Peak Oil, or WE'RE ALL GOING TO FUCKING DIE!!!

[Mota Boy]

I'm assuming that everyone has heard of peak oil, the time in the not-too-distand future when we'll shift from oil to... well, when we'll be forced to shift away from oil. In case you haven't, check out some stuff on the issue at http://www.lifeaftertheoilcrash.net/


I don't know exactly what to make of peak oil. For one, I've heard forty million catastrophy scenarios in my time, which have yet to pan out and this seems to fit the pattern. For another, the idea is just too mind-boggling to contemplate. A few days ago, one of my roommates calmly told me what he thought was going to happen - the population of the Earth would slowly decline and in 200 years we're going to live much the same way we did 200 years ago. And compared to many peak oil disciples, he's painting a rosy scenario.

Most people who espouse peak oil claim that it will cause the imminent collapse of civilization and that the only possible way to avoid it is to begin stocking up now. Don't bother going to college - learn how to farm and fire a gun. Such skills will be much more useful in dealing with the coming oil apochalypse.

As for now, I'm keeping an eye on the market and seeing if the peak oil crowd stays shouting on the periphery or moves into the mainstream. What are your thoughts?

[Betty]

Hmm...

We actually talk about hydrocarbons a lot in my chemistry class, but running out hasn't really come up as a serious issue... and I've never really looked into it either.

With the rate at which chemistry is progressing, I can't imagine not having found ways to either synthesize hydrocarbons from other raw materials or find something as a replacement for oil by the time it becomes an issue.

We spoke about using hydrogen as a source of fuel, and the biggest problems with that theory were how to get the hydrogen, and also you need a catalyst, which is normally platinum, which is also very limited. So it could work, but not on a large scale.

It's interesting though, because there are a lot of processes that have been discovered in the past 30-50 years that are entirely life-changing to society and you would never even know it. Like to make ammonium (for fertilizer - for agriculture) or sodium hydroxide (for soap).

And having this be a serious threat, if somebody discovers a process to, say, make hydrocarbons efficiently, people 100 years down the road will have no idea of how much of a big deal it was.

I'm curious, so I will try and ask my professor next lecture who knows everything about everything. Even though he's an ass.

[wheelchairman]

Oil ain't gonna just disappear suddenly. It will be gradual. Which would mean there would be a gradual decline, and most likely something will gradually replace oil.

[RXP]

Perhaps cum will?

[Vera]

In the mean time, we could all turn off a few lights and take shorter showers.

[RXP]

fuck the earth.

[Vera]

Just because the Earth won't fuck you...

[Little_Miss_1565]

I feel like Bush is one of the major reasons that these sorts of things aren't being talked about. Except he is right about one thing--oil prices aren't going up because of the middle east alone. China is a major part of it. Theirs is the fastest growing economy in the world, and their middle class right now equals the entire population of the USA. If their middle class grows more, they'll use more oil...a fuck-ton more.

We could of course conserve fuel by putting hybrid technology in cars. Most if not all of the car manufacturers worldwide are exploring this and improving fuel economy in non-hybrid vehicles. But back to Bush--he keeps talking about fuel cells, and how that technology will be the answer to all of this. With current techniques, fuel cell production requires more oil than a combustion engine would use powering that car. I'm sure we'll be able to someday produce fuel cells without so much oil, but that day is a long way off, and who knows what the state of the oil supply will be then. And since our economy is so inextricably linked with oil, people stand to lose their shirts if something like peak oil happens. And then who will have the money for the fuel cell cars?

[Betty]

Oil ain't gonna just disappear suddenly. It will be gradual. Which would mean there would be a gradual decline, and most likely something will gradually replace oil.

The only issue I have with that is, that yes, whatever does replace oil will be introduced gradually. However, the thing that replaces it still has to be discovered in the first place.

And if not, then there might be a whole bunch of shitty attempts at replacing it which will possibly work for a short period of time. But if they never find something efficient that will do the job, things could possibly start getting rough during the experimental transition phase.

[Mota Boy]

In the mean time, we could all turn off a few lights and take shorter showers.

...And then who will have the money for the fuel cell cars?

According to peak oilists, it's not personal transportation that we should worry about. Currently, oil is used to make fertilizer, drive farm equipment, transport and distribute that food... basically the claim is that we won't be able to feed ourselves, society will break down and most of us are gonna bite the dust.





Boo.