Peak Oil Emergency is NOW?!

[ramirezhilde]

Thanks for the information

[silver4883]

THE USA HAS HIT PEAK OIL BUT ALSO PEAK CONSUMPTION OF OIL/ THE OIL CONSUMPTION IN US IS IN DECLINE. US NOW USES 1 MILLION BARRELS LESS IN 2010 THAN 2008

[silver4883]

BUY THE GM VOLT OR NISSAN LEAF ELECTRIC CARS

[Vulcan750L]

Russia does not need to import oil. They produce a lot more than they use. They are the largest oil producer in the world, even more than Saudi Arabia. Peak oil in Russia would just mean they have less to export. But they have more than enough for themselves and their economy. They use just a fraction of what the US uses and even less back then.

Peak Oil is not the reason Russia collapsed, economically, or otherwise. The causes were many but Peak Oil wasn't one of them.

[Vulcan750L]

You forgot to mention heavy oil. Oil that is economically impractical at current and previous price levels but will be economically feasible as the price of oil increases.

The "empty" oil wells are actually still about 3/4 full of this heavy dirty oil.

And what about the massive amounts of oil sands in Canada and the massive amounts of shale oil in the United States? That's enough to last us for more than another 200 years when combined with heavy oil and other sources.

[AlternateArtisan]

@Vulcan750L but do you want to pay $300 a barral? theres a reason why they're not using the stuff, it's because it's too expensive to process. Sure, hydrocarbons will never 'run out' so we will always have enough to make the essensials, such as pharmacuiticals and polymers, but expect all that to become very expensive in the future.

[Vulcan750L]

@AlternateArtisan

No, the reason is liberals, democrats, and environmentalists.

Whether or not we are paying $300/barrel or not is irrelevant. The point is, peak oil is a myth.

Oil from shale, tar sands, and heavy oil is already being added to the world's oil supply. Other countries have been developing them for decades, even before the price of oil went above $50/barrel.  We could economically develop these resources as long oil remains above $40/barrel.

[AlternateArtisan]

@Vulcan750L peak oil implies that easy, readily available oil is running out. As far as heavy oils and tar sands are concerned, keep in mind that the costs associated with refining them into everyday petrol is several times greater than refining typical crude. That cost is going to pass right off onto the consumer. It's all a case of energy investment. even with improved technology, you're still going to have to deal with the fact the stuff is hard as hell to process.

[Vulcan750L]

@AlternateArtisan

"Peak Oil" theory isn't just about us running out of oil. Everyone knows that will happen eventually. "Peak Oil" myth is that it will happen soon and that the shit will hit the fan because of it. This will not happen.

Unconventional oils are not that expensive and not that difficult. Nuclear power plants are expensive and difficult. And "cheap" oil is no longer cheap. Unconventional oil are now economically viable and being added to the world oil supply every day.

[Vulcan750L]

@AlternateArtisan

If we are paying $300/barrel, then it is due to an artificial shortage created by the US unwilling to develop it's own vast oil resources. The US has enough oil to last for another 200 years without importing a single drop.

As the price of oil increases, more and more unconventional oil will enter the market putting off peak oil for another 100 yrs or more. But as our green technology advances, our demand for oil will soon be in decline, staving off peak oil indefinitely.

[AlternateArtisan]

@Vulcan750L Also, peak oil Is the only reason why green tech and alternative energy is being developed so I don't know what you're trying to argue here. To deny that something is happening Because it's happening kinda doesn't make logical sense.

[Vulcan750L]

@AlternateArtisan

Peak Oil will never happen because by the time peak oil REALLY happens over a hundred years from now, we will have long moved on to electric cars and alternatives, just as we have moved on from horses and steam locomotives.

[AlternateArtisan]

@Vulcan750L if peak oil is that far away. how do you explain the peaking of oil production in almost all countires across the world then?

[Vulcan750L]

@AlternateArtisan

Didn't we spend days going over that one already?

The reason for the peaking is artificial. It is not because we are running out of oil. We have a long ways to go before that happens.

The reason for the peaking you are referring to is because we are refusing to develop the vast quantities of Shale, Tar Sands, and Heavy Oil. Most of the oil in the US is untouched. Also, our "dry" wells are 3/4 full of oil.

Go to my channel and watch my playlist on Peak Oil Myth.

[AlternateArtisan]

@Vulcan750L if this artificial scarcity really is a corperate setup, then what stops foreign corperations from undercutting the conspirators? If free market capitalism still exists, all it takes is one of the big companies to drop out of the loop and start selling oil at 'reasonable prices' and wipe out all the conspiring companies. To assume the entire world's oil reserves are being controlled by a single unified entity is to assume 100% cooperation between all the major oil producers.

[Vulcan750L]

@AlternateArtisan

The price is determined by supply and demand. Undercutting? Sure they could do that, but why? Why not sell at the higher prices? Everyone wants to sell at maximum capacity at maximum prices, and that is what they are doing. What is the point of undercutting? To sell more oil? They are already at capacity.

I'm not saying that there is any conspiracy going on. The oil companies just don't have an incentive to start flooding the market with oil.

[Vulcan750L]

@AlternateArtisan

Oil companies see the current high prices as a temporary thing and they will just ride it out and enjoy the windfall profits. The prices will drop back down when the crises is over.

