The future of oil extraction/production

[Stone]

An interesting article on US oil production and results from new technologies.
Shale oil extraction looks promising even with the noted problems.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/07/09/us-usa-oil-shale-forecasts-analysis-idUSKBN0FE0CJ20140709

This should help lead the US out of ME oil dependence and allow the US to back out of the bloody terrorist mess going on there.

The U.S., a nation transformed by the 1973 Arab oil embargo, could become energy independent by 2035, according to bullish forecasts from BP Plc and the International Energy Agency. Coupled with growing output from oil-rich neighbors, the continent has a growing shield from supply shocks.

"Looking at North America, including Canada and Mexico, we're much more politically stable," said Lisa Viscidi, program director of the Inter-American Dialogue in Washington.

 

[The Man]

It is good to see that we can have more independence from the ME. I do know we do get much of our oil from Canada..while that is stable you never know what the future might bring as they have some rather complex environmental laws.
Also without Canada world prices go up..same for any supply that stops.

Back to the ME. OPEC has made a big game of this by intentionally controlling how much is made available....with a truly free competitive market oil would be much less expensive.
IMO OPEC is essentially an illegal practice by American standards.

I know that we used to supply a good chunk of our own oil...demand was lower and the easy places to extract oil were being utilized.
All of that has changed and the US is a major hog of the consumption of oil...the easy spots have already been depleted.
However with new technology some of the tougher spots to extract are not as tough its just a matter of getting er done.

Alot of our problems would be solved though if we were not so dependent on oil...but I dont see the states changing its lifestyle anytime soon.

 

[Stone]

I..................

Alot of our problems would be solved though if we were not so dependent on oil...but I dont see the states changing its lifestyle anytime soon.

IMO, just as the oil tech has progressed by leaps and bounds, so will tech in other areas that affect consumption.
Cars are becoming more fuel efficient, homes more energy efficient along with new business buildings.
Tech isn't stagnant in the US and I see future improvements in energy use and conservation.
But it won't happen over night.

Politics, aside from oil and energy, might be the greater hurdle to improving our economy, though.
Corruption and socialism are slowing down our economic recovery along with energy prices.

 

[porterjack]

I do know we do get much of our oil from Canada..while that is stable you never know what the future might bring as they have some rather complex environmental laws.
Also without Canada world prices go up..same for any supply that stops.

wanna fight huh? do ya huh?

 

[The Man]

IMO, just as the oil tech has progressed by leaps and bounds, so will tech in other areas that affect consumption.
Cars are becoming more fuel efficient, homes more energy efficient along with new business buildings.
Tech isn't stagnant in the US and I see future improvements in energy use and conservation.
But it won't happen over night.

Politics, aside from oil and energy, might be the greater hurdle to improving our economy, though.
Corruption and socialism are slowing down our economic recovery along with energy prices.

When our economy is booming we drive more and consume more oil..which is to be expected..but the average commute distance to work has risen sharply over the past..so the savings from fuel efficiency have been getting partly used up.
Also a more fuel efficient car is more apt to be driven for extra family activities so some of those saving are used as well.
I am not complaining as although we whine about our economy we can still afford to do many thing that many people in many nations cant.
IMO as long as an American has money in his pocket he will find a reason to drive the car lol.
Watch some videos of driving in India..they pack em full inside and out..I guess it is a treat to ride on the bumper into town.

 

[The Man]

wanna fight huh? do ya huh?

We have been restricting our invasions to desert regions.

 

[Stone]

When our economy is booming we drive more and consume more oil..which is to be expected..but the average commute distance to work has risen sharply over the past..so the savings from fuel efficiency have been getting partly used up.
Also a more fuel efficient car is more apt to be driven for extra family activities so some of those saving are used as well.
I am not complaining as although we whine about our economy we can still afford to do many thing that many people in many nations cant.
IMO as long as an American has money in his pocket he will find a reason to drive the car lol.
Watch some videos of driving in India..they pack em full inside and out..I guess it is a treat to ride on the bumper into town.

Concerning auto fuel efficiency, economy and miles driven, I think what you posted applies well to the short run, a decade or so, but as battery tech improves, so will the appeal of electric cars.
I doubt electric will replace gas burners altogether, but I think a large segment of the driving public could go electric offsetting increases in numbers of vehicles driven and increases in mileage driven.

 

[Alien Allen]

electric cars will not IMO become the norm. And should not be. Our electric grid would need significant upgrades to handle most driving electric. Even if the grid was up to par you would need more electricity production and unless we go nuclear that means more pollution on the energy production end of the process.

The only part of this the liberals have right is that oil is not going to be there forever. We need to have a little more urgency on coming up with an alternative. And do it in a way that does not crush our economy.

 

[The Man]

Concerning auto fuel efficiency, economy and miles driven, I think what you posted applies well to the short run, a decade or so, but as battery tech improves, so will the appeal of electric cars.
I doubt electric will replace gas burners altogether, but I think a large segment of the driving public could go electric offsetting increases in numbers of vehicles driven and increases in mileage driven.

Indeed...electric would be practical for alot of people now and its only getting better.
I cant use one now as I might drive 250 miles in a day....I usually run my house errands on those days while I am out.
But I think about half the population could get by with an electric vehicle

 

[Stone]

electric cars will not IMO become the norm. And should not be. Our electric grid would need significant upgrades to handle most driving electric. Even if the grid was up to par you would need more electricity production and unless we go nuclear that means more pollution on the energy production end of the process.

The only part of this the liberals have right is that oil is not going to be there forever. We need to have a little more urgency on coming up with an alternative. And do it in a way that does not crush our economy.

electric cars will not IMO become the norm. And should not be.

When technology supports the electric car, it will be the market place and customer making that decision.

The grid obviously needs to be upgraded whether electric cars become the 'norm' or not.

Even if the grid was up to par you would need more electricity production and unless we go nuclear that means more pollution on the energy production end of the process.

You are obviously thinking of nuclear fission. That has an obvious problem with nuclear waste.
Think nuclear fusion generation.
It's a technology of the future that would make electric powered vehicles more practical and hasn't the issues with nuclear byproducts.
Technology is the solution to many of our problems, but it has to be created and that's not in tomorrow's energy playbook. Further in the future, how long, I don't know, but it's inevitable.

 

[The Man]

When I lived on the west coast decades ago small electric cars could be seen several times a day.
Mainly older people just running to the store and such...that was decades ago with the better technology that we have now...the streets should be full of them..but I doubt they are.
I do think though that a time will be reached when they will be common in inner cities...As said they are practical for alot of people as it is.

 

[Alien Allen]

I was not referring to nuclear fision

I was talking about new power plants that provide electricity being nuclear

 

[Stone]

I was not referring to nuclear fision

I was talking about new power plants that provide electricity being nuclear

The present crop of nuclear power plants do work by nuclear fission.
The future of clean nuclear power plants is in nuclear fusion, but there are no examples in commercial operation and not expected for another 20 to 50 years.