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Future of the oil industry?

SND

Diamond
Joined
Jan 12, 2003
Location
Canada
Some of us here who make stuff for a living have a few eggs in that basket. Is it time to diversify? is it too late to learn to program?
Canada's far left gov is doing a pretty good job so far of crippling and killing that sector, with an apparent hope to Nationalize it in due time.
I really hope for another 4 good years so long as the rest of the world keeps moving forward even if Canada isn't, but we'll see.

Getting lots of mixed messages eh.

 
Some of us here who make stuff for a living have a few eggs in that basket. Is it time to diversify? is it too late to learn to program?
Canada's far left gov is doing a pretty good job so far of crippling and killing that sector, with an apparent hope to Nationalize it in due time.
I really hope for another 4 good years so long as the rest of the world keeps moving forward even if Canada isn't, but we'll see.

Getting lots of mixed messages eh.


The coming death of fossil fuels is greatly exaggerated. So many ways they are used that they will still be used and needed. Third world countries will be a huge market should extensive changes be made in green energy. Generating power and portability of fossil fuels will be a plus for poorer countries. The market will not be eliminated on that count nor even eliminated where green energy is implemented.

We are told many things about fracking for example. Not all of what one hears nor even most of it is acurite. Currently in the US should the green new deal be implemented cost of electricity will be much higher. Is it not obvious that peak oil has not been reached yet?

New tech follows a product cycle. There are tremendous reserves in the Gulf of Mexico. Too fracking is preferable to dependence upon foreign countries who do not like the United States. Our own oil filling our own needs brings us many benefits.

A lot are betting that the move to green energy will bring down the costs of it. That remains a hopeful theory. Not many options which are not variable energy sources like wind and solar. The costs alone are not sustainable as they are in the trillions and trillions. No clear breakthrough technology has yet arrived. Improved yes breakthrough not so much.

Just my feelings on the subject as things move on change is something we will all see.
 
Most politicians are over educated illiterates. They do not understand basic physics and chemistry. They base their efforts on ideals and voices of other illiterates based on emotions without exercising common sense. The public in general is not stupid. They know what works and what doesn't. They also know what a good deal is, especially if it saves money. No cajoling or advertising is required. It is automatic. Yet governments world-wide are under the impression that they can legislate technical progress. Governments have a 100% record of failure in these efforts. If a government says something is a good deal, you should avoid it like the plague. Energy policy is no different. Oil will always remain supreme and remain so until something else becomes available with at least the same energy density and cost. Everything else is pie in the sky. I think renewables may have their place in the future, but it is not now. If we are lucky, we might see battery technology approach that of oil, but it won't be in our lifetime. (even if you are very young)
 
I've been hearing that the US electric grid is at risk and needs major upgrade just to reliably handle current need for years, decades. If it is used to replace the demand filled now by fossil fuels, how do we not have a disaster? Just the coming mandated addition of EVs alone should bring it to it's knees, right?
 
I'm a huge fan of reducing our reliance on fossil fuels. The more we can do to lessen the burning of them, the better.

That said, the oil industry isn't going anywhere any time soon, even in a perfect world. Crude oil is made into far too many products, in general, to just stop pumping. It's just stumping talk to say otherwise. It's a negotiation thing, maybe, in politics. Ask for 10,000 when all you want/need is 500. Then when they "compromise" at 1,000, everyone thinks they're winning.
 
Most politicians are over educated illiterates. They do not understand basic physics and chemistry. They base their efforts on ideals and voices of other illiterates based on emotions without exercising common sense. The public in general is not stupid. They know what works and what doesn't. They also know what a good deal is, especially if it saves money. No cajoling or advertising is required. It is automatic. Yet governments world-wide are under the impression that they can legislate technical progress. Governments have a 100% record of failure in these efforts. If a government says something is a good deal, you should avoid it like the plague. Energy policy is no different. Oil will always remain supreme and remain so until something else becomes available with at least the same energy density and cost. Everything else is pie in the sky. I think renewables may have their place in the future, but it is not now. If we are lucky, we might see battery technology approach that of oil, but it won't be in our lifetime. (even if you are very young)

The only thing that could replace oil is nuclear power. With cheap abundant electricity we could have all-electric homes, cars, and even much of our heavy transport. That's clearly not going to happen because of political opposition.

Oil won't be dead if the "greens" have their way. It will just be sourced overseas and we will once again become energy dependent, making us vulnerable to political blackmail. They absolutely intend to kill the domestic oil industry, just as they intend to kill other sectors including most mom and pop small businesses. That latter goal has already been partly accomplished by the lockdowns.

For a glimpse of the future look at Newton Massachusetts where a buddy lives. The current mayor campaigned partly on replacing all city vehicles with electrics. Now inspectors and supervisors drive around in small electrics but all the trucks, loaders, street sweepers etc. are still IC-engined and likely always will be. They erected "solar" car charging stations. The electricity produced is sold to the utility and the high current power feeds to the chargers are from the grid.

Like everything else the greens do it's mostly smoke and mirrors.
 
If magically electricity became free how long would it take to change over everything that uses oil and gas?
20-30-80-100 years?
The bigger worry in oil work is as has always been, selling price.
I know nothing about Canada but a bit about Houston's up and downs over the last 30 years.
We put a carbide shop there (Humble) during a boom as a attempt to diversify from auto... and then.....sad to say the least. I did really like being down there.
Oil is boom and bust.
All the new talk is talk and dreams. I think you and I will be long gone before oil and gas goes away.
A person I know went all after tooling for windmills and such. This the future and government money on the way in.
Went bankrupt in a short time and last I heard was selling used cars in Florida.
Bob
 
The only thing that could replace oil is nuclear power. With cheap abundant electricity we could have all-electric homes, cars, and even much of our heavy transport. That's clearly not going to happen because of political opposition.