Like I said repeatedly, the shale and tar sands are off limits due to environmental regulations and protesters. These resources alone can provide us with 200 years worth of oil. Oil companies are also not allowed to drill in most places, like in Anwar and along the coast of CA, FL.

[Vulcan750L]

@AlternateArtisan

Other countries don't have the massive quantities of conventional and unconventional oils that we have. So for most of these countries, the peak is real. For the US, it is artificially induced. Although the remaining oil in our "dry" wells are being added, they are in no rush to pull it out. It is still cheaper to import the stuff. And the "shortage" isn't a bad thing for the oil companies. Their profit margins are going through the roof.

[AlternateArtisan]

@Vulcan750L the shortage is definately not helping the current financial situation though. The profits raked in by these companies are mostly in american dollars which if you noticed lately, is going down the toiltet fast partly thanks to excessive cost fuel.

[Vulcan750L]

@AlternateArtisan

Peak oil isn't the only reason green technologies are being developed. Solar panels and wind generators electric cars, bio fuels, nuclear fusion and fission were developed or being developed long ago before any talk of peak oil. The original cars were meant to run on bio fuels, not petroleum or gasoline.

My argument is Peak Oil is a popular myth.

[Zenome]

Want more oil? Squeeze them out of those fat ass consumers in America.

[haydenolga]

We live out in the country and we order oil for heat. We need oil basically to sustain certain energy. Autos is one. It gets you back and forth to a job. What did we do in the past? No one had oil. They had lots of candles. If you can sustain based on living on your own vegs & meats, then we will be ok. We just have to live somewhere that is not too cold and not too hot! That simple!

[WoodlandRavah]

"Abiotic oil conspiracy", "center of the Earth", Im certain the russians would disagree with you, they are drilling for oil at depths where there are no fossils or related materials and they just exceeded this past year Saudi Arabia's output. BTW this is no where near the center of the Earth. The only dificulties that exist are those we give to ourselves.

Give Al Gore and the UN ALL of your $ if you believe this, they'll help you kill yourself [LOLZ]

[yarco8000]

@WoodlandRavah I've got a plan. All the people who believe in abiotic oil get together and start your own oil company. You'll become the richest people on Earth and save the world from the energy crisis! Or maybe, you'll just find out it's a bullshit theory.

[WoodlandRavah]

@yarco8000

Mabey, but that depends entirely upon the Earth's ability to continue out gassing volatile organic compounds and having said compounds trapped in one way or another... Oh wait that's been happening for eons. Given constant pushes for better technology Im certain well having things well under control as long were not all "doom and gloom" about this or that running out, be flexible, there's energy in the Earth, water, air, and sun. Y'all are just propaganist paid drama queens!!!

[yarco8000]

@WoodlandRavah Hi, welcome to planet Earth.

[thetruth786110]

Lok at me.. the wolrd is going to end. haha! fuck u!

[TigerPantsRocks]

I read a book called Power Down about peak oil. Great book :)

[peterdayrl]

Good video, but I don't agree with you when you say people unprepared will have less children, I seems to me somethings that the more unprepared people are and the less they have the more determined they are to have children, this is deffinatly the case in the third world where they seem to be stepping up their efforts to have bigger families

[fleurdelaurier]

are algaes a good alternative???is it realistic to believe in algaes as an alternative???

is electricity another good alternative or not???what do you suggest???

is it possible to live in a world with crude oil and electricity in a close future???

thanks a lot

[finefilth]

this guys videos are great.. i do not agree with his opinion on peak oil though..

peak oil is a lie

[finefilth]

3% of this countries arable farmland would seeded with HEMP would produce more than enough bio fuel to end our dependence on petroleum.. this little plant has 25000 other uses as well that compete directly with the oil syndicate..

anyone see a pattern here?

thats right.... 3%!!!!!

[snakecharmer133]

You smoke hemp and are out of your mind?

[finefilth]

@snakecharmer133

you live in fantasy land.. go watch TV

[finefilth]

puke oil is a lie... oil as a fuel has been grossly obsolete for almost a century..... Maintaining enforcing and expanding this monopoly while simultaneously suppressing supply and alternatives is the pentagons real purpose.

a monopoly over the planets energy resources is POWER BEYOND BELEIF

[nakedshorter]

hey lorax2013, you say that the best argument against peak oil is human engenuity, which isn't an argument against peak oil anyways. How about this, coal to liquid. sasol already produces coal to liquid in south africa and it's working. 2 plants in china producte 160,000 barrels and a day and 28 more coal to liquid plants are planned on being built. Brazil runs entirely off sugar cane. Peak oil would be a slow process, electric cars, smaller cars, coal to liquid, biofuels, NG, all works

[nakedshorter]

And yes, I know that I spelled ingenuity wrong.

[cptnsmelly]

It's more than that. The economy is riding on oil production. Almost every product produced uses oil (transportation, in plastics, for power, etc.). Unfortunately the Oil companies would rather destroy the world than shift their business. Eventually oil will become insanely expensive. This will happen whenever Irving, Shell, etc. start drilling for unconventional oil. When this happens, you are forced to buy oil as it is an inelastic good. Oil companies also bribe governments and car companies..

