How worried are you about "Peak Oil?"?

Question

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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peak_oil

Answer 1

No use worrying about it, it has already happened.  We are already into the second Middle East oil war under the guise of a war on terrorism.

Answer 2

Not worried much, still have a lot left to drill for.

Also have oil shale, tar sands and could use coal to make synthetic gasoline when the price of oil gets prohibitive enough to make those technologies profitale.

The market will do a pretty good job supplying our energy needs, if their is a profit in it somebody will find away to make it.

Answer 3

I can't wait.  My neighbor and his Escalade can suck it.

More seriously, this is going to impact every part of our lives.  Everything will become more expensive.  I view this as a good thing because we are living outside our means.

Peak oil will never officially arrive.  Instead, things will slowly erode.  We will be more like the proverbial cold-blooded frog heating up in the pot without it getting hot enough to make us want to jump out.

Answer 4

You might want to look at two blogs that talk quite a bit about peak oil:

www.jeffvail.net

and

www.theoildrum.com

My personal view is that with the increased demand, particularly in China, India, and the former Eastern Europe, we have passed the peak.  

I am not as worried as many because I think man is a very adaptable creature and will find a way to work within new constraints.  That doesn't mean I don't think we all should not do what we can to conserve.  It will be forced on us soon enough.

Answer 5

I am pretty concerned.  The price of crude oil has doubled in the past year, and if it doubles agan this year and doubles again next year, we could be in for some seriously rough times economically!  

However, I believe that society will gradually figure out alternatives to this problem, and we'll be able to use technology to ween ourselves off of oil.  The main driver of all this technological innovation won't be the next US president or tax breaks or anything like that, it will be the price of oil (and energy in general).  The more expensive oil gets, the faster alternatives will be developed.  So in a way, it can be a pretty exciting time as well!

Answer 6

oil peaked in 2004.

Answer 7

I am not worried about the short term. The recent spike in oil prices is due more to speculation than genuine shortage.

However these spikes will become more frequent and more severe as the supply runs down and the price of oil trends inexorably upwards.

Longer term the world's population is heading for big trouble within a decade. Small oil finds like the Brazilian deep-sea find will only postpone the inevitable decline by a couple of years.

How long can Americans bear the thought that they will have to scrap their beloved cars? When the angst becomes unbearable there will be war. Famine and catastrophe will follow, and sadly it's all due to greed, selfishness and stupidity.

In theory this disaster could be prevented, but those who would help are up against the most formidable force in the world - human greed.

Answer 8

I am not worried in the least.  At 63 walking is good for me and the older I get the less likely I will need the car as they will probably try to take mine away a lot sooner than they did my Grandfather's.  They made him hang it up at 80; but the laws were a lot looser in 1965.

The way I drive I'll probably lose my license as soon as I go into my 2nd childhood.