Is "peak oil" for real? (warning, link not safe for design-conscious eyes) I don't know, but I've been scouring for information about it for the last whatnot months. Mostly to avoid doing work, but also because I've noticed 'lil signs and hints of it popping up more frequently lately.
Are the powers-that-be desensitising us in to the petroleumless reality of the not-to-distant future? Like they are doing with the aliens? Oops. Did I type that out loud? Anyway, here's the latest I've seen in the medias about (peak) oil...
Gotta be worth a thought at least, with oil prices hitting record highs and blah blah blah...This one reckons "The oil cartel has set an unofficial target of 55 days of oil inventories in industrialised nations. Analysts estimate current stockpiles are around 52 days." I think that means if they stopped producing oil right now, there would be 52 - 55 days of oil still stockpiled. Interesting hey. We'll have to keep an eye on that one and see if it changes at all. Time to go to the library to look for historical data on this one.
Oil exploration aims to meet energy shortages - There are heaps of articles around like this at the moment. "Oil prices are so high, because demand is greater than supply". And though I'm no economist, I'm pretty sure that thats supposed to be bad.
"Currently, the organisation is producing around 29.5 million barrels per day (bpd), which has ensured that demand is fully met, and global crude oil stocks continue to build," Sheikh Ahmad said. But c'mon, thats Opec's president Sheikh Ahmad al-Fahd al-Sabah. Seems like Opec might have vested interest. Oil prices did dip after he said it, so people smarter than me believe him I guess.
What’s happening to oil prices? - This article is beautiful. But boring. I'm sure it would alleviate all my concerns, but it's just too long for this time of night. Though a highlighted bullet point does say "The tightness in supply position is expected to continue in 2005" and isn't appended with ", but don't worry, it'll be cool in 2006"
There is some big ol' meeting coming up with the Opec bunch on the 16th. Hopefully I'll be all studied up on oil by then. There's just so much out there about it. Luckily I've watched this informative documentary from archive.org, and am well on my way.
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Just got back from Bangalore, man, they are kings of two-wheelers (and three-wheelers). We could learn some oily lessons from the Indians, at the traffic lights (when they stop for them that is) they all turn off their engines to conserve petrol (it’s pricey for them) one rick (that’s cool for rickshaw) driver yelled (over the beeping horns) that Bangalore has the highest number of two-wheelers on the road in the world, which I am skeptical about, but still it certainly is awe-inspiring. They even have whole families of four perched happily on mopeds! Plus so many single gear (didn’t see one geared bike, though bizarrely a couple of mtbs with sickre suspension, and no gears!!!) old-school Imperial bicycles, over there they are a tool of the trade (rather than an excuse to wear bicycle shorts) and I saw a guy with 14 foot steel guttering strapped to his cycle, going pretty quick! Yes they can teach us about conserving oil, but we could teach them about preventing pollution…
I’m really impressed!