[jimbobubbadj]

Brazil does not entirely run off of sugar cane. Combined with their domestic oil production, they are energy independent for the time being. Check out lifeaftertheoilcrashdotnet

[n0s1r]

I find it hilarious how he pretends to be all actual factual when in truth he makes a shitload of assumptions and unfounded claims.

I'll give an example.

"Those who aren't ingenious don't make enough money to have kids"

LOL WUT? From what I have gathered it seems to be people with the :LEAST resources that have the MOST kids.

"Those who weren't smart enough to plan ahead don't survive"

No... They just blow your brains out and TAKE your shit. So really, it's a toss up... Brains vs. Brawn.

[grandwizardofyourmom]

Just watch Chris Martenson's Crash Course or read the myriad of books on the topic. It's happening now.

[aslomski]

The biggest problem of this planet is that people don't care how much money they have before they have kids.

Peak Oil will kill bilions.

[cptnsmelly]

Very true. After we hit peak oil, we have to transition fully to renewable energy, and substitute other oils for the production of plastics etc. or we must drill for unconventional oil. Problem is, oil companies do not want to transition. Because oil is an inelastic good, just as cigarettes and alcohol (no matter what the price, people will still buy). Even as oil goes up, you have no choice but to buy to heat your home, etc. Oil companies bribe car companies to stop electric cars production too

[fleurdelaurier]

the truth is that there will be more wealthier people and more poor people,why???peak oil myth...because prices will increase and prices will remain the same;..

[fleurdelaurier]

peal oil is a myth...give me evidences...

[dreamthinker79]

Its a well proven thing..almost 100 countries have already peaked.

oil is a finite resource

try eating a bowl of cereal, and let me know if you run out of milk...its the same thing.

[fleurdelaurier]

there will be crude oil but the prices will be higher,here is the truth...another thing,maybe we are at the peak but there remain gases...methane...and the production increased again this year so why worry...Another thing,if USa was to decrease its consumption of crude oil,it would be a good thing///9 billions barrels usa consumes while 33 billions is produced...

[aslomski]

Do you really want to hear ? I doubt.

Use google

[TheSunzuki1]

It's just a matter of logic. If their is a finite amount of something, then at some point it will run out.

[fleurdelaurier]

why do you think there is a finite amount???give evidences...

[TheSunzuki1]

Because everything is finite. If you have a punch-bowl that everyone drinks from then sooner or later it will run out yes?

[okvideos5]

@TheSunzuki1 depends on how big the punch bowl is.

[AccuracyMarked]

Hi Lorax, I'm in your fan club but I disagree with your thoughts on "peak oil" as there's tons underground in the US but we are opting to use less expensive imported oil; while we cleverly save our own reserves. The world's oil supply is good for at least another 100 years. Rather, people should be observing "Peak Silver" as mining companies are running out of Ag to mine...20 years of Ag left. Silver will be a household name shortly. Story goes: "everyone saw it coming but few acted".

[dreamthinker79]

"peak oil" does not mean we are running out of oil, it means oil production is peaking, there are billions of barrels in the US, but its hard, and expensive to get to, its rate of production would not be able to keep up.

Demand is going up, supply is going down, I don't think "quick, lets suck it out of the sand" is gonna work

Instead of giving trillions to banks, and companies, why don't we just invest in america, and give every residence a $10K solar set up

[GalacticLove1]

I used to believe in the near term threat of Peak Oil.

But from the information I'm getting both online and from personal sources in the industry peak oil for the forseeable future is a farce.. it's no different then restricting the supply of diamonds to artificially inflate their value and thus create more control over the resource... which in turns creates more monetary control over countries like are based or influenced by petro-dollars.

[KiaOra53]

More thoughtful and well researched brilliance from Lorax. Thank you.

[trebor0500]

like many the current financial mess has drawn me to the mass of survival and awareness tips as offered by lorax2103.

However I'm sarting to have suspicions about the endless buy gold and silver tips its like some con waiting to unfold.

Also came across sites mentioning the bendini motor which actually powers itself by magnetism. Even kids are building them. Also some new process that turns rubbish and ckicken shit into diesel oil. Is oil irrelevant?

You tube link for bendini

8fR3vBB1Yn0

[trebor0500]

America is sitting on top of a super massive 200 billion barrel Oil Field that could potentially make America Energy Independent and until now has largely gone unnoticed.the Bakken Formation in North Dakota could boost Americas Oil reserves by an incredible 10 times In the next 30 days the USGS (U.S. Geological Survey) will release a new report

[InnocentByproduct]

We've known about the Bakken Shale Formation since the 1950's. But the oil trapped in those rocks requires we employ a method of extraction with an impossibly dismal ERoEI. Only a fool with no grasp of energy reality would go after that oil. Of the meager percentage (less than 7%) of the Bakken that IS recoverable, that portion requires massive inputs of both energy and FRESH WATER (in a region where water is scarce) to extract it. With current technology, working the Bakken is energy suicide.

[trebor0500]

OK thanks for this info.

I came accross mention of this field on a Bob walker you tube video interview. Did a google search and posted my comment.. On a google search now they are saying 3 to 4 billion barrels of technically recoverable oil.

If you know about it then you know more than me.

