A World Without Oil
Could There Ever Be Such A Thing?
I have often asked myself if there could ever be a world without oil. The fact is that the world we live in can and will be out of oil. Researches are still debating on when this will happen exactly but they do all agree that it is coming. Can you imagine America without oil? Not a pretty picture since we have been using it like we have a never ending supply. Oil is in everything we use on a day to day basis. Not just the gas for our transportation but also in the little things like shampoo or the packaging our food comes in.
It seems like nobody wants to admit or even discuss the global crisis that lies ahead. This should be the number one issue for us and the leaders we elect. It is like we choose not to deal with things until it is staring at us dead in the face. Just like with the high gas prices a few months backs everyone was all about hybrids and alternative fuels. Now that gas has gone back down and we are starting to get comfortable again we do not worry about bio-fuels or any of that stuff. Why should we anyway? Prices are low and not affecting the way we live like they were before right?
Maybe the reason people are not making a fuss about the global supply of oil is because they do not know it is even an issue. Maybe it is because our leaders have been asleep at the wheel on the issue. Maybe they think just because it is not going to happen on their watch that it is not important. Regardless of why it is yet to be an issue we must demand that it become one.
When Will We Be Energy Independent?
The global demand for oil is increasingly growing higher than supply. Nations like China and India are using more than ever before. China is the 2nd biggest importer of oil with the 1st being America. Since we can not produce enough oil from our own country we must rely on other countries like Iraq, Venezuela, Nigeria, Russia, Indonesia, Iran and others to feed our addiction. Seems a little risky to let these countries have so much control over us. America would crash and burn in a matter of days if our supply were to be interrupted and its not like any of those countries actually like America or anything we stand for. Energy independence should be our top priority and is the key to surviving a world without oil.
Facts About Peak Oil
When Wiill We Run Out?
Many researchers believe that 33 of the 48 oil producing countries in the word have hit peak oil. Australia reached its peak in 2000. After an oil field has peaked it means the output will only decrease. The second half is much harder and slower to get out of the ground. Researchers estimate that the discovery of oil will fall in 2010 despite all the technological and geologic advances. Supply will decline in 2011 or 2012 and this is when we can expect to see a dramatic change.
Experts agree that the days of finding cheap oil easily are long gone. Deep sea drilling in the Gulf of Mexico now reaches depths of 9,000 ft. And they are just looking for oil. They may find small fields here and there but nothing big and nothing compared to the middle east.
Saudi Arabia is where the bulk of the worlds known oil reserves are located. Knowing just how much they have exactly is difficult. They refuse to give any exact amounts but have said that they can and will have enough global supply for our growing demand.
They have also claimed that they have 260 billion barrels of oil for the last 2 decades. The numbers have never changed. They have been supplying the world with oil for the last 70 years out of only 2 fields. The Saudi government will not allow any cameras or audits or any kind of checking their facts by any other nation including the U.S. They simply ask that we trust them.
They do say that in the future it will be much harder to get the oil but that it is there. It will just be much more costly for us to get it. How much more can they possibly have? Do you think if it really came down to it that they would say "oh here you go America we can do without" Highly unlikely.Who will decide what country gets what and how much? We are certainly not in any kind of bargaining position. We are already in debt to the world as it is. What will we have to bring to the table?
We need to change the way we live and needed to make the change 30 years ago. Change can be made it just takes time. The longer we wait the longer our generation and the next will have to suffer. Since we do know that it is going to happen we should demand our leaders acknowledge the fact and work to do something about it. We as individuals need to do whatever we can to prepare ourselves and our families. We might not run out of oil for 20 or 30 more years, or we could run out next week. We should be preparing for a world without oil so when it does happen the next generation is not stuck with the burden.
