Pet rol .
or crude oil is a natu ble liquid consisting of a drocarbons of various m er liquid organic compo geologic formations ben
l e um . .
(petroleum from Greek: petra (rock) + Latin: oleum (oil)
urally occurring, flammaa complex mixture of hymolecular weights and othounds, that are found in neath the Earth’s surface.
Dependant to a fault. A recent report on the November 2009 U.S. trade deficit found that rising oil imports widened our deficit, increasing the gap between our imports and exports. This is but one example that our economic recovery and long-term growth is inexorably linked to our reliance on foreign oil. The United States is spending approximately $1 billion a day overseas on oil instead of investing the funds at home, where our economy sorely needs it. Burning oil that exacerbates global warming also poses serious threats to our national security and the world’s security.
For these reasons we need to kick the oil addiction by investing in clean-energy reform to reduce oil demand, while taking steps to curb global warming. In 2008 the United States imported oil from 10 countries currently on the State Department’s Travel Warning List, which lists countries that have “long-term, protracted conditions that make a country dangerous or unstable.” These nations include Algeria, Chad, Colombia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Iraq, Mauritania, Nigeria, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and Syria. Our reliance on oil from these coun-
tries could have serious implications for our national security, economy, and environment. The United States imported 4 million barrels of oil a day or 1.5 billion barrels total from “dangerous or unstable” countries in 2008 at a cost of about $150 billion.This estimate excludes Venezuela, which is not on the State Department’s “dangerous or unstable” list but has maintained a distinctly anti-American foreign and energy policy. Venezuela is one of the top five oil exporters to the United States, and we imported 435 million barrels of oil from them in 2008. As a major contributor to the global demand for oil the United States is paying to finance and sustain unfriendly regimes. Our demand drives up oil prices on the global market, which oftentimes benefits oil-producing nations that don’t sell to us.
CLEAN AND REUSUABLE ENERGY CAN HELP BRING THE ECONOMY BACK TO LIFE
THE COST ON THE ENVIRONMENT CAUSED BY DRILLING WILL BE ASTROMICAL
SCRAPING THE BARREL The latest measurements confirm that the world’s oil and natural gas supplies are running out too fast. At some time between 2010 and 2020 the world’s supply of oil and gas will fall below the level required to meet international demand.
We cannot survive without oil and gas, and when the supply runs out the great engine of Western civilization will finally grind to a halt. We are heading for an event that will be remembered as one of the great disasters of human history, and life is going to get harder for The US government is aware that we are about everybody as the day of reckoning draws nearer. to endure a disastrous international energy shortage. According to Dr James McKenzie, a sen- In the years ahead, wars will be fought over ior member of the climate change programme oil and fuel as the oil-dependent superpowat the World Resources Institute in Washing- ers struggle in vein to preserve our unsustainton, USA: “That’s why we went to war in Iraq.” able way of life. We are entering a period of great change and there are be difficult times ahead. We always knew the world’s oil reserves would run out eventually. The oil was formed by natural geo- The process has already begun. Students of prophlogical processes which occurred over millions of ecy will be familiar with certain relevant verses years. Oil consumption presently exceeds 25 bil- from Christian scripture concerning the signs of lion barrels a year and demand continues to spiral the end times (Matt. 24.8; Mk 13.8, Rom. 8.22; upward, out of control. The outcome is inevitable. Rev. 12.03, 21.1-4). As it was translated in 1961 in the New English Bible: “With these things, In the 21st Century we rely on oil (pet- the birth pangs of the new age begin” (Mt.24:8; rol) and gas for transport - cars, lorries, Mk.13:8).Whether you are religious or secular, you ships, aircraft - as well as electrical power. should be aware that the tide of history is turning.
What is left? There is a need to accelerate the development of alternative energy fuel resources in order to ensure energy security and reduce emissions, says a paper just published in the journal Energy Policy. The age of cheap oil has now ended as demand starts to outstrip supply as we head towards the middle of the decade, says the report.
Dr Oliver Inderwildi, Head of the Low Carbon Mobility centre at the Smith School, said: ‘The common belief that alternative fuels such as biofuels could mitigate oil supply shortages and eventually replace fossil fuels is pie in the sky. There is not sufficient land to cater for both food and fuel demand. Instead of relying on those silver bullet solutions, we have to make better use of It goes on to suggest that the the remaining resources by current oil reserve estimates improving energy efficiency. should be downgraded from between 1150-1350 billion bar- Alternatives such as a hydrorels to between 850-900 bil- gen economy and electric lion barrels, based on recent transportation are not mature research. But how can poten- and will only play a major role tial oil shortages be mitigated? in the medium to long term.’ Nick Owen, from the Smith School of Enterprise and the Environment, added: ‘Significant oil supply challenges will be compounded in the near future by rising demand and strengthening environmental policy. Mitigating the oil crunch without using lower grade resources such as tar sands is the key to maintaining energy stability and a low carbon future.’
The Smith School paper also highlights that in the past, political and financial objectives have led to misreporting of oil reserves, which has led to contradictory estimates of oil reserve data available in the public domain. Sir David King, Director of the Smith School, commented: ‘We have to face up to a future of oil uncertainty much like the global economic uncertainty we have faced during the past two years. This challenge will have a longer term effect on our economies unless swift action is taken by governments and business. We all recognise that oil is a finite resource. We need to look at other low carbon alternatives and make the necessary funding available for research, development and deployment today if we are to mitigate the tipping point.’ The report also raises the worrying issue that additional demand for oil could be met by non-conventional methods, such as the extraction of oil from Canada’s tar sands. However, these methods have a far higher carbon output than conventional drilling, and have been described as having a double impact on emissions owing to the emissions produced during extraction as well as during usage.