Regards

[trebor0500]

Ok I've been struggling trying to post the bob chapman link since didnt realise urls dont post into text comments.

anyway a search on you tube will find this link

cBSeMNHhkMs

well done on your great videos and lorax please look at this link and post a comment

thanks

[trebor0500]

on bob chapman radio interview 11feb 2009 he mentions oil field in north dakota containing potential 25 billion barrels enough to satisfy huge world and us demand.

What is this all about and why is there no mention of it?

[siecieh]

today's economy/industry may be based on oil, but I don't agree that there's a lack of energy. It means that after 100 years on oil everything will die with it? we have sun, water, wind, ground (geothermal)...... .. . .. ...

[faolitaruna]

Sure, but we need petroleum to make any kind of power plant, especially sunlight power plant and we don't building them till now.

[mephistopheles93]

As for the argument against peak oil, I am not a geologist, but my understanding is that the Russians are finding massive amounts of oil with deep drilling. The depths they are finding it at alone raise questions about our currently accepted theories on how petroleum is formed. There is also evidence that many oil fields are actually replenishing themselves by some as of yet inexplicable process. Inexplicable at least according to prevailing theories, and that's all they are..."theories".

[mephistopheles93]

Is it really peak oil driving pices up, or the fact that China and India are rapidly industrializing, but the petroleum infrastructure was nelected for years due to the low price of oil? Oil is just a control mechanism by the powers that be (one of many). There's not a doubt in my mind that our rulers have suppressed technology that would make petroleum obsolete. Just google hydrogen power, "alcohol can be a gas", zero point energy etc...

[picapin]

shut up faggot!

go to school and educate yourself first. You don't even know what you're talking about!

[jsphbjmn]

Forget oil, focus on population!

[FatLibertarian]

There was never a shortage of supply, even when Oil was at 170 a barrel. The same thing that ran up the derivatives market, speculating, drove up the price of oil. The market crashed, they pulled their money out of oil and now oil is back down. The bubble popped and now Oil is back down to where it should be. Oil never needed to be so high. It's currently too low, but that will reset.

[aiyic]

The point of this clip is not so much the price of oil, but how much is left.

[killerbear350Z]

I believe we still have enough oil for the next 200 year!

[aiyic]

Hey man, I saw that too. It's so simple! Btw, someone marked your post as spam.

[johngooogle]

Thanks man. Likely someone/another illiterate on the tube..Lol ;-)

[faolitaruna]

For another 200 years of rising production?

[JustLiveITtv]

Look up Lindsey Williams - The Energy Non-Crisis

[aiyic]

NO man, look up Prof. Albert Bartlett.

That lindsey guy is a fake. He isn't independent either. Seriously, watch the lecture by Prof, Bartlett.

[MyZenSide]

Would it be possible to make another video / post links about factors supporting current PEAK Oil vs opportunity cost. I can understand things like recycling, sustainable alternatives, etc driving demand down but it doesn't seem to me like petrochemical products (platics) are dissapearing soon or significantly. Plastics are everywhere! Think about far less glass bottles and paper bags than 10 years ago. People can't seem to live without built-for-scrap-Made-in-China-­dollar-store stuff.

[Pictor100]

Very cogent analysis of the problem facing us.

[Raven72563]

Do you drive a car that runs oil?

[humynism]

I disagree to a certain extent. All major decisions are made on an emotional level. Every society that has fallen through the ages has fallen as a result of decadence. Dependence on oil is decadence. That is a given. However, work ethic in America has fallen substantially, largely due to the technical advances we have provided our successors, "the microwave generation". They've got to step to the plate and invent new energy systems.

[xx1Alex1xx]

I find it pretty interesting on how you ca;; the global oil conspiracy(Oil Companys are only selling abit of an oil at a time to maximize profit) a faith based ideal. And that's really what it is, a blind belief, a scapegoat. Sort of life an religion, scapegoats to our realities. Sooner or later though, we will have to deal with the realities, or like you said in your other videos, the most intelligent will survive. Not exactly the most faith basedOnes.TheOnesThatIncorpora­teRealLogicIntoTheWorld

[mtygdlp1983]

I think we need faith for everything we choose to do. For example, those people who are smart and can manage to live in crises must have faith in what they choose to do. They must have faith in themselves. This screwed system is still running because people have faith in it. This faith has been passed down from generations. It's true that people should not have blind faith but they must have faith in something or someone that makes sense.

[mooseythejuiceman]

I wish you were my next door neighbor. I really enjoy (and benefit from!) hearing you discuss practically anything.

[yardsnacker]

Focus on the solution rather than problem and you win everytime. We don't need to worry about oil we need to be joyful about the next great earth saving transportation technology and put our energy towards that.

[MrAshleyspeaks]

i heard arab oil production was slowed down to increase scarcity & rase prices. i don't think we'll run out of oil in 50 years- just guessing though. in regards to the credit crunch i don't see how oil is in that.

[Valtag67]

I think you have dismissed abiogenic theory a little too quickly. The thought that extreme amounts of bio mass subsided so quickly is a hard one to swallow. This coupled with the fact that no place on earth can this be observed makes me doubtful that conventional theory is standing on such high ground.

Also mixing it up with a conspiracy theory to discredit it seems a little below you. Few papers about abiogenic oil state that is does not exist, just that its not a significant source.