Oil won't be dead if the "greens" have their way. It will just be sourced overseas and we will once again become energy dependent, making us vulnerable to political blackmail. They absolutely intend to kill the domestic oil industry, just as they intend to kill other sectors including most mom and pop small businesses. That latter goal has already been partly accomplished by the lockdowns.

For a glimpse of the future look at Newton Massachusetts where a buddy lives. The current mayor campaigned partly on replacing all city vehicles with electrics. Now inspectors and supervisors drive around in small electrics but all the trucks, loaders, street sweepers etc. are still IC-engined and likely always will be. They erected "solar" car charging stations. The electricity produced is sold to the utility and the high current power feeds to the chargers are from the grid.

Like everything else the greens do it's mostly smoke and mirrors.

We don't make electricity with oil

yeah, free nuclear power, we heard that before
 
So how does one deploy a army to a war zone? Use a long extension chord? Perhaps pocket fusion plants. How long to charge your MRAP, Bradley, or Abraham’s tank? Do both sides pause for tea and recharging?

Portability of fossil fuels is highly convenient. Many say that fracking is so terrible.

Of Course Fracking Is Safe, Stanford Prof Says

Most persons who move from California all are sure that green is best. They are not from a major oil producing state and so there is bias commonly. Remember Enron and the scam of high electricity costs for California? Clean burning gas is a very high return way to generate power and yet many want to use variable forms of green energy. When power is needed in a factory no one wants to wait for the sun to come out or for the wind to blow.

This gets plain counter productive a lot. I find alternative energy fascinating and when even variable forms of energy become a good ROI then no one will have to put a gun to a buyers head to get it. Poising government to do this is a big mistake and even if Democrats take over there likely will be a reversal of what is done whenever the Repubs take over again. We know it is back and forth.
 
We don't make electricity with oil

yeah, free nuclear power, we heard that before

Reading issues?

I never said either of those things. The point of my post was that to replace most fuel-burning uses with electric would require a massive amount of electric generation that was available 24/7 in all weather including hurricanes. Only nuclear could fill that bill, and I didn't say "free" but "cheap", which is what nuclear could have been without all the expensive court battles.

With abundant zero carbon electricity some inefficiencies during the changeover would be tolerable, such as swapping out electric heaters for burners in residential heating systems.

That was supposed to be the future, as seen back in the 70s when new houses were built with electric baseboards and many other things were expected to go fully electric. Antinuclear sentiment and the oil shock of the embargo killed it.
 
Reading issues?

I never said either of those things. The point of my post was that to replace most fuel-burning uses with electric would require a massive amount of electric generation that was available 24/7 in all weather including hurricanes. Only nuclear could fill that bill, and I didn't say "free" but "cheap", which is what nuclear could have been without all the expensive court battles.

With abundant zero carbon electricity some inefficiencies during the changeover would be tolerable, such as swapping out electric heaters for burners in residential heating systems.

That was supposed to be the future, as seen back in the 70s when new houses were built with electric baseboards and many other things were expected to go fully electric. Antinuclear sentiment and the oil shock of the embargo killed it.

The question was asked about oil, you responded about nukes, so yeah, you kinda did say that





Windmills and solar panels do not create uninhabitable wastelands when they go wrong


And they do not create a waste stream that remains dangerous for thousands of years


Back on topic

About the dumbest thing you can do with a barrel of oil is burn it

There will be an oil industry for the foreseeable future, and when we quit burning it at commodity prices, it might become more profitable
 
The burning of fossil fuels will and needs to go away. It's going to happen, but over many decades or more, not next week or next year. It will happen so slowly you probably won't notice the shift in jobs. Actually, it will happen so slowly you won't notice because you won't be here.
 
The burning of fossil fuels will and needs to go away. It's going to happen, but over many decades or more, not next week or next year. It will happen so slowly you probably won't notice the shift in jobs. Actually, it will happen so slowly you won't notice because you won't be here.

Bet "fossil" fuels will still be in use for some things a century from now. The amount of energy they pack is hard to replace.
 
We don't make electricity with oil

yeah, free nuclear power, we heard that before

Obviously you didn't read my link. :rolleyes5:

Natural gas is currently the largest source of energy. End fracking and...........whoosh!! You are literally over the barrel.

And I agree, oil/gas will keep being used less and less but we will never completely stop burning it for fuel (re. TT's remarks about charging army tanks).

If you think we can "go green" in a few years, I want whatever you're smoking! :nutter:


Looks like we've got a looooooong ways to go......Electricity in the U.S. - U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA)

Nice try, politicians. May they continue to live in their fantasy world surrounded by solar panels and EVs while the rest of us keep on being practical.
 
The greatest propaganda success the KGB ever had was the fear campaign against nuclear power in the 60s and 70s......Weak ,greedy politicians all know that nuclear energy is the answer ,but its so politically damaging to even mention the word ,they deny all knowledge of the nuclear future.
 
California had one of the worlds largest oil fiield discovered around 1900. Still producing today but slowing down. The refineries designed for this type of oil are not going to be replaced. They should be, to old, but they will do repairs until the oil is gone then build new and better ones designed for a different source of imported oils. Californian is injecting steam, hot water, soap to get out the last of the oil today.
Bil lD

Does Beverly Hills High still have an oil well?

on edit.

Beverly Hills Oil Field - Wikipedia

Midway-Sunset Oil Field - Wikipedia
 








 
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