save us.

 

Cars are pretty useless without tyres and what do you think tyres are made from? Engine electrical wires are dangerous without plastic coating (made from oil), the ride is dangerous without a seat belt (nylon is produced from oil) and the finish is kind of dull looking without paint (made from oil). Plus as oil is needed to produce the hydrogen (at a net energy loss btw) I doubt the hydrogen car would get too far.

 

My main hope at the moment is that it will happen in another 20 years and that by then we'll at least have come up with a few ways of reducing the impact of a declining oil situation- such as we'll have returned all of the natural nutrients and biota to the UK's soils that 30 years of intensive spraying with pesticides (produced from oil) has completely killed off, thus enabling us to actually grow crops without (oil-based) fertilisers. After all we can't import potatos or corn or wheat from South America or wherever if there's no oil to drive the ships right?

 

Even having said that I do have a rather niggly feeling that the decline in oil supply may have started in earnest in 2008. If so, it's going to be a very bumpy ride down.

 

How lovely to have such a simple view of the world. Now if I remember correctly Walter Raliegh brough spuds back to the UK in the days of sail.

 

Life has always been a bumby ride dear heart - but look up at the stars and use your imagination rather than looking in the gutter (you'll find only Cliff Chavin and his ilk there)

[Cavegirl]

Now if I remember correctly Walter Raliegh brough [sic] spuds back to the UK in the days of sail.

 

There were only 6 million people to feed in the UK when Raleigh sailed for S.America (there's now 60 million) and there was a great deal more woodland around from which to build those ships- something to bear in mind.

 

Life has always been a bumby [sic] ride dear heart - but look up at the stars and use your imagination rather than looking in the gutter

 

What point is there to putting your head in the clouds when it's quite obvious that more practical and down-to-earth solutions are needed?

 

Also, do you always resort to patronising and derisive personal remarks when your lack of knowledge or understanding about a subject fails you? It's not an attractive trait you know.

[MadnBad]

I don't want to spoil the party chaps, but peak oil has been recognised in the academic / commercial world for 60 years now and we're still no closer to the magic energy and transport solution you think will save us.

 

Cars are pretty useless without tyres and what do you think tyres are made from? Engine electrical wires are dangerous without plastic coating (made from oil), the ride is dangerous without a seat belt (nylon is produced from oil) and the finish is kind of dull looking without paint (made from oil). Plus as oil is needed to produce the hydrogen (at a net energy loss btw) I doubt the hydrogen car would get too far.

 

My main hope at the moment is that it will happen in another 20 years and that by then we'll at least have come up with a few ways of reducing the impact of a declining oil situation- such as we'll have returned all of the natural nutrients and biota to the UK's soils that 30 years of intensive spraying with pesticides (produced from oil) has completely killed off, thus enabling us to actually grow crops without (oil-based) fertilisers. After all we can't import potatos or corn or wheat from South America or wherever if there's no oil available to drive the ships right?

 

Even having said that I do have a rather niggly feeling that the decline in oil supply may have started in earnest in 2008. If so, it's going to be a very bumpy ride down.

 

I think i'm in love!:love:

[alchresearch]

In school I was taught that oil would have run out by the year 2000.

[Cavegirl]

There is a great deal to be said for having national stocks of oil and gas available that we could use in the event of a peak oil scenario to offset the rising costs that will inevitably occur when world demand outstrips supply. So what is the state of the UK's current energy supply?

 

2010 Oil & Gas UK Activity Survey.

 

In 2009 our industry:

• Produced on average 2.48 million barrels of oil and gas per day -6% less than 2008

• Invested £4.7 billion of capital expenditure -£4.8 billion in 2008

• Spent £6.6 billion in operating costs -5% less than 2008

• Drilled a total of 130 development wells -22% fewer than 2008

• Spent £1 billion drilling 65 exploration and appraisal wells -40% less wells than in 2008

• Discovered a further 300 - 400 million barrels of oil and gas -provisional figures

• Sought approval to develop 6 new fields -12 in 2008 and 3 incremental projects -10 in 2008

Production

• The production decline rate is likely to remain at 6% in 2010. This reflects the slowdown in capital investment since 2006 and will continue to accelerate if investment is not sustained;

• However, if investment can be sustained above £5 billion per year [note that investment declined from £4.8bn to £4.7bn last year], the UKCS could still be delivering 1.5 million barrels of oil and gas per day in 2020, enough to satisfy half of total UK demand. This is of strategic importance to the UK economy. The Government forecasts that the UK will still rely on oil and gas for 70%of its energy needs in 2020.

 

http://www.oilandgasuk.co.uk/cmsfiles/modules/publications/pdfs/EC020.pdf

 

Obviously it's deteriorating rapidly, which means that the UK will have to find increasingly large amounts of money to purchase our energy supplies as imports. This is a competetive market including all other post-peak and non-oil producing countries.

[Cavegirl]

Having said that, what does the International Energy Agency say in its latest report about world supply and demand?

 

- The past 12 months have seen enormous upheavals in energy markets around the world, yet the challenges of transforming the global energy system remain urgent and daunting.

- The scale and breadth of the energy challenge is enormous- far greater than many people realise.

- Energy investment worldwide has plunged over the past year in the face of a tougher financing environment, weakening final demand for energy and lower cash flow. In the oil and gas sector, most companies have announced cutbacks, as well as project delays and cancellations, mainly as a result of lower cash flow.

- Falling energy investment will have far-reaching and…potentially serious consequences for energy security, climate change and energy poverty.

- Current policies put us on an alarming fossil-energy path.

 

http://www.worldenergyoutlook.org/docs/weo2009/WEO2009_es_english.pdf

 

This comes from an organisation that has been heavily criticised in the past for promoting a far too optimistic view of world energy supply. If these guys are using this language- don't you think we ought to be taking notice?