[Teller3448]

The lastest 60 minutes article reveals that the price of oil would be even cheaper than it is now if it wasnt for 60-70% of oil futures traders who are purely speculative...who do not take delivery.

watch?v=NC-JC_u0ENQ

The price of oil could be kept low for many years simply by having a law requiring ALL oil futures traders to take delivery.

[wizkid2000]

I cant believe how miss informed you are on this subject. Flat oil production is by design as is our economic collapse. Do you not understand that the ability to control the worlds energy supply is a way to control the world? This is why free energy devices are suppressed.

[smolkasinferno]

So, what is the problem Icbadar? If oil is dirt cheap, there is no peak. No problem. If it is expensive, I am not talking about the alcohol you buy at the liquor store. You make it yourself. Plenty of used oil and garbage around. BTW, The wild swings in price of the oil market last year does show how it has been engineered to control. Look at how it brought the Soviet Union to its knees.

[lcbaudar]

Well the peak oil that was just beginning to hit main stream last summer went on the back burner to Madoff and every other banking fiasco. I think it will become a major topic again after the Cantarell field is closed. 3 years left and a 30 % resulting loss of import to the US. A couple shortages and people will snap back to '73 faster than you can say "I told you so".

[SOCRATES012]

Can you please explain why price of petrol in uk is at its lowest since 2007?

[smolkasinferno]

Peak oil is a myth. Scarcity is the fear mongers tool. Fear is a form of negative manifestation. That being said here are still alternatives, but those in power prefer to keep those alternatives from working. Alcohol can be a gas. Biofuel does not take away from food supplies. Again the scarcity myth. We have the technology, we just not have been allowed to be aware of our choices. Piece it together Lorax. When I hear some of the things you say, you are on the road, but you haven't arrived yet

[lcbaudar]

@ Smolk. Oil is dirt cheap by most standards. How much is a gallon on Alcohol? Go to your local grocery store and find an alternative cheaper to Gasoline. Better yet find something that replaces a well producing 25 to 1 (25 barrels of crude return for 1 barrel of crude invested to dig it up). You barely get a 2 to 1 with the shales of Canada. You barely get a 2 to 1 with E85. Go to your local book store and read up on it. The conspiracy is that we are all being "Held down" by "the man" not peak.

[MyZenSide]

I'm sure there would be viable competition if R&D supporting alternatives, in honest competition, had had all the money Big Oil got over the years. One has to marvel at their business model for bringing it to start to finish, at a profit when compared to bottled water (which costs more per gallon where I live than gas), a resource that is essentially free and abundant, relatively speaking.

[lcbaudar]

Ha! Bottled water, a marvel that parallels the frappacino. You can filter water with sand for pete's sake! But I think we are missing the point on oil. The free market concepts goes for the easier product to dig up that maximizes profit. You can't replace the profit margin on a rig compared to harnessing wind or wave or farming algae. How do I know? Because the free market hasn't replaced it! There's this idea that Big Oil will just move on to the next source. But we never created oil to start.

[Valtag67]

here here!!

[valhala56]

Nothing except for Nuclear energy is a as energy dense as oil we use for liquid fuels. Yes if the R&D had started 10 years ago we might have some alternatives but nothing will ever replace Oil.

We won the energy lottery when we began using it and just like a spendthift we have gone throug most of it as if it were inexhaustible.

[yardsnacker]

+1 .. ..

[rseveran]

I agree that peak oil is a significant issue.

However, this current crisis does, in fact, have monetary causes. Numerous people with an understanding of economics (and the Fed) saw the bursting of the housing/financial bubble coming (Ron Paul, Jim Rogers, Peter Schiff, Marc Faber, Bill Fleckenstein).

You now seem to largely contradict your own analysis of the crisis from your vid "The Coming Economic Collapse," which I found quite credible.

[rseveran]

All of the analysts I mentioned are also predicting a US dollar crash soon. This may look like peak oil. But using that mindset, there will be peak gold at the same time.

Indeed, many used the recently exploding price of oil to justify peak oil theory. Freqently, this view ignores the value of the US Dollar, which has been deteoriating rapidly in the last few years. IMO, much of the recent price action was not due to oil's fundamentals, but a problem of the monetary system itself.

[lorax2013]

I agree that particulary bad overleverage in the housing market was also a big factor in the economic downturn well as some other issues. I felt bad for glossing over that, but the video was already done and as you mention, I noted other factors in a previous video. Sorry, I'm trying to spend less time editing, but anyway I agree with you - my mistake :)

[Valtag67]

Another great video

Oil consumption will peak at some point after oil supplies peaks and the two will follow hand in hand as the oil ran out. During these many years alternatives will become cheaper then oil as an energy source and they will take over naturally. If there is an argument to make it is that production is peaking, and production is controlled by a very few men.

[MyZenSide]

Well said. Current alternatives are fighting giants that have decades in the making.

[devilmirror1]

You have a good point. But, why the gas price now is so low at about $1.70 per gallon?

Is this price manipulation? If so, for what reasons?

[jareylopez]

It is no price manipulation. It is a huge reduction of demand due to the financial crisis, what has created this paradoxical effect. But soon prices will increase. it migth take 6 months or 2 years, but prices will be higher than ever, and probably this pattern is goig to repeat for few decades. Huge price increments will produce catastrophic destructions of demand what will reduce prices significantly.

After few decades... everybody will be Amish.

