Oil Byproducts ~ vs ~ Alternative Fuel Sources

hubpages.com ^ | 7/1/09 | JXB7076

[jxb7076]

The recent discovery of a massive oil field in the Gulf of Mexico has crude oil refinery companies projecting its potential output to be well over 15 billion barrels. If these projections are true the impact of this discovery will be much greater than the actual discovery itself and may have encouraged continued crude oil dependency in the midst of a universal push for alternative fuel sources. It would certainly have a significant impact on crude oil consumption in the United States. According to the US Energy department, Americans consumes roughly 5.7 billion barrels of crude oil annually with reserves of 29 billion barrels.

The new discovery appear promising in meeting human needs for oil consumption however, when we do the math we conclude that the new discovery, while significant, is a somewhat useless find - in the long run. If the United States currently has 29 billion barrels in reserves with an estimated 15 billion barrel output from the new field then that’s a low total of 44 billion barrels. With 5.7 billion barrels a year of current usage annually, with an expected increase according to the US Energy Department. Therefore the US total reserves, counting the new field, would equal a little less than 8 years of oil usage, provided there are no significant usage increase.

[the invisib1e hand]

did anyone else hear about the system, now being tested "by several states" (according to The Osgood File, which I detest), to tax people by the mile they drive (thanks to that GPS chip somewhere in their car), as a alternative to the gasoline tax (as if any tax would ever be replaced)?

Or was the transmission meant for my ears only?

[DannyTN]

Build Nuclear.

It's the only proven source of mass energy that can meet our needs.

But I also keep hoping that research into physics will unlock some limitless energy source that we can tap into.

[the invisib1e hand]

sorry, don’t mean to distract from your thread. I just didn’t feel like searching for something on this (like, what keyword would YOU use?)...

[dblshot]

Assume we find alternative energy sources and therefore need to refine less crude oil. A reduction in crude oil refining would reduce the amount of by-products from the refining process. This would mean a reduction in supply of by-products for the manufacuring of that long list of commodities using by-products. Reduction in supply without reduction in demand means higher prices for the by-products and thus the products it is used in. Women, children, and minorities to be hit hardest!

[golfisnr1]

“As a result, wars such as the Iraqi war will remain pending possibilities until alternative fuel sources are discovered – and implemented to replace current crude oil byproducts.”
Note the phrase: “until alternative fuel sources are discovered.”
Congress just mandated that they will be used. Even if they are not dicovered. Talk about STUPID.

[woodbutcher1963]

For Example:

Asphalt 3 tab shingles last year $17.00/bundle , now $25.50/bundle

[norraad]

This exactly why car MPG is a calculated byproduct itself.

Because you can't compress a liquid, it all has to be controlled in a predetermined way and it is done and has been done since Rockefeller consolidated over a hundred years ago.

But don't tell anyone.

[jxb7076]

Yes I read about this ridiculous proposal. I wish them luck pulling it off. Then again I said that about the Iraq war!

[jxb7076]

That would be ideal. I often wonder if we don’t already have that source available to us but it’s being surpressed by the government, supported by OPEC cartels. Conspiracy or real!?

[jxb7076]

I agree that a reduction in supply must equal the reduction in demand or prices will go through the roof on common things like bleach or cell phone hardware. Besides, if alternative sources are found it will be generations before they’re accepted by the populus and widely used.