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nickrivers
Single Cell Organism
6 Posts |
 Posted - 22 June 2008 : 12:49:38 AM
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Interesting article. Worth spreading the news and signing the petition . .
http://www.appgopo.org.uk/
P.S. I really enjoyed 'Last Light'. Better than a book I read long ago called 'Return To Darkness'.
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scarrow
Forum Admin
587 Posts |
Posted - 22 June 2008 : 6:58:40 PM
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Hi Nick, welcome to the forum. Glad you enjoyed the book.
nb: I'll take a look at this link |
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CTL666
Invertebrate
United Kingdom
62 Posts |
Posted - 10 October 2009 : 6:54:31 PM
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Peak Oil is once again in the media for a few minutes until the Sheeple get bored and wander onto something more important - like Big Brother. The Telegraph carried a representative version of the story: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/earthnews/6269455/Era-of-cheap-easy-oil-is-over-warns-study.html
It's just a shame that even of those who read Last Light and recognise the warning signs, almost no-one will change their lifestyle or make any serious preparations for what could well be coming.
D. |
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scarrow
Forum Admin
587 Posts |
Posted - 11 October 2009 : 1:36:00 PM
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Hi CTL. Welcome to the site, and thanks for your kind words about LL. Not sure whether you've seen the trailer for the book yet?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NvEwiUKAM4w
FYI, I'm just finsihing off the final edits to a sequal to LL, entitled 'Afterlight'.
Anyway, stick around. The locals are friendly. |
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CTL666
Invertebrate
United Kingdom
62 Posts |
Posted - 11 October 2009 : 3:03:09 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by scarrow
Hi CTL. Welcome to the site, and thanks for your kind words about LL.
Thanks for the welcome. It is a rare pleasure to have the opportunity to converse with the author of a book I have enjoyed.
quote:
Originally posted by scarrow
Not sure whether you've seen the trailer for the book yet?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NvEwiUKAM4w
I hadn't seen it before, and to be honest, having already read the book I hadn't intended to watch it until you mentioned it here. However, I did take a look and liked it. Although the music has been well used it fits nicely with the images and the images tell a good story. As with other people's comments, I would like to see it done as a film - made in the UK, as you've said before.
I think it might be a good idea to post an updated version which no longer says that the book is your latest so that people also hear about your newer stuff.
quote:
Originally posted by scarrow
FYI, I'm just finsihing off the final edits to a sequal to LL, entitled 'Afterlight'.
I look forward to reading that. There are very few stories in this genre which not only deal with the collapse but the longer term effects, too. My curiosity is aroused wondering how hundreds of people are going to find enough to eat whilst out on a few oil rigs. Short of having somewhere to grow crops - perhaps an island somewhere? - I suppose it will be a tale of raiding parties scavenging, but I can't believe there'd be much left after ten years or so. I can't see that many people being able to live very well on kelp farms and fish either, so I'll just have to wait and see, eh? 
D.
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CTL666
Invertebrate
United Kingdom
62 Posts |
Posted - 11 November 2009 : 11:59:10 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by CTL666
Peak Oil is once again in the media for a few minutes...
quote:
Monday 9 November 2009's Guardian
Key oil figures were distorted by US pressure, says whistleblower
Exclusive: Watchdog's estimates of reserves inflated says top official
The world is much closer to running out of oil than official estimates admit, according to a whistleblower at the International Energy Agency who claims it has been deliberately underplaying a looming shortage for fear of triggering panic buying.
The senior official claims the US has played an influential role in encouraging the watchdog to underplay the rate of decline from existing oil fields while overplaying the chances of finding new reserves.
The allegations raise serious questions about the accuracy of the organisation's latest World Energy Outlook on oil demand and supply to be published tomorrow – which is used by the British and many other governments to help guide their wider energy and climate change policies.
MORE
D.
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Petingo
Single Cell Organism
12 Posts |
Posted - 12 November 2009 : 01:08:48 AM
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I don't believe there is any such thing as "peak oil".
If there was, oil would be ten times the price it is now.
The price of oil is driven purely by speculators, be it up or down, and something as critical as an end of oil in sight would be ramped up to hig heavens by the boys on the commodity futures markets. |
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CTL666
Invertebrate
United Kingdom
62 Posts |
Posted - 12 November 2009 : 01:17:15 AM
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quote:
Originally posted by Petingo
I don't believe there is any such thing as "peak oil".