(Sorry for my English)

[Valtag67]

There are three peaks to look at, available supply, production and consumption. The price is controlled by limiting the amount of production. There is plenty of available supply to pump for lots of years. But governments are lobbied to prevent further exploration and know oil fields lay untapped. So the control of production lies in the hand of a very few people. A peak in oil production is a solvable problem the peak in oil supply is a ways off and not the cause of current high prices.

[Tiikuri]

We are going to run out of oil eventually. The effect of that will be that we are going to be up to our necks in trouble. Most aspects of our modern day living are dependent on oil (and other fossil fuels).

We can't sustain the current standard of living in western countries unless we have same amount of energy per capita in the future.

So the question is: Where do we get our energy from in the future?

[joshrain1]

don't bother about it. live in the present and you will be in bliss. what you are saying is hypothetical 'if's' and that is just your mind and does not exist. how come the the oil companies, govt, worldwide countries. lets say all this fails, what happens, we go back to living very simply and no cars, etc. so why worry, just relax and take a chill pill.

[danmcc22]

Google "crash course".

[Cromwell523]

the oil prizes were going down lately as everyone could see in the gas prizes. peak oil will surely come but not now. the amount of oil on the wolrd market declines because the OPEC decided to decrease it to get higher prices (just like they announced some time ago)

[Confucious2012]

Completly wrong. The end of oil is a blessing. We will find better ways to produce energy because.. we will have no other choice.

[lorax2013]

I'm sure PO is a blessing in many ways and I agree we will find solutions. I'm just trying to help people focus and begin working towards those solutions.

[HomesteadProvocateur]

Yup, think about learning some new skills! Or old skills if I may say so myself.. LOL, the one's we abandoned in lew of better, more technologically savvy skills, or so one might think. Glad I'm not in denial about it though.

[SCOTTDAVIDSON32]

great vid thanx!  i believe in cold fusion more and more we will have it in our lifetime

[plumevine]

It is my belief that all systems which have not served humanity's higher evolutionary purpose since the dawn of civilization as we know it and have lingered until now, are breaking down.

The symptoms are everywhere. And because we're addicted to them, we're fearing the crises.

A potato chip diet may keep a person alive for a while but it's not sustainable.

Health isn't found in disease, so why keep looking there? New ways will come indeed as we let go of the old ones.

Everyone has a choice.

[DonutMouse]

Lorax what are your thoughts on the Green River Formation? It could add billions of more barrels of oil to the United States if exploited. It could buy the world decades at least of time possibly more.

[lorax2013]

I think shale oil appears in nearly every case to ultimately take more energy to extract than you get back (negative EROI).

[FallenSoulRising]

Now I know fore sure that this guy is full of shit. There is no such thing as peak. Stop spreading proganda. Do you also believe Al Gore and his global warming bullshit too???

[brentpieczynski]

The cost of energy is what chooses which energy which people do use, with oil only being a hydrocarbon compound. This energy density is why oil is used, for military and industrial applications.

That question of oil-quality along with how deep the oil is, are both reducing the cost-effectiveness of oil. There are technologies which are becoming more cost-effective than oil, that is why people are switching from oil.

[Teller3448]

Lorax's thinking and speech patterns remind me of Robert Anton Wilson: watch?v=vtTEK9VqafE

[SCOTTDAVIDSON32]

haha i hear it

[BanjoNaps]

Hello Lorax, In an earlier video you described the high oil prices not being influenced heavily by speculation. Do you still hold to this? I'm curious as whether or not global demand destruction and the temporary rally in the dollar are 100% behind all the moves in price we've seen in the last six odd months.

Also what do you think is more helpful. Working on self sufficiency or working on building community? I think shorting all the supply chains possible should be a major priority as well.

[lorax2013]

Yes, I still hold that the spot price is determined entirely by supply and demand. Due to the recession we currently have a slight excess of oil on the market which causes the price to collapse.

[BanjoNaps]

That is very interesting... This is going to be quite the year. Thank you for your videos, I try to spread the knowledge myself to others.

[tombstonetom]

Crude oil is still cheap, but there is potential for producing other forms of energy and more expensive oils. All forms of electrial generation are expensive at first but become more economical over the life of the generator. Such as solar cells. Inedible vegetable oils can be produced on non-ariable land to produce America's oil needs and create oil exports but at a cost of $80 to $120 a barrel and unknown refining cost which could be hirer or lower but definately opposed by crude producers.

[texan176]

This is a good point but in general the rule of thumb is low population = higher quality of life. Peak oil, food, water, etc....you name it.

There is a finite carrying capacity of anything and the nation/planet is no different.

The population explosion that occured in the 20th century just can't be sustained. Way into the future several hundred year the world population will probably be below 1 billion people as a result of famine, resource wars, etc...

[tommybarresi]

I guess peak oil forced all those Wall st criminals to do what they did.

[DeluxeGoldTop]

Although the limited supply of oil may be a problem for humans in the future. I just cannot subscribe to the fear-based, dooms-day scenario propaganda. Very similar rhetoric-styles as other bogus myths such as NWO or global warming.

I think alternatives exist. New technologies will become available. I just dont think anything can compete with oil right now, because it is established and convenient.

[slipcurve]

Scepticism is always good, however it's important to remember that oil is not only convenient, but we are utterly and completely dependent on it. And it's *cheap* oil that has built the modern world and which allows for our lifestyles.

