[Culturechat] What does Jim Kunstler know--that most Americans don't know?

Thu, 23 Dec 2004 23:34:37 EST

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In a message dated 12/23/2004 7:59:18 PM Central Standard Time, bob@gemut.com 
writes:

> I truly wish my state, Oregon,

Hi Bob.

You might truly wish that your state had some crude oil reserves. The geology 
is not favorable onshore, and I suspect its citizens wouldn't like the idea 
of offshore drilling even if your coastal waters were prospective.  (Shell did 
drill some wildcat wells off Oregon in the 1960s.) 

Only 382 wells of any sort have been drilled in Oregon, and 332 were dry 
holes.  The remainder produced a small amount of natural gas -- but it peaked in 
1980 according to the IPAA (Independent Petroleum Association of America -- an 
industry group that our fellow Culturechatter WesTexas probably is a member 
of), so don't doubt the message of "Peak Oil"!  About the only crude oil in 
Oregon is what was in the oily rags from the Exxon-Valdez beach cleanup that were 
transported to Oregon for burial in a landfill -- and asinine idea, imho.

I further suspect its citizens aren't in favor of nuclear power -- at least 
not in their backyard.  Oregonians are lucky from a geographic sense in that 
almost 75% of their electricity comes from hydroelectric power.  You do have a 
trivial amount of coal (0.035% of the USA's 500,000 million tons of proven 
reserves), but if it weren't for your water power Oregonans would be dependent 
upon the rest of the states or the rest of the world for their energy supply 
(e.g., to turn your abundant sea water into the hydrogen that might be the 
"different power source" for your automobiles).

The point that Kunstler makes not very diplomatically -- and that WesTexas is 
trying to awaken this net about -- is that the era of low cost energy is 
about gone.  Higher energy costs will adversely impact every sector of our lives, 
including travel and eating.  We need to emulate Europe in low per-capita 
energy consumption to the extent our politicians will let us.

I suspect Jim Kunstler's hearse indeed will be powered by gasoline as you 
predict, but not $1.66/gal gasoline.  

Happy Holidays.

Irv Smith (a retired petroleum engineer)
Missouri City, TX

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<HTML><HTML>In a message dated 12/23/2004=20=
7:59:18 PM Central Standard Time, bob@gemut.com writes: 
 
<BLOCKQUOTE TYPE=3DCITE style=3D"BORDER-LEFT: #0000ff 2px solid; MARGIN-LEFT=
: 5px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px">I truly wish my state, Oregon,=
</BLOCKQUOTE> 
 
Hi Bob. 
 
You might truly wish that your state had some crude oil reserves. The geolog=
y is not favorable onshore, and I suspect its citizens wouldn't like the ide=
a of offshore drilling even if your coastal waters were prospective.&nbsp; (=
Shell did drill some wildcat wells off Oregon in the 1960s.) 
 
Only 382 wells of any sort have been drilled in Oregon, and 332 were dry hol=
es.&nbsp; The remainder produced a small amount of natural gas -- but it pea=
ked in 1980 according to the IPAA (Independent Petroleum Association of Amer=
ica -- an industry group that our fellow Culturechatter WesTexas probably is=
 a member of), so don't doubt the message of "Peak Oil"!&nbsp; About the onl=
y crude oil in Oregon is what was in the oily rags from the Exxon-Valdez bea=
ch cleanup that were transported to Oregon for burial in a landfill -- and a=
sinine idea, imho. 
 
I further suspect its citizens aren't in favor of nuclear power -- at least=20=
not in their backyard.&nbsp; Oregonians are lucky from a geographic sense in=
 that almost 75% of their electricity comes from hydroelectric power.&nbsp;=20=
You do have a trivial amount of coal (0.035% of the USA's 500,000 million to=
ns of proven reserves), but if it weren't for your water power Oregonans wou=
ld be dependent upon the rest of the states or the rest of the world for the=
ir energy supply (e.g., to turn your abundant sea water into the hydrogen th=
at might be the "different power source" for your automobiles). 
 
The point that Kunstler makes not very diplomatically -- and that WesTexas i=
s trying to awaken this net about -- is that the era of low cost energy is a=
bout gone.&nbsp; Higher energy costs will adversely impact every sector of o=
ur lives, including travel and eating.&nbsp; We need to emulate Europe in lo=
w per-capita energy consumption to the extent our politicians will let us.<B=
R>
 
I suspect Jim Kunstler's hearse indeed will be powered by gasoline as you pr=
edict, but not $1.66/gal gasoline.&nbsp; 
 
Happy Holidays. 
 
Irv Smith (a retired petroleum engineer) 
Missouri City, TX</HTML>

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