Peak oil is the point in time when the maximum rate of global oil extraction is reached. It is not something that is changed by belief or disbelief.
quote:
Originally posted by PetingoIf there was, oil would be ten times the price it is now.
When the markets believe that oil supplies are becoming scarce, prices will rise. Unless you are suggesting that Peak Oil has come and gone, why would you expect prices to be so high now?
D.
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Petingo
Single Cell Organism
12 Posts |
Posted - 12 November 2009 : 01:25:50 AM
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Oh, I know what "peak oil" is.....I just don't believe tjere is such a thing.
Oil is a renewable energy source, IMO
And if anything, the speculators play on this.
When the price of oil was in free fall about a year ago or less the brakes were put on pretty quickly as the old "peak oil" card was played again and prices have sice crept up again.
As I say, if there was any truth in it, you wouldn't be able to run your car right now. |
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scarrow
Forum Admin
587 Posts |
Posted - 12 November 2009 : 07:55:53 AM
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| I'm struggling with this idea of yours that oil is 'renewable'. Can you just talk me through that? |
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Parmenion
Homosapien
United Kingdom
14670 Posts |
Posted - 12 November 2009 : 08:39:33 AM
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mmm...ok this is the process
Oil has formed throughout much of the Earth's history, in fact, oil is being formed in some parts of the Earth today. Almost all oil and gas comes from tiny decayed plants, algae, and bacteria. At certain times in the Earth's history conditions for oil formation have been particularly favourable. Oil from the North Sea is mainly found in rocks that formed during the Jurassic period - about 150 million years ago, long before people appeared on Earth.
During this time the seas and swampy areas were rich in microscopic plants and animals.
When these died they slowly sank to the bottom forming thick layers of organic material. This in turn became covered in layers of mud that trapped the organic material.
Oil and gas were formed by the anaerobic decay of organic material in conditions of increased temperature and pressure.
The layers of mud prevented air from reaching the organic material. Without air, the organic material couldn't rot in the same way as organic material rots away in a compost heap. As the layers of mud grew in thickness, they pushed down on the organic material with increasing pressure. The temperature of the organic material was also increased as it was heated by other processes going on inside the Earth.
Very slowly, increasing temperature, pressure and anaerobic bacteria - micro-organisms that can live without oxygen - started acting on the organic material. As this happened the material was slowly cooked and altered, like food in a pressure cooker. In this was the energy first given to the plants by the sun is transferred and the organic matter is changed into crude oil and gas.
Oil forms first, then as the temperature and pressure increase at greater depth gas begins to form.
Temperatures within the Earth's crust increase with depth so that the sediments, and any plant materials they contain, warm up as they become buried under more sediment. Increasing heat and pressure first cause the buried algae, bacteria, spores and cuticles (leaf skin) to join their wax, fat and oil to form dark specks called kerogen.
The cellulose and woody part of plants are converted to coal and woody kerogen. Rocks containing sufficient organic substances to generate oil and gas in this way are known as source rocks. When the source rock starts to generate oil or gas it is said to be mature.
As the source rock gets hotter, chains of hydrocarbon chemicals use this heat energy to break away from the kerogen to form waxy and viscous heavy oil. At greater depth, the temperature rises. At higher temperatures the chains of hydrocarbons become shorter and break away to give light oil and gas. Most North Sea Oil is the valuable light oil. Gas from the Southern North Sea is methane.
Oil and gas are called 'hydrocarbons' because they mostly contain molecules of the elements hydrogen and carbon.
Crude oil is a complex mixture of hydrocarbons with small amounts of other chemical compounds that contain sulphur, nitrogen and oxygen.
Traces of other elements, such as sulphur and nitrogen, were also present in the decaying organic material, giving rise to small quantities of other compounds in crude oil.
Hydrocarbon molecules come in a variety of shapes and sizes, (straight-chain, branched chain or cyclic), this is one of the things that makes them so valuable because it allows them to be used in so many different ways.
Oil and gas form as the result of a precise sequence of environmental conditions:
The presence of organic material
Organic remains being trapped and preserved in sediment
The material is buried deeply and then slowly "cooked" by increased temperature and pressure.
But it takes 150 million years....and we burn it very quickly...so do you think we have that long to wait?
