The Oil Glut At The End Of The Universe

Professor of Physics, MIT, Russel Seitz ^ | August 30, 2006 | Russell Seitz

[Texas Jack]

<SARCASM>

Now I'm confused... Does this mean that long ago dinosaurs roamed one of Saturn's moons, died when... err ah, a meteor hit the Gulf of Mexico right off the Yucatan, and then decomposed into what we now call "fossil fuel"?

Or could it be that the liquid hydrocarbons we call "fossil fuels", aka non-renewable energy, are really a product of the earth's molten core and we have a never ending supply of it?

It's so confusing. Next, we'll probably find out that there is not such thing as global warming. I suppose I'll just have to wait to see what Al Gore says about this.

</SARCASM>

[Prophet in the wilderness]

Some one should send this article to Rush,,, he would have a field day with this one.

[Dallas59]

We may find more than just gas...

[azhenfud]

Zactly! Wonder where Titan got all those fossils?

[familyop]

"Now I'm confused... Does this mean that long ago dinosaurs roamed one of Saturn's moons, died when... err ah, a meteor hit the Gulf of Mexico right off the Yucatan, and then decomposed into what we now call 'fossil fuel'?"

[familyop]

Oops...the reply.

Oh, but there were decomposing plants, too! ...must've been really crowded on Titan. Lefty could probably come up with some sort of piled life theory to explain that.

[DainBramage]

Landing there could pose a problem.

[KeepUSfree]

It's only "a problem" to the rest of the world.

For REAL Americans...it's just "a challenge".

[Right Wing Assault]

few doubt tit is the manifest destiny of our nations dudes

MIT Freudian typo? Also, it should be "nation's". Oh, well. At least they can do science.

Thirteen potential feet of condensed hydrocarbons certainly would seem to indicate it didn't come from plants and animals.

[Irishguy]

well i think they have gas and methane can be made a lot of ways..


also i have aproblem with this...titan isnt exactly next door now is it..so i think shipping it might be a tad more expensive....

[DainBramage]

Funny you use the term Challenge, almost like Challenger.

[KeepUSfree]

"Stuff happens" when dealing with space travel. We will perservere, sacrifice, learn, overcome and succeed.

Always have....

[raybbr]

This leaves Gore fans in the Oil Patch feeling conflicted and Halliburton execs very glum indeed. Houston, we have a problem - oil too cheap to meter. So great is the extraterrestrial gas glut that were everyone in China and India combined to acquire two Hummers and a Rolls , the supply would still last for millennia.

For who? It's impossible to bring it back here.

[sergeantdave]

"...150 million barrels per capita for every man woman and child on earth..."

I need that number expressed in terms I can understand - how many chickens and green peppers would that barbecue on my propane grill?

[Hazcat]

I need that number expressed in terms I can understand - how many chickens and green peppers would that barbecue on my propane grill?

Think leave it on all the time so you could grill up a midnight snack! :)

[clyde asbury]

The column seemed promising at first, but in the end it's unfocused. Titan's oceans could be ready-to-pump 87 octane, but that doesn't help me and of course it won't shut up algore.

If his larger point is the plenty of hydrocarbons beyond earth - well, that's nice.

[joshhiggins]

"few doubt tit is the manifest destiny of our nations dudes..."

Good line, caught my attention, but it seems the rest of the article did not meet my expectations.

[CPOSharky]

The guy makes it sound like atmospheric oxygen is lost forever when used in combustion.

[darth]

Mars has an abundance of oxygen in its soil. Its the carbon and hydrogen that are missing. Adding CO2 and hydrocarbons to Mars' atmosphere might warm the place up a tad. Time for some creative terraforming innovations!

[SoothingDave]

Sure it's cold outside, but there’s some kind of atmosphere

The professor slips in a reference to the theme song to Red Dwarf. Sweet.

SD