Ken S

There was a study just recently done by the Pentagon that states oil reliance strains the military, and is unsustainable.

Todd80Z28

That's true. Last I read, it was about 22%. BUT, the reason the Middle East "controls" everyone, is that their oil comes out of the ground more cheaply than anywhere else. Because of that, they have the power to move the market price moreso than anyone else, because their bottom is lower than anyone else.

dream '94 Z28

...after a bit of reading, I think maybe the French, yes the French, may be onto something with their nuclear energy program.

Z28x

Shale oil is very expensive to get and it takes a lot of energy and fresh water to extract it. It will never be as cheap as middle east oil.

Energy Returned on Energy Invested ratio is also really bad compared to Middle east oil.

km9v

Not cost effective. It may happen when conventional pumped out of ground oil becomes scarce.

bossco

It does seem like they got a good program going, but the twits in this country have been scared into believing that nuclear is the big bad boogey man and that some how chopping up eagles on a windmill farm and decking everybody's roof out in solar panels and growing corn will save the day.

MissedShift

THE ONLY realistic solution to the oil problem, whether you are speaking from an environmental (carbon [chuckle]) or political (crazy muslims with nukes and oilrigs) standpoint, that is actually doable with current technology, in today's economic environment, is nuclear energy.

Commence hippie-protests.

I remember my father talking about shale oil as early as the late 80s, when Florida Power and Light looked into it as alternative fuel. As mentioned, it's costly. Too costly to be considered unless conventionally obtained oil rises to, AND STABILIZES, above $85 a barrel. Probably closer to $100.

As for the impact of this, I would imagine that in a doomsday scenario, say, nuclear war between Israel and Iran wiped out oil production in the middle east, a miracle occured, and the war managed to stay localized there, shale could cut in within five years or so and prevent a COMPLETE global economic disaster, but things would certainly be different in every way imaginable.

5thgen69camaro

I get to run my car on whale flatulance! I love it!

flowmotion

Except the only way nuclear is competitive with coal is with a big fat taxpayer subsidy. Blame the hippies all you want, the nuke industry is shaking their tin cup in front of congress until anything gets built.

Z28x

The "hippies" are actually pro-nuclear because it is much cleaner than oil or coal. Only problems are cost, the Not in my back yard groups, and the fact that peak uranium is only about a decade behind peak oil.

Wind and Solar are the best solutions. Solar tech needs to advance a little more and come down in price, but just imagine if ever roof was built with some kind of solar shingle. Wind is ready to go today and is pretty close to the cost of coal. Once you factor in all the cost of negative side effects from coal pollution (added health care cost near coal plants for example) Wind probably cost the same. NYC and San Fran are also working on under water turbines to capture tidal energy.

Sholt_c33

Here is an article that is related to this...

Shell has withdrawn an application for a mining permit on one of its three oil-shale research and demonstration leases for economic reasons.

http://www.greencarcongress.com/2007...withdraws.html

km9v

http://www.kfdm.com/news/wind_20988_...exas_test.html

HOUSTON (AP) - A site on the Gulf Coast near Corpus Christi is
set to become home to one of two United States testing centers for the
next-generation of wind-turbine blades, a $20 million project that
enhances Texas' position as the nation's leader in wind-generated
energy.
The U.S. Department of Energy announced Monday that Texas and
Massachusetts had been chosen to receive up to $2 million each to
equip the centers, which are expected to be operational in 2009.
The Lone Star Wind Alliance, made up of public and private
entities including several Texas universities, has pledged $18
million for initial capital and startup costs. Oil major BP PLC
donated 22 acres for the site in Ingleside and another $250,000 in
funding.
"The facilities are essential to ensuring the U.S. has the
capacity to test the blades necessary to run new megawatt-scale and
greater wind turbines - turbines that'll help the country
ultimately take advantage of our abundant wind energy resources,"
said Assistant Secretary of Energy Andy Karsner.
Blades have become too large to test at the government's
existing facility in Colorado, Karsner said. The new facilities
will have the capacity to test blades up to 330 feet long. Blade
testing is required to meet wind turbine design standards.
"For us to expand wind power further, we're going to need the
ability to robustly test the wind components before they go into
mass production and take their place in our national wind fleet,"
Karsner said.
Long recognized for its oil and gas production, Texas last year
gained acclaim by surpassing California as the nation's top
producer of wind energy, and that capacity is forecast to grow
rapidly in the next several years.
Texas' wind-power capacity stood at 2,749 megawatts at the end
of March, enough to power more than 600,000 average-size homes a
year, according to the American Wind Energy Association. Next up
was California with 2,376 megawatts, the association said.
A recent study for Congress by the National Research Council
said wind farms could generate up to 7 percent of the nation's
electricity in 15 years - up from less than 1 percent today.
Texas Land Commissioner Jerry Patterson said the testing center
and the state's wind-friendly climate should make the state an
attractive site for companies that build the blades. He said it's
an opportunity to position Texas as a leader in the growing wind
business.
"This is the birth of a new industry here in Texas," Patterson
said. "Once we build these test facilities, the wind turbine and
blade manufacturers will come."
The Massachusetts partnership plans to build its test facility
along Boston Harbor.