Alternatives are a solution, yes, but we still have to tone down everything. The alternatives cannot replace oil with everything going as it is. We are looking at a whole different world after the transformation. And it will not be without serious pain.

[DeluxeGoldTop]

"we are completely dependent on it"

That dependency can be removed to a new form of energy. The hardest part would be the transition. Almost like digital convertion of tvs. It will take years to implement, people would have to adjust. Things like cars will become obsolete.

"alternatives cannot replace oil"

Disagree. An alternative has no choice but to replace oil. The question is when.

"it will not be without serious pain"

How many have died or suffered already because of oil?

[slipcurve]

Oil is not just a source for fuel. It's the source for our roads, plastics, food production (natural gas is also important here). Almost every consumer product is awash in oil. Our infastructure is built around it.

Think of the energy return for one barrel of oil. It's crazy. It's almost free energy, no other form can currently match it. That is the source of our wealth.

What I meant was that alternatives cannot replace oil as it is. It needs whole new approaches and radical changes.

[DeluxeGoldTop]

"Oil is not just a source for fuel"

Crude oil is not the only type of oil. It just so happens that we have created a huge market around crude.

"Think of the energy return for one barrel of oil"

Think of the energy return of a split atom.

"source of our wealth"

This is a source of our exploitation. War, monopolies, monarchial oil giants, etc.

[slipcurve]

"Crude oil is not the only type of oil."

Crude is not important only because it's "oil". It's because we can make all this stuff out of it. One cannot make plastics or asphalt out of vegetable oil for example.

"Think of the energy return of a split atom." Nuclear fission is not as convenient as crude. Crude is the best source of fuel on the planet. Heck, even uranium mining is completely dependent on fossil fuels.

Our civilization is built on the huge net energy return of fossil fuels.

[DeluxeGoldTop]

"Crude is not important only because it's "oil"... we can make all this stuff out of it"

Yes, we have created a gigantic market around it. There are already alternatives to plastics, to asphalt, to vehicle energy. Greater demand will generate new technologies.

"Nuclear fission is not as convenient as crude"

My point was that there are sources with greater energy return than oil. Atomic energy can become more "convenient" once the research/technology advances.

[slipcurve]

"My point was that there are sources with greater energy return than oil."

Currently, no, there is not, not even close. You have to account for mining, enriching, building the reactor, energy loss in conversions (heat -> kinetic -> induction), power loss in transfer..

Extremely optimistic estimates bring it close to crude, but the reality is that crude has a higher return.

Also atomic energy means electricity. Electricity is nothing close to the conveniency of actual fuels.

[DeluxeGoldTop]

"no, there is not (sources with greater energy return than oil)"

So you are saying that there is less energy return in a split atom than in crude oil? How much oil would it take to be equivalent to a hydrogen bomb or an atomic bomb?

"Also atomic energy means electricity. Electricity is nothing close to the conveniency of actual fuels."

Like I said, I was giving you an example of a source with greater energy return than crude oil. I am not advocating anything, just making a point.

[slipcurve]

Was your point that splitting an atom gives more energy than a certain hydrocarbon gives when emerging with oxygen? I agree, but what was the point of that point?

I'm talking about solutions that we have and can use. You might first learn about the concept of net energy return before you start to talk about it.

Crude oil has a higher net energy return than nuclear electricity. It has higher return than anything we currently know. That was my point.

[DeluxeGoldTop]

"what was the point of that point?"

My point is there are alternatives that have a greater energy return than crude oil. They do exist.

"concept of net energy return"

It is quite POSSIBLE to have an alternative energy with GREATER OR EQUAL net energy return than crude oil.

My point is demand creates supply/market. We have found better ways to extract oil, better ways to refine, and more efficient ways to use it over the years. Same can be done with alternatives.

[slipcurve]

"My point is there are alternatives that have a greater energy return than crude oil."

You completely missed my point with the barrel of oil energy return example. You are talking about reaction energy, it's completely besides the issue

Is it possible that alternative will some day have higher net energy return than crude? YES, why not. But it most certainly is not here yet.

[advancedatheist]

>Think of the energy return of a split atom.

Yeah, but you get only a few years' worth of electricity from nuclear fuel. Then you have to try to isolate the waste from the biosphere for thousands of years. If the ancient Egyptians had used nuclear power and stored the waste inside the pyramids thousands of years ago, the stuff inside them would still emit deadly levels of radioactivity.

[DeluxeGoldTop]

advancedatheist,

My point was to give slipcurve an exaple of an alternative that gives a greater energy return than crude oil.

[DeluxeGoldTop]

"What I meant was that alternatives cannot replace oil as it is. It needs whole new approaches and radical changes."

No, alternatives cannot compete in a crude-dominated market. It's been monopolized. Oil giants, governments have taken measures to make sure oil remains the primary fuel source.

Alternatives will be sought after when crude oil no longer is a viable option. Demand creates markets.

[GoldSilver588]

You should do some more homework. Read the book "The coming economic collapse - when oil hit $200/barrel", and "The Long Emergency". The authors of these books have done tremandious researches. The conclusion is there is NO ALTERNATIVE SOLUTION to substitue oil whatsoever, and human civilization is coming to the end. It's a cycle, human must be wiped out from the earth, just like Maya culture....

