WVO Designs

al-Husseini, Peak Oil, Fuel Prices

That hush-hush, politically charged and relatively unexplored term came up on Yahoo News recently.  No, it’s not “Arctic Summer Sea Ice”, or “budget deficit” or even “Fisher-Underwood Complex.”(Though, I’m amused by any infusions of romance into the hockey world, and was happy to hear that Ottawa has traded Mike Fisher to Nashville so he can be with Carrie).   I’M TALKING ABOUT PEAK OIL!  I really don’t like that word or idea.  Most of us don’t.  It’s better just to suck on the pacifier of ignorance when it comes to predictions such as this.  “Mr. president, please tell us it’s OK.  Mr.  Cheney, Mr. Enron, Mr. Chevron, please let us know we can keep driving like we do.”  Hell, I love to drive.  I need to drive.  Our infrastructure is bult around our dependence for efficient and relatively affordable transportation.   So why the hell do leaked documents about a meeting from 2007 need to pop up on popular news sites and ruin my rosy outlook?  Actually, I love this kind of stuff.  Part is my attraction for doom and gloom, and part is for an affinity for the truth, thus the ability to move out of the way before the shit hits the proverbial fan.

In 2007, prominent Saudi Geologist and former head of oil production giant Aramco, Sadad al-Husseini, has indicated that he believes in that Saudi Arabia will not be able to keep up with oil demand to keep prices stable.  Oh yeah, he thought this will start around 2012(almost there).  That is the essence of “Peak Oil”.  Nothing to debate, nothting further to explain other than we can’t find it or pump it out of the ground fast enough to keep up with demand, thus prices go up and up.  That is the plateau.  Now when production/supply begins to decrease, that’s where the shit hits the fan.   Another tidbit to know is that stated oil reserves are likely lower than reported.  Why?  Becuase countries can sell more if they inflate their reserve numbers, they are pressured to overstate their reserves in order to sell more oil and make more money.   There are no independent monitoring agencies to validate the reserve numbers.  They are whatever Abdul says they are.  Is that something to rest our way of life upon?  Should we rely upon the the idea that cheap oil will be available indefinitely because Sultan bin Abdul-Aziz Al Saud says he’s got plenty?

Ahhh, OK, let’s talk about current prices, not future doom and gloom.  2012 is a ways away.  Dino-Diesel is running at about $3.70 a gallon here in Sunny California.  The US average for Feb 7, 2011 was $3.51.  Good thing the DOE had predicted that 2011 diesel prices would average $3.19.  That means it will be below $3.00 a gallon sometime soon if their predictions play out.  However, if US official prodictions turn out to be as unreliable as the sources they rely on, then I would begin to take evasive action.  It seems like many have begun turning to WVOsolution.  My phone has been ringing with folks who want oil.  I had one more excuse to strike the iron while the iron is hot by purchasing a diesel a couple of weeks back.

What do you think?  Do you have any good movies or websites on Peak Oil?  I’ll start you off with a few:

Websites:  http://www.titaniclifeboatacademy.org/index.html

http://www.lifeaftertheoilcrash.net/

Movies:

Fuel

Crude Awakening

-Jason Jelonek