HOW LONG WILL IT LAST?
When the modern oil industry was born 145 years ago in Titusville, Pa., few people worried about just how long petroleum would keep flowing out of the ground. But since production peaked in the United States in 1970, a growing number of geologists, economists and industry analysts have been pondering the question of just how long worldwide supplies will keep up with growing demand. And some are predicting that global production may peak as soon as next year. The outlook is muddied by the data. Estimating oil reserves — how much is left in the ground — is a notoriously perilous endeavor. The task is complicated by the secrecy of OPEC producers, who are reluctant to dislose just how much oil they’ve found.
This year, global demand for oil — currently at more than 80 million barrels per day and climbing — has come closer than ever to exceeding the world’s known production capacity. Disruptions in oil supply — due to wars or market forces like OPEC embargoes — are nothing new. But with producers pumping as fast as they can, there is little cushion for temporary supply interruptions or heightened demand from industrializing countries like China and India. “We really are close enough to the edge to have no excess capacity. Demand growth shows no sign of slowing and now it seems to be accelerating,” said Matt Simmons, a Houston-based investment banker. “It’s really important to know what the real story is — as bad as it may be.” Oil has been the ruling sources of world energy since the 50s. The relatively affordable supply of oil has been the backbone of the revolutionary economic growth experienced in the western world. It is predicted that the demand for oil will rise in the future. However, will expansion in production be able to accommodate such a change? The cause and effect of peak oil production and increasing prices bring harsh outcomes. The volatility of oil price brings the question, whether oil really is a reliable source of energy? To evaluate the peak production level giant oil fields are used as yardsticks. In the largest oil field in the world, approximately 500 million barrels of oil can be collected.
Only 1 percent of the fields are giant, in other words, there exist 507 giant oil fields. The contribution of these large oil fields is enormous they supply up to 60 percent of global demand, as per 2005. Now, gigantic oil fields are becoming a modern scarce phenomena. Most of the largest oil fields are already more than 50 years old. Recently, the giant fields discovered are a bit smaller than the former connoted immense oil field. Most of the large oil fields that exist today are found close to Persian Gulf. The large and dominant oil fields today will also be governing the production of oil in the future. There is an annual computation of URR (calculation of what can be produced), which determines the capacity of the oil fields in the future.
CONSUM
MPTION
DRIVING THE WAR MACHINE Further, repeal or exemption could hamper the Department’s efforts to provide better energy options to our warfighters and further increase America’s reliance on non-renewable fuels. Our dependence on those types of fuels degrades our national security, negatively impacts our economy, and harms the environment.
I also believe that there are significant developments in America’s advanced biofuel industry that hold promise for meeting military needs. Repeal or exemption of Section 526 would send a negative signal to the industry, which could result in adverse impacts to U.S. job creation, competitiveness, and rural development efforts. BIO has supported maintaining Section 526 and increasing the military’s use of biofuels. BIO wrote a letter to Congressional
leaders last week, and has penned several opinion pieces, including one on BiotechNOW. BIO’s Brent Erickson participated in a Congressional Briefing on the importance of Section 526, giving
found within the US and China.
“Expectations about stricter CO2-emission regulations favour gas rather than coal. This trend is expected to change gradually in favour of coal, as this presentation. The DOD concerns grow over the security even even weighed in on the is- of gas supply,” the report said. sue on the White House blog. The Senate Energy and Natural To reduce carbon emissions, it Resources Committee may see urges Europe and China to make additional efforts to repeal or more use of nuclear energy, as weaken Sec. 526. They should China is already scheduled to do. instead look for opportunities It calls on the US to improve veto strengthen national security hicles’ fuel efficiency standards by increasing energy security. and, finally, it pushes for more reSuch worries on energy security newable energy to generate powwill undermine the world’s ef- er in China, Europe and the US. forts to reduce carbon emissions associated with climate change. The world will need to invest more than $20,000bn in energy Big consumers have already be- infrastructure by 2030 to ensure gun to turn to coal, one of the supply meets demand, the IEA most polluting sources of energy added, increasing last year’s esbut also the world’s most abun- timate by more than $3,000bn. dant fossil fuel, much of which is
UK DOMESTIC USAGE
Domestic energy consumption has increased by 32 per cent since 1970 and by 19 per cent since 1990. Since 1990 the number of households has increased by 10 per cent, population has increased by 4 per cent and household disposable income has increased by 30 per cent. Energy efficiency improvements, such as increased levels of insulation and the introduction of more efficient electrical appliances, have meant that domestic energy consumption has not increased at a greater rate. This chapter will look at the purposes for which energy is used in the domestic sector and the drivers of domestic energy consumption which can potentially lead to more or less energy being consumed. The majority of energy consumed in the domestic sector is for space
heating, which accounted for 58 per cent of all delivered energy consumed in 2000. Space heating in any year is largely dependent on outside temperatures which explains the year-to-year fluctuations, although increases in internal temperatures, the growth in central heating and the increased number of households have all contributed to the increase over the period 1970 to 2000, despite the increased presence of insulation.The other major areas of energy consumption in the domestic sector are for heating water, for lighting and appliances and for cooking. Between 1970 and 2000, energy consumption in lighting and appliances increased by 157 per cent, while energy use in cooking has fallen by 16 per cent.
(PA)
CHRISTOPHER HUNT