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Defining "Peak Oil" for what it is.
September 13, 2008 by Anonymous, 1 year 10 weeks ago
Comment id: 31969
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First thing I'd do is make sure I got the issue of Peak Oil right.
It's not a matter of cash cost inputs (although fuel prices do affect usage and how long it lasts), it's a matter of energy inputs. If I have 1 billion barrels in the ground and it takes 1.2 billion barrels to get that billion barrels out of the ground, it's not worth draining that stuff out. If the first .5 billion barrels takes .4 billion barrels to get, than maybe it's worth it but you'd better be either desperate or aware of stuff around the corner.
We've gotten most of the easy stuff out, a majority of the somewhat easy stuff out, a goodly portion of the somewhat difficult stuff and a start on the as-hard-as-it-gets-while-still-fruitful (Canadian Tar Sands). While it's possible that we could make a go at getting all the really hard stuff out, it's likely that the AHAIGWSF stuff will only be half-exploited (if that) before we either transition to a non-oil energy economy or things fall apart. And while I'm praying for the former, I don't expect it.
Also, check out "http://www.wolfatthedoor.org.uk" for an introduction to the topic.