Fossil Fuels

More than the deck chairs: ASPO-USA launches webinar series

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Given the tsunami of energy misinformation in the media right now, ASPO-USA’s role in providing accurate analysis of our domestic and global energy situation has never been more important.

Therefore, ASPO-USA is launching a series of monthly webinar programs, where members and donors will have the opportunity to see and hear presentations by distinguished speakers. The first will take place Thursday: “Shale Gas Update, with Art Berman.”

Mobilizing society in the face of peak oil: a call to French Presidential candidates

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‘Mobiliser la société face au pic pétrolier’ is a call to French Presidential candidates inviting them to mobilise society in the face of peak oil. It has been signed by renonwed French oil specialists and published in LeMonde.fr. The group is also calling for signatures for their petition.

The peak oil crisis: Our natural gas glut

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With global warming driving down the demand for natural gas as a home heating fuel and natural gas drillers producing record amounts, an oversupply situation has developed quickly. Stocks of natural gas are rising. As a result natural gas prices have fallen way below profitability and drillers are scrambling to cut back production.

Spinning for Heathrow

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There is no business itch too trivial for the British Chancellor George Osborne not to want to scratch it, no matter what the other consequences. So perhaps it shouldn’t come as a surprise that the sustained lobbying by not one but two separate Heathrow expansion campaigns has got Osborne, or so it’s claimed, lobbying his Cabinet colleagues on a change of mind on Heathrow’s third runway. I’ve written here before…about the long-term trends influencing aviation in the rich world. My assessment then was that most of them pointed to a decline in demand for long-haul flight (and in Europe and the United States, probably short-haul as well). So it’s probably worth spending some time on the “studies” which support the latest political mood music emanating from Number 11.

Oil – Mar 28

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-France discussing strategic oil release with UK, U.S.
-Oil Futures Spark Debate on $100 Level
-South Sudan oil field “bombed”, Sudan says hopes to avert war
-Tanker drivers’ dispute: Acas invites oil firms and union to talks
-Report: Gulf Oil Spill Killed Life Deep Beneath Sea Level
-Shell Sued in U.K. Over ’Massive’ 2008 Nigerian Oil Spills
-World oil import bill heading for record $2 trillion

Gas leak at North Sea Elgin Platform

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A crisis situation has developed at a gas and condensate production platform in the Elgin field in the North Sea. Gas is leaking out of a well near a offshore platform at a rate of approximately 2 kilograms per second (12 MMCF/day if gas), and a large sheen (assumed to be condensate) has been observed on the water. All workers on Total’s Elgin PUQ (production-utilities-quarters) Platform plus those on the Rowan Viking drilling rig, which had been working next to it, have been evacuated. On Monday, workers on a platform and drilling rig at the Shell-operated Shearwater field (4 miles / 6.4 km away) were also evacuated. There is currently a two-mile vessel exclusion zone around the site and a no-fly zone.

Disentangling the channels of the 2007-2009 recession

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A number of economists and commentators have mocked the idea that the "housing crash" was started by an oil price shock. Profs. Stock and Watson analyze the data and conclude that 1) it was actually a fairly typical recession, though unusually deep because of one or more very large shocks, and 2) the most likely initial cause was a significant oil price shock.

Global oil risks in the early 21st century

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Abstract: The Deepwater Horizon incident demonstrated that most of the oil left is deep offshore or in other locations difficult to reach…In this regard, the physical limitations on producing ever-increasing quantities of oil are highlighted, as well as the possibility of the peak of production occurring this decade. The economics of oil supply and demand are also briefly discussed, showing why the available supply is basically fixed in the short to medium term. Also, an alarm bell for economic recessions is raised when energy takes a disproportionate amount of total consumer expenditures. In this context, risk mitigation practices in government and business are called for.

Climate – Mar 27

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-Link builds between weather extremes and warming
-Met Office: World warmed even more in last ten years than previously thought when Arctic data added
-EPA Said to Be Close to Limiting U.S. Greenhouse-Gas Emissions
-James Hansen: Why I must speak out about climate change- Ted talk
-Post Carbon Pathways? Necessary. Possible. Urgent – Report