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mmoa_writes at 04:09pm on 11/07/2009 under documentaries, energy solution, gas, north sea drilling, oil
mmoa_writes at 04:09pm on 11/07/2009 under documentaries, energy solution, gas, north sea drilling, oilI mentioned a few posts ago that I'd been glutting on documentaries from BBC4,one of which ('Crude Britannia'), dealt with the oil and gas industry in the Nort Sea. As I said, it was very informative and even gave me an idea for a new short story, but it highlighted certain attitudes within the industry that I've always suspected were one of th key problems with energy and how we get it.
The last episode dealt with the 'future' of the oil and gas industry and was much weaker than the first two episodes. It mostly dealt with the new technology being implemented to reach the deeper pockets of oil and gas that are left. It was inspiring stuff - a lot of the people interviewed were young and must have graduated from their science degree not that long ago. I can't fault them from going into the business, not when there's so much room for innovation and discovery, but it made me wonder whether the business model is somewhat flawed. We know that oil and gas and coal will not last forever. We know that solutions in the form of legislation will only be part of what's needed. It doesn't matter how advanced our drills are, our energy requirements ar going to keep on rising meaning that the resources will only run out faster. What does it say if the future of the energy industry is presented as a matter of simply producing more advanced technology to reach at whatever meagre supply is left? It is not reassuring in the slightest.
Perhaps I'm just being cynical, but it seems as though every year, a new hybrid car is formed, when really it should be a matter of thousands. If the powers that be are simply focusing on sucking up every last drop the Earth contains, it is no wonder an energy solution seems so far out of reach. Is it just another example of the business ethos gone wrong as with the banking crisis? We'll just focus on getting more and more oil, more and more gas with no thought as to what happens when it runs out. How ridiculous. How bloody-minded. How stupid.
Practically makes one yearn for the sight of those satanic wind turbines, blocking out the horizon. It'd serve this green and pleasant land right at any rate.
The last episode dealt with the 'future' of the oil and gas industry and was much weaker than the first two episodes. It mostly dealt with the new technology being implemented to reach the deeper pockets of oil and gas that are left. It was inspiring stuff - a lot of the people interviewed were young and must have graduated from their science degree not that long ago. I can't fault them from going into the business, not when there's so much room for innovation and discovery, but it made me wonder whether the business model is somewhat flawed. We know that oil and gas and coal will not last forever. We know that solutions in the form of legislation will only be part of what's needed. It doesn't matter how advanced our drills are, our energy requirements ar going to keep on rising meaning that the resources will only run out faster. What does it say if the future of the energy industry is presented as a matter of simply producing more advanced technology to reach at whatever meagre supply is left? It is not reassuring in the slightest.
Perhaps I'm just being cynical, but it seems as though every year, a new hybrid car is formed, when really it should be a matter of thousands. If the powers that be are simply focusing on sucking up every last drop the Earth contains, it is no wonder an energy solution seems so far out of reach. Is it just another example of the business ethos gone wrong as with the banking crisis? We'll just focus on getting more and more oil, more and more gas with no thought as to what happens when it runs out. How ridiculous. How bloody-minded. How stupid.
Practically makes one yearn for the sight of those satanic wind turbines, blocking out the horizon. It'd serve this green and pleasant land right at any rate.
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I'm worried about this too. Unfortunately, the oil industry is so powerful that it's able to keep alternative energy sources from being developed... It's pretty depressing, to say the least.
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