This article relies on two doubtful assumptions. First, it assumes
that technological innovation will continue to make more oil
accessible, and that increases in demand will make presently
uneconomical deposits appealing. Technological innovation and
increasing demand will make more oil deposits accessible, but they
will also increase the price. At some point, the cost of extracting
the remaining oil will exceed the benefit. For example, if it takes
more energy to extract and transport the oil than we can get by
burning it, then extracting this oil as fuel becomes a net loss. By
ignoring such upper limits, this extrapolation becomes irresponsible.
A second assumption is that two reports of reservoirs refilling from
deeper sources proves that petroleum is predominantly produced
inorganically deep in the earth and that this in turn implies vast
reservoirs deep in the earth. Most petroleum has chemical traces of
organic origin. Perhaps some is produced inorganically, but there
are also multiple sedimentary layers that can serve as deeper sources
for refilling.
Dr. David Campbell
Old Seashells
University of Alabama
Biodiversity & Systematics
Dept. Biological Sciences
Box 870345
Tuscaloosa, AL 35487 USA
bivalve@mail.davidson.alumlink.com
That is Uncle Joe, taken in the masonic regalia of a Grand Exalted
Periwinkle of the Mystic Order of Whelks-P.G. Wodehouse, Romance at
Droitgate Spa
---------- Original Message ----------------------------------
From: Walter Hicks <wallyshoes@mindspring.com>
Date: Thu, 30 May 2002 11:02:16 -0400
>" Of all the things we have to worry about in this day and age, running
>out of oil should not be one of them."
>
>
>So says an article on national review online.
>
>http://www.nationalreview.com/nrof_bartlett/bartlett052902.asp
>
>
>hmmm
>
>Glenn?
>
>
>--
>===================================
>Walt Hicks <wallyshoes@mindspring.com>
>
>In any consistent theory, there must
>exist true but not provable statements.
>(Godel's Theorem)
>
>You can only find the truth with logic
>If you have already found the truth
>without it. (G.K. Chesterton)
>===================================
>
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