Ain’t nothin’ like continuity!
Despite forecasts that show no end to rising demand for crude over the coming decades, oil-producing nations are casting an uneasy eye on the growing number of measures being taken to tackle climate change.
“The main long term challenge is definitely the necessity to reconcile oil with environmental demands,” Claude Mandil, executive director of the International Energy Agency, told a recent conference organised by OPEC to examine the industry’s future.
Mandil also hinted that the 11 Middle Eastern, African and Asian nations in the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries could not afford to ignore concerns about climate change, which are even winning over once sceptical consuming nations.
Andris Kenteris, top adviser to EU Energy Commissioner Andris Piebalgs, underlined that the strategy to be unveiled in January would resort to a broader range of energy sources, including renewables, nuclear power and clean fossil fuels.
“Twenty percent of savings are I think definitely realistic by 2020,” Kenteris told the oil industry.
That kind of message irritates the world’s top oil producer, Saudi Arabia.
He wants to double Saudi oil income!
“Without a doubt, the world still needs contributions from a wide range of energy sources and regions to meet the growing energy demand of a rising world population in the future,” said Saudi Arabian Oil Minister Ali al-Nuami.
“However, impractical energy policies, unrealistic timeframes to bring some alternatives on stream, or the inefficiencies that come with inputting more energy to produce some of these alternatives… do nothing to secure the world’s energy future,” he added.
Yet, oil remains “the leading fuel in the global energy mix for the foreseeable future,” said OPEC acting Secretary General Mohammed Barkindo.
Biofuels like ethanol made from sugar cane are “a rapidly growing competitor but not a big threat” for oil, Mandil said.
Oil producers are also concerned about new anti-pollution regulations that not only aim to drive down consumption, but also oblige oil companies to supply more costly, highly-refined “cleaner” fuels.
Anything that worries OPEC can’t be all bad. Toss in the Oil Patch Boys with furrowed brows — and we must be getting somewhere useful.
Of course they don’t like it. Oil is all they have. Without that, they would be nothing more then 3rd world countries, rulled by dictators and warlords. Just look at most of the African Continent and you’ll know what I mean.
Anyone know of an alternative to tires? Petroleum is used to create the synthetic rubber which is used to make tires.
I’ll bet that tire companies are looking at ways to make tires without using as much oil, if not totally synthetic.
2,
thats correct…Did you know that peanut oil can also be used, as well as REAL rubber? Or even the idea of Plastic tires with better suspension?
Its funny that business has a tendancy to FIND a reason to raise prices.
you aint buying enough, so we raise the price.
You buy the most, so we raise the price.
you buy the least, we raise the price.
WE cut production, so we raise the price.
I would LOVe for the US, to build 1-2 or 3 Business structures AND force there USE. At least then we might get taxes out of them.
You know this could trive the price of oil down. If Saudi get their robes in a wad and only worries about their own income and blows off OPEC they could increase their income while screwing the hell out of the rest of OPEC.
@bac (or #2)
could be a myth like the carb that would allow a car to get 300mpg, but supposedly someone had made tires out of compressed glass bead and the tires would last longer than the life of the car. So of course they never went into production because all of the tire companys would basically go out of business
Never thought we’d wander off into tyres!
You can make a pretty durable tyre from natural rubber [a renewable resource] and carbon black [soot — no shortage of that!]. The history is same-old, same-old. Petroleum was cheaper than plantation-raised rubber back in the day. Just return to basics.
The idea of a reduction of demand on Oil based on green concerns seems absolutely absurd! There will always be a demand for petrolium products until the supply is exhausted. Even if our usage goes down because of legitimate green and/or econmic concerns, plenty of economically growing countries, such as china, india, and russia, will continue to expand their use of oil.
You know, all of your talk about damaging the Arab economy shows how racist each and every one of you are.
Someone will argue that someday.
When the oil is gone no one will care one wit about them. Boo Hoo.
#8, the supply of oil will never be exhausted. As energy technologies mature and new ones are developed the demand for oil will wane until, like whale oil before it, it becomes an obsolete product with no real market.
I don’t want to damage the Arab economy. I also believe that if they have so much hatered for us, they don’t deserve our money or trade.
1,
I totally agree with you. once the oil in that region is gone no one will give a rats ass about the arab nations anymore. and the middle east (Except Israel) will become a a third worl nation just like Africa.
anf you all know how much we care about africa. Especally with that AIDS epidimic going on right now
Funny how Arabs only have what they have now because it was developed for them by the West. Since they have been incapable of producing anything on their own over the past 400 years or so, I can see where their inferiority complex driven disdain of us comes from.
roads are dumb
use blimps
I totally agree with you. once the oil in that region is gone no one will give a rats ass about the arab nations anymore. and the middle east (Except Israel) will become a a third worl nation just like Africa.
By the time their oil will run out, they will own half of this country – what do you think they are doing with all that money they make – other half will be owned by China ….
It’s OK, mike — you probably don’t know anything about mathematics or astronomy either.
It’s not just the money they are worried about. It’s power too. If oil alternatives start taking hold the power that OPEC has had over the world will weaken.
Okay, so Arabs made quite a few contributions to mathematics during the 10th through 14th centuries. What does that have to do with my statement?
UNTIL
the corps find something as cheap as oil is to manufactour, they WILL NOT change.
Oil crude is broken down into many products and sold 100 times for each barrel they order. From butane, to propane, to shingles on your home and gas. they make ALOT of maney on 1 barrel…
Another stat for ALL of you is that 60% of US oil comes from Canada, then venisula, brazil, mexico, off shore drilling…VERY LITTLE comes from OPEC.
US corps justify the price of gas,
“If you wont pay THIS amount, we will ship it over seas and GET MORE and YOU wont get any.”
Dare I say it but if we become energy efficient, not only do the countries of the middle east become instant third world cesspools, but does not Islam becomes instantly irrelevant?
I least we can bomb the crap out of them when they act like two year olds and allow them to feel stoneage pain.
Come on Eideard…..couldn’t find any pictures of Clinton and Gore kissing Saudi ass? How about Eisienhower, Kennedy, Johnson and Nixon, Carter, Ford, Reagan????
Please, they ALL kissed Saudi ass….not just the Bush boys.
I don’t know what they are whining about.
The world will dilligently burn every ounce of fossil fuel that can be extracted from the earth until it is all gone. And remember that there is a finite supply of fossil fuels. They may find a few more major deposites here and there, but we will run out in the somewhat distant future.
Unless we find a way to make electricity cheaply enough to make hydrogen from water, world society is going to crumble.
Don
Of course those Sheiks, rattling around in their robes are bugged about renewable, alternative energy. (Get It? Sheik Rattle and Robe!)
Without their oil, they would just be goat herders, living in a place that is hotter than Hades!
The arabs were outstanding scholars centuries ago, then the Christians came and as usual, screwed things up with the excuse of liberating Jerusalem but in reality they were broke and needed an excuse of a war to distract the populace.
Sounds familiar?
Oh please Angel…the Crusades were a pimple on the ass of an elephant to the Muslims at the time.
What screwed up Muslim society was Muslim society.
All great cultures, empires, societies eventually go stagnat. What we see today of the Muslim world is the results of 600 years of infighting, power grabs, and a major loss of will by a people. The colonial period was the last straw on an already overburdened camel.
Just look at western society today…..the comparison is to close to be just a coincidence. We (especially the U.S.) are probably seeing the bottom of the hill not the top as a culture and force in the world. We have lost the will as a people to make things happen for the better and we tolerate mediocrity and close our eyes to the frittering away of the liberties that helped make us the what we are/were.