What if Oil runs out?...?

Question

What would happen if we ran out of oil?

What fuel would we start to use then?

How would that affect world economy?

What impact will tha have on the nature?

How will that change our society???

So many questions will come up if we run out of oil..

Please say something about biofuel and ethanol

Answer 1

Germany in WW2 ran their diesels.But they didn't have greedy oil men in control.

Answer 2

they would probably come out with an alternate

Answer 3

Sounds like Homework. I'll answer some of them.

We will run out of oil eventually. It's a matter of when

Scientist are working on lots of alternate fuels. Right now the most promising is organic ethanol. Unlike corn ethanol, organic ethinol can be made from any plant and any part of that plant. Meaning hay, and saw grass (weeds) can be turned into fuel. It works by using enzymes to break down the mollecular structure of the plant and turn it into the simple sugars that is usually only found in the "fruit" of the plant. That means we don't have to take away from other industries to make ethanol.

You can imagine how the economy would change if the US could grow and manufacture it's own fuel.

The Middle east would basically loose all it's power and influenece and the world would be a much more peaceful place.

Hope that makes sense.

Answer 4

We may have already passed peak production of oil.  If not now, then by 2015.  This will lead to a lower supply of oil over the next fifty years, which, compounded with increased demand from India, China, and other developing nations, will increase the price.  

We cannot simply switch when oil and natural gas become unprofitable to extract.  We need to start building the infrastructure now.  This month's Scientific America has put forward a good case for Solar Energy in the US.  Other power sources include:

Solar Power - Photovoltaic and Solar Thermal

Wind Power

Wave Power

Geothermal Power

Fuel from Biomass

Hydroelectric

Nuclear Power (Fission)

Nuclear Power (Fusion)

The last of these uses heavy water, but it is entirely experimental and may not become commercial until it is too late.  All other forms, except bio fuels, generate electricity, which would mean the world would have to switch over to electric or compressed air vehicles.  

Whoever embraces and gets a jump start in renewable technologies will have a greater effect in the world economy.  Natural disasters brought on by climate change, caused by the over use of oil, may be mitigated by the advent of a renewable energy revolution.  However, the costs to the economy of continuing to use up all the oil will bring unprecedented economic hardship to billions of people.  The world runs on oil, and the world economy is a consumerist economy.  With increasing natural disasters, resources are used to help those victims, consumers are lost to the market, and as a result even prosperous nations will head into recession.

Society must change.  Manufacturers will have to offer products that are more eco friendly.  Consumers will have to give higher priority to the environment, and vote for governments that start building renewable energy infrastructure.

As for coal, which the US has vast reserves of, the danger lies with the inability to sequester carbon.  Clean coal technologies may help, but again the human race is playing with fire when in it come to global warming.

As for ethanol, a bio fuel, corn is not the answer.  Sweet grass may be.  However, with current rising world populations, and increasing energy demand, ethanol alone cannot fuel the world.

Answer 5

WEll depends we will run out oil in The Middle east but we have a u.s. stock pile as well as oil shale and the gulf of mexico is a goldmine so i heard we will last for another 300-400 years

Answer 6

be happy.

Answer 7

If oil ran out we could use coal. There are ways to make gas from coal. When coal runs out we will definitely need other alternatives, like synthetic fuels or bio fuels. Electric power could come from solar, wind, and nuclear power. Preferably fusion power if we can ever make it work. Because the modern economy would totally collapse without energy.

Answer 8

Oil is a finite resource so can run out soon if we keep increasing consumption at current rates.

However the easy to reach easy to refine oil is mostly used no and demand is outstripping our capacity to extract and refine. This is known as Peak Oil.

The result is that the cost will become unaffordable for most people without a big army.

as to what will happen then see Transition towns http://www.transitiontowns.org/Totnes/

Answer 9

I think the "Wave of The Future" is with Hydrogen Producing Water Powered Cars.

Water powered cars are supposed to be out in two years. They work by taking any water running electricity through it and burning the Hydrogen fuel it produces. Watch Utube for a news report and demo. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jika4nokh...

With this you can travel a hundred miles on 1 liter of water. Supposedly takes only a half amp of electricity and some water, to produce Hydrogen for fuel. The pollution it produces is more water. This car will run on Salt water, fresh water, dirty water, pond water, snow etc. Army is having a Hummer fitted with one and is highly interested. If this sounds impossible be sure to check out the web site.

Also checkout Air Powered Cars on Utube. These run on compressed air tanks.

With these technology's we won't need neerly as much oil.  We have plenty of oil for centuries around and in the US if the Liberal wackos would let us get it.

Answer 10

We have enough OIL in COLORADO for the world to last at least another 500 years.  In fact we have 3 times more oil than all middle eastern countries combined and it can be extracted for $12.00 a barrel.

Why would be any line since here in Colorado we have enough oil for over 500 Years.

The U.S. Govt’s

Secret Colorado

Oil Discovery

Hidden 1,000 feet beneath the surface of the Rocky Mountains lies the largest untapped oil reserve in the world — more than 2 TRILLION barrels. On August 8, 2005 President Bush mandated its extraction. Three companies have been chosen to lead the way. Test drilling has already begun...

Dear Reader,

Very recently, the U.S. Energy Department announced the results of a land survey...

It was conducted to determine the official amount of oil a thousand feet deep in the Rocky Mountains...

They reported this stunning news:

We have more oil inside our borders, than all the other proven reserves on earth.

Here are the official estimates:

8-times as much oil as Saudi Arabia

18-times as much oil as Iraq

21-times as much oil as Kuwait

22-times as much oil as Iran

500-times as much oil as Yemen

...And it’s all right here in the Western United States.

James Bartis, lead researcher with the study says, “We’ve got more oil in this very compact area than the entire Middle East.”

More than 2 TRILLION barrels. Untapped.