Tag Archives: oil

Palm Oil biofuels destroy rain forests

Preface. This is a book review of “Planet Palm: How Palm Oil Ended Up in Everything-and Endangered the World.”  I am mainly interested in the use of palm oil for biofuels, but it also harms health, which much of the … Continue reading

Posted in Agriculture, Biofuels, CO2 and Methane | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on Palm Oil biofuels destroy rain forests

Vaclav Smil on why there will be no energy transition

Preface. This post has excerpts from energy expert Vaclav Smil‘s 2024 free paper “Halfway between Kyoto and 2050“. Smil’s book is free, here. Below is a shortened, reworded article from Scientific American in 2014 written by Smil on this topic … Continue reading

Posted in Alternative Energy, Energy Books, Mining, Vaclav Smil | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on Vaclav Smil on why there will be no energy transition

President Carter’s energy solutions 1977

Preface. The speech below is one of the reasons Carter was not reelected. Reagan’s “Morning in America” was far more appealing. Another reason he wasn’t reelected was because the Reagan administration prevented the hostage crisis in Iran from being resolved … Continue reading

Posted in Energy Policy & Politicians, Expert Advice, President Jimmy Carter | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

New war and energy alliances over next resource wars

Preface. My greatest fear is nuclear war over the remaining resources on earth, since that has the potential of driving us extinct.  But with the end of oil and endless growth capitalism depends on, the world will return resource wars … Continue reading

Posted in Middle East, Over Oil | Tagged , , , | 6 Comments

Permafrost & lack of gravel will limit arctic natural gas, oil, and coal extraction

Preface. For many people, it’s comforting to know that about 25% of remaining oil and gas reserves (we have the know-how and economics to get it) and resources (beyond our technical and/or monetary capability) are in the arctic. They assume … Continue reading

Posted in Arctic, EROEI remaining oil too low, How Much Left, Peak Natural Gas, Peak Oil, Reserves Lower than stated, Roads, Transportation Infrastructure | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on Permafrost & lack of gravel will limit arctic natural gas, oil, and coal extraction

Why tight fracked oil and gas is mostly extracted in the US

Source: Smithsonian. May 2013 map of shale oil and gas formation. fource U.S. EIA & USGS. Preface.  Unconventional US (and some Canadian) fracked tight oil was over 90% of how oil production increased after conventional oil peaked in 2008, but … Continue reading

Posted in Oil & Gas Fracked | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on Why tight fracked oil and gas is mostly extracted in the US

President George W. Bush energy policy & hurricane Katrina

Preface. After Hurricane Katrina damaged oil and gas infrastructure, oil prices shot up. Below are excerpts from news stories in 2005 when President Bush, an oilman, openly discussed the U.S. energy dependence.

Posted in Energy Policy & Politicians, Hurricanes, U.S. Congress Energy Policy | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Review of “Vision or Mirage: Saudi Arabia at the Crossroads”

Preface.  This is a book review of Rundell’s “Vision or Mirage: Saudi Arabia at the Crossroads”. If this book is right, things have gotten a lot better in Saudi Arabia than when my other review on Saudi Arabia was written … Continue reading

Posted in Middle East, Peak Oil, Peak Resources, Threats to oil supply | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Most plastic isn’t recycled, burns in fires at recycling centers

Preface.  Plastics are just one of 500,000 products made out of oil and gas, but very important to just about every aspect of society, from making vehicles lighter so go further using less energy, to clothes, food storage, bags, toothbrushes, … Continue reading

Posted in Recycle, Recycling | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on Most plastic isn’t recycled, burns in fires at recycling centers

2008 National Academy of Sciences meeting on America’s Energy Future

Preface.  Hundreds of top scientists gathered in 2008 to discuss the future of energy in America at a time when oil prices were reaching record highs. And here we are again with record breaking prices and no reduction of our … Continue reading

Posted in National Academies of Sciences, Oil Shocks | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment