When the Oil ended

[Big K]

scientists are saying that worlds known oil resources are enough only for another 42 years...

what if oil resurces suddenly ends today????

i wonder what will change in the worlds politics....

[crooks]

Oil resources won't end today - We have (by your own count, I thought we had about 60) 42 years to prepare, we've already started, and the coming generation is very aware, I think we'll make our parents proud when the time comes.

If oil were to end today though (hypothetically) it could be the end of us - we're way to reliant on oil, it would be an end to plastic, an end to vehicles (transport - no one would be able to get anywhere without walking), communication and even farming (scarily) in it's current, non-labour intensive form......riots, wars and a breaking of order, the world would turn upside down, bringing us back to the stone age.

Hypothetically, of course.

[entropy]

There are crops (rapeseed) that can be used as fuel. Biodiesel will provide a part of the answer.

As for electricity: if people would wake up, they would realize that burning oil and waiting for "green energy" is like sitting in your room with your legs open and waiting for someone to come and take your virginity.
Stop burning oil and coal. Build more nuclear power plants.
And tie the anti-nuclear power hippies to generators as they march on the marketplace, it will generate power as well.

[Shek]

The peak oil crowd keeps on putting up dates on the dartboard and keeps on missing. As technology advances and prices rise, the effective stocks of natural resources keeps on rising. Quite the paradox.

Natural Resources, by William J. Baumol and Sue Anne Batey Blackman: The Concise Encyclopedia of Economics: Library of Economics and Liberty

Anyways, oil will last us much longer than 42 years.

[Shek]

For another look, The Intellectual Bankruptcy of the Peak Oil Movement

[Big K]

instead of its effects on daily life,

i would like to see how international politics will be affected from this...

[Grim]

Imagine it's the dead of winter, people are freezing to death due to lack of heating oil and natural gas. I wonder how a sudden long term shortage of oil (for any reason) would affect nations which have refused to tap their oil fields for environmental reasons. How much restraint would oil starved nations show towards nations who refused to pump their oil because of concerns for some four legged flea bag? Would the UN try to force such nations to tap those resources? How long would diplomacy last before someone tried to take the oil fields by force?
I suspect if such a shortage ever occurred, environmental restrictions on oil drilling would be reevaluated by most governments which in the past have supported such laws. I also suspect the UN would try to start oil relief programs similar to what it has done with food for starvation stricken countries.

[entropy]

Imagine it's the dead of winter, people are freezing to death due to lack of heating oil and natural gas. I wonder how a sudden long term shortage of oil (for any reason) would affect nations which have refused to tap their oil fields for environmental reasons. How much restraint would oil starved nations show towards nations who refused to pump their oil because of concerns for some four legged flea bag? Would the UN try to force such nations to tap those resources? How long would diplomacy last before someone tried to take the oil fields by force?
I suspect if such a shortage ever occurred, environmental restrictions on oil drilling would be reevaluated by most governments which in the past have supported such laws. I also suspect the UN would try to start oil relief programs similar to what it has done with food for starvation stricken countries.

Sir, do you think wars for oil (Like Russia invading Turkmenistan) would be part of reality?

[wkllaw]

We don't need to worry about this, estimates now of Peak oil are around 2025-2035 and I believe that we have plenty of time to make the hydrogen technology profitable now that governments and companies are finally investing in them.

The known reserves will last 42 years, but I wonder how human innovation will affect this and while oil discoveries has been going down nowadays, there still are discoveries which add to that.

[Grim]

Sir, do you think wars for oil (Like Russia invading Turkmenistan) would be part of reality?

Sir I have no doubt that if large oil shortages were to occur some nations would consider the military option. I do not know weather they would pursue that option as their course of action. History shows the odds of such are high and as such I believe we would see some nations change their defense budgets and troop levels as a precaution. The economic effect that would have on nations trying to defend their borders would in my opinion encourage them to tap their oil reserves and trade some of the oil on the open market, which could help to reduce tensions.
I wonder if in nations like the USA where mineral rights are privatized would we see the government lay claim to such assets in the name of national security?
This whole idea stirs up so many questions. All I know for sure is that this situation would be like hitting a wasp nest with a short stick, afterwards your safety depends on how fast you move. Whatever those few nations with remaining oil fields decide to do, such actions should be done quickly out of security concerns.

[Grim]

We don't need to worry about this, estimates now of Peak oil are around 2025-2035 and I believe that we have plenty of time to make the hydrogen technology profitable now that governments and companies are finally investing in them.

The known reserves will last 42 years, but I wonder how human innovation will affect this and while oil discoveries has been going down nowadays, there still are discoveries which add to that.

Sir I hope you are right. I look forward to the day when things like soler panels are as cheep and as common as news paper. When I can run my boat on the river and not have to worry about were to refuel it at.

[JAD_333]

The peak oil point continues to be pushed out in time, ironically, because the high price of oil has made new technologies for extracting oil from old wells and drilling new wells as much as 30,000 ft deep more cost effective.

To get an idea of the breadth of the issue and why it is so difficult to pin down a peak year, scan this report done in 2005 for the Dept of Energy. At the end of the report there are a number expert predictions of when peak oil will take place.

http://www.acus.org/docs/051007-Hirs...Production.pdf

[wkllaw]

The peak oil point continues to be pushed out in time, ironically, because the high price of oil has made new technologies for extracting oil from old wells and drilling new wells as much as 30,000 ft deep more cost effective.

Ah yes, that reminds me, now that its more profitable, how's the development of the oilsands? Anyone know how things are going there?

[gunnut]

Anyways, oil will last us much longer than 42 years.

I thought 42 is the answer to everything?

[Grim]

I thought 42 is the answer to everything?

So sorry, only applies to little white mice.