The United States Is Now the Largest Global Crude Oil Producer

Post by 2trill2spill » Wed, Sep 12, 2018, 9:41 PM UTC

kd5bjo wrote: post #110

2trill2spill wrote: post #27

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> They're certainly still obscenely rich, but the power they had over geopolitics via OPEC is effectively gone at this point due to tar sands, renewables, and natural gas. You missed the other significant factor in reducing OPEC political power, horizontal drilling, IE fracking. Almost all the new oil and natural gas in the US is coming from horizontally drilled wells.

Horizontal drilling and fracking are two distinct but related techniques: * "Horizontal drilling" refers to drilling a non-vertical (and often curved) borehole, to reach deposits that aren't directly beneath the wellhead. * Hydraulic Fracturing, "fracking," is the practice of injecting water into a well to crack the rock around the borehole, increasing its permeability. Each can be used independently, but it's the co…

Post by singularity2001 » Wed, Sep 12, 2018, 9:43 PM UTC

astrodust wrote: post #79

singularity2001 wrote: post #33

Earlier quoted context omitted.

10 cm are already a problem? did I miss some news / tides?

A) It's a foot compared to historical levels, it's 10cm since the 1990s. B) It's a constant problem in Miami where high tide is now above the level of many roads so they've had to jack the roads up several feet more. C) Venice, Italy is routinely flooded because of sea-level rise and it's only getting worse.

Post by gascan » Wed, Sep 12, 2018, 9:43 PM UTC

BrandonMarc wrote: post #86

derekp7 wrote: post #24

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Most people I talk with in my peer group wouldn't even think of getting an all-electric car (except maybe as a secondary vehicle), due to range anxiety. However, what I think will happen over the next 20 years (with battery improvement, etc) is more and more hybrids and plugin hybrids. For example, see Ford's plans starting in 2020. But the plugin hybrids won't be sold as "fuel efficient", but sold as "more powerful"…

For my part, I'm not anxious about range; price is the main issue. The car purchases over my lifetime have been $5000, $2500, $1, $4000, $11000, $8000, $12000 ... and I have never bought new. I do not see a viable electric vehicle for me. Tesla looks awesome, and I cannot find an affordable one near me. Hell, there are TWO (count 'em, 2) used Model-3's within 20 miles of me, and they're selling for $50,000. LOL and M…

Post by headmelted » Wed, Sep 12, 2018, 9:49 PM UTC

beat wrote: post #98

Shivetya wrote: post #61

Earlier quoted context omitted.

consider the expansion of plug in hybrids, similar to the Volt, Clarity, Prius, and Kona, all extend the viability of the petrol engine. In many cases it moves into the roll of a range extender because its weight combined with fuel is drastically less than what battery technology can accomplish; an example is the Model 3 which has nearly 1100 lbs of batteries for 310 miles. engines directly? variable valve timing wil…

Without abandoning piston engines entirely and going to turbines or something, modern auto engines are approaching maximum practical thermal efficiency for the conditions under which they must operate (being primarily horsepower-oriented rather than torque-oriented). You can get maybe 50% better if you're powering an oil tanker rather than a car, but you're not powering an oil tanker, but rather something that has to…

Post by greedo » Wed, Sep 12, 2018, 9:49 PM UTC

bigodbiel wrote: post #106

i still have the feeling that the next big bust will come from the fracking industry by 2020. The reserves are vastly overestimated, profitability muddled by financially wizardry, and capital flow about to get squeezed as interest rates rise.