[Sust-mar] In the valley of the shadow of peak oil

[Christopher Majka]

Hi folks,

Since 1956 when Texas oilman and geochemist King Hubbert first  
proposed the concept, "peak oil" has been the talk of the oil  
industry, economists, planners, technologists, politicians, and  
environmentalists. King Hubbert understood the implications of his  
theory from a conservationist perspective, writing:

"We are in a crisis in the evolution of human society. It's unique to  
both human and geologic history. It has never happened before and it  
can't possibly happen again. You can only use oil once. You can only  
use metals once. Soon all the oil is going to be burned and all the  
metals mined and scattered."

Now, a new study indicates that peak oil is nowhere in sight. Leonardo  
Maugeri, a world expert on oil, gas, and energy, has rewritten the  
narrative of peak oil. Examining current oil "plays" and those on the  
cusp of being developed, Maugeri forecasts a continuing rise in oil  
production from the current 93 million barrels a day (mbd) in 2011 to  
110.6 mbd in 2020.

The principal factor driving this increase is the "de- 
conventionalization" of oil supply, notably the US shale/tight oils,  
the Canadian bitumen sands, Venezuela's heavy oils, and Brazil's pre- 
salt oils. New technology and high oil prices are driving this  
unconventional oil production and only action at the political level  
can ensure a transition to renewable energy and avoid climate change  
disaster. Interested in finding out more? See my recent article for  
Rabble.ca:

	In the valley of the shadow of peak oil
	http://rabble.ca/blogs/bloggers/christophermajka/2012/07/valley-shadow-peak-oil

Best wishes,

Chris


Christopher Majka - columnist, Rabble.ca
Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
Email: c.majka at ns.sympatico.ca
http://rabble.ca/blog/26142
"The significant problems of our time cannot be solved by the same  
level of thinking that created them." - Albert Einstein