Year 2045, Tankering whats that???

[bearfacedcheek]

OK ,Heres everything that I'm not.

1/ a tree hugger.
2/ a member of the socialist green party.
3/ intelligent.

But I was wondering why are we still permitted to Tanker fuel around.(burn fuel to carry fuel)

Admittedly we only burn approx 40kg per 1000kg carried (B737),and yes I know we do it for economical reasons,and I dont ask why airlines pratice this ,but why are airlines allowed to do this.

Various reports suggest that oil reserves will be depleted in 25 to 40 years time.For many of us this period is with in our lifetime and most certainly will impact our kids

I know to tax a Diesel car in Germany costs more than a petrol model,this is an attempt by the German government to curb use of diesel cars because they pollute the air more.Which is one example of smart government in my opinion.In Ireland we use plastic bags to wrap the plastic bag that covers the plastic bag that holds our biscuits.

A visit to the states will afford you the opportunity to drive a 4 or 5 litre car at 60 mph.Whats the point?Its no wonder that california is suffering power shortages with this mentality concerning resource use.

Why are we still burning fuel as if it is going out of fashion,because it is going out of fashion and Fast.

Just wondered,anyone out there with any answers?I think this will be one pratice that our kids will highlight as their parents gross abuse of resourses,along with many other squandering ways we have.

Now wheres that tree I fell like a hug

[Wino]

25-40 years.

I have been hearing that for more than 30 years. THe fact is that there is more than enough oil to keep us going to 200 years, long after this planet gets to the temperature of venus.

Drilling and exploration technologies continue to improve faster than consumption, hence the low oil prices (except for occational artificial price spikes created by OPEC restricting production)

Eventually a long time from now it will get expensive to drill for oil as it will not be as convientiently located and then prices for oil will rise and demand for it will drop with alternative sources becoming viable. The market will fix all believe it or not.

In the meantime, they are opening up new wells in pennsylvania (my buddy just got a very profitable one on his property) due to the improved drilling and exploration technology in a field that has been assumed to be depleated for over 50 years.

Go to the store and purchase a liter of Evian water, and you will realize that gasoline in cheaper than water.

The british view of the world really hasn't changed since the "for export only" days at the end of world war II. If self denial makes you happy, have at it.

Cheers
Wino

[vertigo]

We have a crazy system in London where aircraft hold in the air because it is cheaper than holding on the ground.

Even in this traffic downturn aircraft can hold for 30 minutes in the stacks rather than being held on the ground saving fuel.

I've seen aircraft get airborne from Manchester for a 45 minute flight, knowing there was 60 minutes of holding at Bovingdon.

Couldn't the airlines have a bit of a common sense approach to the enviroment ?

[maxalt]

Betcha you were listening to Eamon Dunphy last night, interviewing that 'economist' who was doing the lecture in Trinity about the imminent collapse of the world economy because the oil was running out next year.
Load of bull.

It's not a limitless resource (as Wino points out) but it's not running out next year either. I've read that there are reserves equal to all the oil thats already been used, but because it's costlier to extract it hasn't been touched yet.

Prices will inevitably rise if they have to go for this stuff, but the lights aren't going out yet.

I hear the 'cold fusion' project is getting new interest. If I was a conspiracy theorist (and I'm not :D) I'd probably say the US Gov know it works, but the Oil Companies have kept it under wraps thanks to Dubya and his mates.

[GearUp CheerUp]

I once read that the world daily consumption of oil could be likened to the amount of water flowing over the Niagara Falls in 10 hours.

Those reserves sure must be big! :eek:

[henry crun]

A certain middle eastern sheik who was a big wheel in OPEC, his name eludes me at the moment, was asked this question about the worlds oil reserves running out in 30 years time. He answered like this.

The stone age did not end because there was a shortage of stone, likewise the bronze age did not end because of a lack of bronze.
The oil age will not end for lack of oil because there are still huge reserves yet undeveloped, and technical advances will see the dependence on oil diminish as the years go by.

[Ex Bus Driver]

To answer your question about "tankering" fuel, during my active airline days it was
common practice if the cost differential at
different airports made it feasible. Bottom
line-cost.
Cheers, EBD

[Self Loading Freight]

Last time I looked, there was one barrel being found for every four being pumped. Or if that doesn't worry anyone, terrorist action in the Middle East could turn between quarter and a half of the world's oil supply off overnight, and keep it off for years.

Worries me.

R

[pigboat]

There are 170 billion barrels of proven crude reserves in the Athabaska tar sands near CYMM. 40 billion are recoverable using todays technology.

[Epsom Hold 2]

According to my better informed friends, there is enough oil in the ground to the point that we'll end up leaving some of it there (like with coal), having discovered a new energy source before oil actually runs out.

I think the problem with conservation on a grander scale is that those who have a vested interest in using fossil fuels have made an interest in conservation deeply unfashionable. The gentleman who opened this thread obviously felt he had to apologise/justify his comments by saying, above all else, that he "isn't a tree hugger". Well, I've never hugged a tree but it seems like a nice thing to do. I think it's pretty silly to dismiss someone as a fruitcake because they show an interest in such issues. There's nothing wrong in taking an interest in our collective future and being wise to future problems (especially the ones we're creating now). However running out of oil probably won't be one of them, unless Saudi goes like Iran like SLF said. Then things might get a little exciting, but that's not a question of ecology.