[DeluxeGoldTop]

reply to goldsilver588,

Looks like someone drank the kool-aid!

[MyZenSide]

You might want to look at the Venus Project. There is already enough sustainable energy around, for thousands of years. Just put some dedicated scientists and capital truly at work, without interference from vested interests in oil. Until then, nothing's changing. I'm sure oil companies buy patents on alternatives as soon as they can. One has to keep on earning a living by any means possible, huh? If I had 40 billion in cash reserves, buying out the competition would be the last of my worries.

[UnhealthySalad]

Peak oil did not cause this crisis. Debt/credit, leverage, faulty financial instruments, bad policies and a whole host of other fiancial things did.

[tetekofa]

Unheathysalad...yea thats part of the problem but the biggest part of the problem is the war in Iraq/Afganistan, not to mention all the US military bases around the world. The military uses 50% of our oil supply.

The good news is that the war will be over soon because we simply cannot afford it.

[slipcurve]

The fiat/debt money system always crashes eventually, but you are right, unresponsible behavior brought the crisis sooner than it would have otherwise.

And you should not deny the oil price going up quickening the crash also. Oil at +140$ is very, very destructive. In my opinion that broke the spine.

[lorax2013]

Rev. Williams seems like a nice guy but he's a minister not a geologist or engineer. Sure there is some manipulation of production - that's OPEC's stated purpose for ex. But consider, if production is being repressed by oil companies, why repress the US most? Why spend billions on deep water rigs, why go overseas and have Venezuela steal your property, why spend so much of your profit in a desperate search for new oil fields?

[bjmccullough]

I talk about this all he time...and so many people just don't get it...as for me i am livin local...thanks Lorax...always enjoy your work...Bruce

[Bernd1964]

In my opinion the collapse of the Soviet Union was primarily caused by artificially lowered OPEC oil prices on demand of the CIA. In the mid 80's many arab oil producing states enlarged their virtual oil reserves over night, so they could extract more oil under the rules of the OPEC. The resulting drop-off in oil prices destroyed the financial base of the USSR and Soviet communism. So it wasn't peak oil but a trick of the CIA which led to the end of the USSR. Russia peaked last year in oil.

[pjarosz]

I usually love your videos but this in my opinion this is pure propaganda. When the ingenious people find a solution to peak oil then they wont just use it for themselves, but they will sell their products. So the people that are not prepared will be saved by those that are. Peak oil, global warming and other propaganda tools are excuses for purposeful reduction of population.

Can you please explain how this upcoming economic crisis was caused by peak oil?

[lorax2013]

I know a lot of people feel similarly, but I think this mssg still needs to get out. Yes, there will be solutions to PO, some partial solutions were mentioned in my last PO video. IMO, it will likely still be a very difficult adjustment people should prepare for. The economy collapsed IMO largely because countries can only spend so much on energy before too many loans default and/or other spending drops triggering a recession. You can see oil price spikes historically causing many recessions.

[lorax2013]

If PO is only a propaganda tool, then who led the conspiracy to reduce US oil production since 1970 and why do they only conspire to reduce production in the countries/areas with the oldest oil fields? First Pennsylvania, then Texas, then Alaska all hit a peak and decline exactly as geologists predicted they would. If you study this issue from a technical standpoint you'll have a totally different view IMO. Now global warming is different IMO and I mostly agree with you there.

[pjarosz]

2) If no solution is found, or is found but not shared with the public then consequences will be dire. So my fear is not that we will run out of oil, or that we lack the ingenuity to find a solution but that there might be a special interest in keeping this solution from the public.

[pjarosz]

1) When you have a finite source of material and it is being used up at a certain rate then anyone can predict when you will run out of that material, granted they have a good estimate of how much of the stuff is out there. My view point is that there will be a solution before we run out of oil. I agree that this is a very important topic, and I do not mean to marginalize it by simply calling it a propaganda tool.

[jfcrow1]

I would not say the main reason for the collapse but definetly a part of it. Do not forget the main reason -> Greenspan with very low interest rates for ten years. Thanks for the videos very informative alternate perspective.

[lorax2013]

I agree, the overleverage was a major reason for the recession IMO. When finalizing this vid I felt I had overstated and wanted to go back and add that in, but I'm trying to make videos a little more quickly without so much editing. Sorry :)

[scutterbear]

I have to admit, I am probably one of the less informed about peak oil. After watching your video, I think I understand it a little better.

You have a soda with your supper. You drink it all before you finish eating, you basically finish off your supper with nothing to drink.

Ok, I know that's over simplifying it more than a bit. But basically we are using it up and it's a finite resource.

Did I get even close? :o)

[lorax2013]

Sounds like a good summary to me - like you said it is a finite resource and we are using it up. We will still have oil in the future, just a little less every year in many/most petrogeologists' opinions. That's a problem because we will have many more adults in the world in the future even if people stopped having kids today. So how do you support more consumers with less oil to run everything and grow food? The transition to alternate fuel or reduced living standards will be "challenging" IMO.

[ioniancat]

I always love your videos. I do have some input about the peak oil conspiracy. Lindsey Williams correctly predicted the drop to $50 a barrel almost a year before it occured. What do you think about Lindsey's position that oil shortages are created to keep the oil interests in power. Thanks