Prices & supplies – July 21
There may be oil offshore, but…
Off-Shore drilling pluses and minuses (podcast)- interview with Robert Kaufman
Offshore drilling safer, but small spills routine
Fossil Fuels
Searching the “Panacea Pantry” for a quick fix
Last week a Colorado senator published an article that offered a nuanced take on the prospects for oil shale development. He concluded: “To the boosters who think they have found the answer to our energy crisis, I say: We welcome you to our quest to develop oil shale on a commercial scale. But first let’s put the horse back in front of the cart and all start pulling in the same direction. A reckless approach that heightens the risk of an oil shale bust would only set us back.”
A boondoggle to end all boondoggles?
Al Gore’s recent speech on energy was not bad as such speeches go. It says all the right things about the problems we face – things quite a few of us already know – and it makes us feel good to hear them said well and to a large audience. Whether that audience is capable of absorbing the message is another matter.
Deep thought – July 20
Imagine what comes after green
Oil shock
The Apocalypse makes us dumb
Monthly Review: The political economy and ecology of biofuels
United States & Canada – July 20
Mark Morford: Here’s oil in your eye
The Southwest desert’s real estate boom (land needed for solar)
Los Angeles is home to new rush of oil drilling
Former officials call for an Earth systems science agency
Carbon capture can break the old energy equation
Both candidates talk the talk on green issues but who can deliver?
Peak oil & prices – July 20
Even oilmen believe our planet is burning up, says Full Monty writer behind terrifying TV drama
California must wake up to looming fuel crisis (new)
The coming black plague? Oil and agriculture (new)
Paul Krugman: Oil outlook
Green ink: Oil in free fall
ODAC Newsletter – July 18
A digest of news and commentary from a UK peak oil perspective.
The peak oil crisis: The blackouts spread
Of the 266 distinct nations or entities on the world today, nearly 100 are now reporting continuing energy shortages, mostly in the form of inadequate electricity supply, but in a growing number of cases, shortages of liquid fuels and natural gas.
Get ready for the last oil war
Despite the clear evidence of rising depletion limits on Iranian oil production, Western media continues presenting Iran as having the third or fourth-largest oil reserves in the world. This implies oil export ‘underperformance’, repeating media claim’s of Iraqi oil reserves versus its pumping ‘performance’ in the run-up to invasion in 2003.
As tensions escalate between Iran and the West, Andrew McKillop presents a view on the prospects for conflict.
Demand bifurcation point
The future of the global economy will, in my opinion, turn more on this question than any other: Will demand destruction hit India and China, or will their oil consumption continue to rise? The answer here will determine much of how peak oil plays out.
Peak oil is a done deal
I now believe that the hypothesis of a near or medium-term peak in the world’s oil supply is confirmed beyond any reasonable doubt. A shift in emphasis that speaks to reducing our demand for oil and examining alternatives to oil is now required. I will be taking that road in the future, leaving specific concerns about the oil supply behind.
Get Out of Credit Card Debt! Now!
We’re often told in the Peak Oil community “get out of debt,” and yet, as we continue to pay the minimum on the credit card each month, it appears to have little effect on the overall balance of the bill. Should we forget about getting out of debt and just start putting up supplies? Not unless you have a crystal ball that tells you when all US banks will fail, and that whatever entity takes them over will be unable to figure out how to collect your monthly payments.
Here are some concrete suggestions on how to break out of the cycle.
