Rumors of Peak Oil Begin To Surface

According to Matthew Good, realiable resources are suggesting that the oil production in Kuwaits' largest oil field has reached peak production, and is showing signs of decline.

If you don't know what the implications of Peak Oil, you might want to visit this site first.

The volume of extractable oil left in the world is up to speculation. Many people believe there is 100 years of extracable oil left in the ground; others think it's somewhere between 40 and 50 years. Even others believe there is even less.

When you consider the volume of extracable oil left in the world, you must consider an exploding population, a developing world, and a thirst for oil that gets hungrier by every passing day. China is quickly becoming the world's second largest importer of oil. With some 1.4 billion people within the country's borders -- a country with an exploding economy, it will put pressures on other oil-importing countries.

I am of the opinion that a more realistic figure would be that we have about 30 years of extracable oil left in the world.

There is only one way we can lessen the blow, and prolong the consumption of oil, and it's a longshot. Not enough is being done to research alternative energy resources, and I fear that it's already too late. Environmentalists have been screaming since the 1960's to do something about the consumption of natural resources, especially a resource that is as precious (and filthy) as oil.

The burning of fossil fuels is the #1 contributor of greenhouse gases; carbon dioxide is a chemical byproduct of fossil fuel combustion.

Automobile manufacturers have been proactive in the research and development of cleaner combustion engines, most recently adding fuel-cell technology to select models. But there is a major flaw: all the vehicles they currently manufacture are still reliant on fossil fuels; they just use the fuel more sparingly.

We are still consuming more fossil fuel per capita today than ever before for many reasons. In the 60's and 70's, families generally owned one vehicle. Nowdays, most families have three or more vehicles. Even though our vehicles are more efficient today, we are still burning more fuel, since there are more running vehicles on the road. In addition, automobiles only count for about 25-30% of all fossil fuel consumption. The major problem are factories and power plants. Factor in a developing world, and an exploding population, and you can see why they are calling it an "oil crash".

I have a nagging suspicion that automoile manufacturers won't wake up and smell the roses until it's far too late. We don't have a choice; it's not the fact that we, as consumers want a cleaner alternative. The fact is, that we don't have a choice -- it's the same fact that we shell out more dollars to fill our empty gas tanks, because we don't have a choice. If I could put water, discounted ethanol, methanol, even toxic waste into my vehicle, and have it run -- and if it were cheaper than gasoline, I would. But that dream is yet to be realized.

We, as consumers, pay an arm and a leg for fuel because the dynamics of our culture demand it. So the oil industry and automobile manufacturers will continue to gouge us because they are maximizing their profits. It will only be when we are broke, and cannot afford to put fuel in our vehicles that they will begin to sing a new tune. Believe me, the one thing that us North Americans love more than our guns, is our cars. And they won't be able to pry the keys away from our cold, dead hands.