Centurion Parmenion
LASCIATE OGNE SPERANZA, VOI CH'INTRATE
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Petingo
Single Cell Organism
12 Posts |
Posted - 12 November 2009 : 12:13:05 PM
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Parmenion, anyone can copy something they have read somewhere and pass it of as opinion.
But your own words support the notion that oil is renewable, for the very reason that you state.
Because even if whtt you have posted is accurate then the oil supplies will be renewed ober 150 million years. |
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Mace
Small mammal
United Kingdom
737 Posts |
Posted - 12 November 2009 : 12:42:07 PM
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Petingo, I like your style. Go on, pass this off as reasoned argument...
"My Mom says I'm cool"
Millhouse. |
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Parmenion
Homosapien
United Kingdom
14670 Posts |
Posted - 12 November 2009 : 4:07:09 PM
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yes ...oil is renewable...but it takes 150 million years!!!! what point are you missing?? its not renewable enough!
I was fairly sure of the process, but being at work though it easier to get a quick wiki type run down of the process for oil.
So we hit peak oil, oil prices sky rocket, we hit oil starvation, riots etc..reall LL type stuff.
How then is Oil renewable? are you going to sit down and wait 150 million years to top up your car and start your food production life cycle? no because the human race is probably gone.
which is why you need another energy source or more than one.
OIL is not a sustainable renewable energy source.
Centurion Parmenion
LASCIATE OGNE SPERANZA, VOI CH'INTRATE
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Petingo
Single Cell Organism
12 Posts |
Posted - 12 November 2009 : 4:37:54 PM
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Yes, but the concept of "peak oil" is just that.....a concept.
A theory.
Other people believe in the idea of abiotic oil, which is that oil is not formed by organic matter.
You pays your money, you takes your pick.
And I think the abiotic oil theory is way more plausible.
I can't for the life of me think anyone would give creedence to the notion that governments would cover up the fact that oil was running out at a rate of knots.
As with the climate change scam, they would be ramping up the dangers posed by oil running out in order a) to control the populace even more and b) to see the price shoot up and the tax take rise.
Mace...thank you very much, pal. |
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Petingo
Single Cell Organism
12 Posts |
Posted - 12 November 2009 : 4:41:45 PM
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But anyway, you guys are de-railing me here.
I came to the site because I am a big fan of the Eagle series but I haven't read any of Alex's stuff.
I am intrigued by the premise in Red October and I think I will read it soon.
Now, from the synopsis on the back, it doesn't sound like an ecological thriller......though from what I read on the back of Last Light, that novel may well be.
Am I right in thinking that? |
Edited by - Petingo on 12 November 2009 4:43:46 PM |
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Parmenion
Homosapien
United Kingdom
14670 Posts |
Posted - 12 November 2009 : 4:50:52 PM
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No LL is not really an ecological book its more of a what if thriller that happens to get you thinking that our comfortable life is maybe not so comfy and maybe a lot more fragile than we think, especially with our current geo political environment.
and October Skies is a whole different kettle of fish! Mormons on the wgon trail, murder in the snow, and a sinister edge to it.
Centurion Parmenion
LASCIATE OGNE SPERANZA, VOI CH'INTRATE
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Petingo
Single Cell Organism
12 Posts |
Posted - 12 November 2009 : 4:59:56 PM
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| Cheers, Parmenion. |
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Parmenion
Homosapien
United Kingdom
14670 Posts |
Posted - 12 November 2009 : 5:48:53 PM
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OH and dont forgat thousand Suns...my Fav, although i do have a soft spot for Last Light...i think they are called bullet holes...(grin)..in joke!
Centurion Parmenion
LASCIATE OGNE SPERANZA, VOI CH'INTRATE
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scarrow
Forum Admin
587 Posts |
Posted - 12 November 2009 : 8:34:40 PM
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| thanks for the word up Parm. |
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Fast Paul
Ape
United Kingdom
1003 Posts |
Posted - 12 November 2009 : 9:10:40 PM
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....errr.....so do I flog my car now or not?
It`s true that opposite`s attract!
Thats why your surrounded by beautiful, intelligent, happy people! |
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Parmenion
Homosapien
United Kingdom
14670 Posts |
Posted - 13 November 2009 : 08:55:14 AM
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depends...does Scarrow get his 20%
Centurion Parmenion
LASCIATE OGNE SPERANZA, VOI CH'INTRATE
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Peak Oil - 50 MPs warn government.
