Does Iran need Nuclear power because it's oil supply is "running out"?

Question

Lets do the math here guys using actual fact. Iran has137 billion barrels of oil in it's reserves. At a production rate of 3.9 million barrels a day the oil would last 97.85 years. Not to mention its supply of natural gas is second only to Russia. I know you Lib's wouldn't take the time to look it up so here is the article... with a link to the website. Oh, it's from businessweek.com. So, tell me again why they need nuclear power? Why not tap into the natural gas? Does gas not fit the agenda I wonder?

http://www.businessweek.com/globalbiz/content/nov2006/gb20061130_396971.htm

Few countries can match Iran in its ability to generate angst among Westerners. It appears determined to become a nuclear power. Tehran's Islamic leaders aid radical groups across the Middle East. And as the U.S. gets bogged down in Iraq, Iran's influence in the region is on the rise, fueled in large part by its vast energy wealth.


Yet Iran has a surprising weakness: Its oil and gas industry, the lifeblood of its economy, is showing serious signs of distress. As domestic energy consumption skyrockets, Iran is struggling to produce enough oil and gas for export. Unless Tehran overhauls its policies, its primary source of revenue and the basis of its geopolitical muscle could start to wane. Within a decade, says Saad Rahim, an analyst at Washington consultancy PFC Energy, "Iran's net crude exports could fall to zero."

That's not to say Iran doesn't have abundant resources. The country's 137 billion barrels of oil reserves are second only to Saudi Arabia's, and its supply of gas trails only Russia's, according to the BP Statistical Review of World Energy. Getting it all out of the ground, though, is another matter. Iran has been producing just 3.9 million barrels of oil a day this year, 5% below its OPEC quota, because of delays in new projects and a shortage of technical skills. By contrast, in 1974, five years before the Islamic Revolution, Iran pumped 6.1 million barrels daily

wingshooterer... you are mistaken. Iran imports most of their GAS because they do not know how to refine oil.

J_i_ when you hear our leaders state that once they get nuclear weapons they will blow up another nation out of hatred.... then maybe we should look at ourselves. Should criminals be allowed guns? We wouldn't want to police the known fellon would we?

Answer 1

Iran's oil reserves are massive. The only way its oil industry could be showing 'signs of distress,' would be if its infrastructure were being neglected as money was diverted to other programs. Like extremely expensive, hardened-vs-nuclear-attack fuel enrichment fascilities who's only plausible purpose is to produce weapons-grade material (if they wanted fuel for power, it could be more economically procured from the international market - Russia would be more than happy to provide it, for instance).

Answer 2

ur maths is really good, but then so is ur bias. how typically western!!!!

u r looking at iran as sitting on oil and gas reserves, and being greedy by seeking nuclear technology. at the same time u r not lookng at either russia or the US, both of whom have more than sufficient fossil fuels to last them a 100 years, and also the largest stockpiles of nuclear weapons. (mind u in the case of iran we not not talking weapons, just nuclear energy that can potentially be converted into a weapon). USA and russia have stockpiles of weapons, not just energy.

again, u have been talking of iran supporting terrorist organizations. everywhere in asia, if you look at the largest terrorist organizations from the mujahideen to osama uncle's al qaeda, you will be surprised at the amount of funding, training and support they recieve from the US. today the US is scared of the very monsters it created for the rest of the world.

secondly, while u were collecting ur facts, u were not doing a really honest job out of it. in the middle east, the region only has the oil and gas reserves. the rights to its extraction, refining, and marketing all lie with the west. the reson why saddam suddenly turned into a villan, and now iran is a villan, is coz they decided on nationalizing their income and profits. they were not going to let the west take over 51% of the oil/ gas economy. it is not the west's fault if they are hostile to the development. it is human nature. if you take away basic amenities from a person, they will not protest, but take away profits and privilages..........u are asking for a revolution and a war all rolled in one. the shah was giving the west a good lot of iran's profit, so he was the nice guy. the mullahs are seeking the profits for the country, so they are villans.

coming back to the question, why does iran need nuclear power?.......... partly coz of the reasons you have so beautifully stated: the money. they are isolated, with no access to the world economy, and need to sell their oil and gas for a basic living. so if they r selling oil and gas, they will need alternative fuels for their domestic economy. it is like this: if u r a farmer who grows wheat, u will need to sell the wheat to buy pulses, meat, milk, electricity, water...........and if you have faced a drought year, you also start selling other goods and skills like handicrafts, u can also take up a second occupation. this does not mean u r after someone elses career or job, but that u need to keep your house functional.

again, why do they need nuclear weapons: well they learnt it the hard way that if u have to survive in a hostile world, u have to have the best weapons in the market. they have a US and an israel and a pakistan all nuclear powers, and all hostile. they have been isolated politically, economically and socially for a very long period of time, and till date do not have an ally in the world. mind you, it is not iran that is itching for a war, but israel and the US (read your news for the last 7 years very very carefully). somewhere along the line, seeing the hostility of the world, and the success of india, north korea and pakistan, iran too decided to get the n-weapons as a deterrent. if u have a n-weapon, only an absolutely insane country will want to attack u. india got the weapons, so that it could tell the pakis, we can beat u, and at the same time tell china--u can't attack us without hurting in retaliation. the pakis did the same--told china and india, we can retaliate in case u guys turn hostile. now iran wants to do it-- get a deterrent.

this is not to say that iran is justified. this is just to tell u that we live in a world where everybody hates and distrusts everybody else. the human race just does not like to live in peace. condi rice aptly sums it when she says that it is the 'intentions' of iran that are suspect. and for the 'dubious intentions' we do not need to talk to the iranians, we just need to bring them to their knees and teach them a lesson.

Answer 3

They have the right to pursue nuclear power for peaceful purposes under the charter of the IAEA. Obama was saying something basically everyone agrees with, except for people too stupid to actually understand the issue. It's nuclear weapons we don't want Iran to have. Let them run as many light water reactors as they want.

Answer 4

The oil in Iran is much harder and more expensive to get out of the ground than the oil in Saudi Arabia...and no one that has the technology to make it cheaper or faster to get out of the ground wants to sell it to them (I believe it was Japan that most recently denied this to them) - Of course they don't want to sell it to them because they are defiantly doing this nuclear program.

Still they do not need nuclear energy to power the nation, they obviously have other reasons for pursuing it - at the worst, very scary, violent intentions, at the least to ruffle some international feathers.

Answer 5

It's pretty clear Iran only wants to be a player in global politics and needs the leverage that nuclear weapons can bring.

Answer 6

I've heard russia is building floating nuclear power plants to help poor countries to help them with power. There is plenty of oil, "peak oil" was a lie. I believe all nations should have a power plant to produce power to it's citizens. Iran has not, and will not attack anyone like our government and it's allies have many times in the past.

Answer 7

Everybody wants power.

What If someone gives Iran something as the gift more powerful.

Regards

Answer 8

THE REACTORS ARE FOR BOMBS. THE LONGER WE WAIT TO ACT THE MORE POWERFUL THEY WILL BECOME. LEE THAT WAS IGNORANT . THEY CAN BE STOPPED. JUST LIKE ANY OTHER COUNTRY. THEY HAVE NO DIVINE RIGHT TO RULE OVER THE WORLD. THEY NEED TO GET SMACKED UP RIGHT NOW. AND IT'S NOT THAT SIMPLE. PERSIA FELL IRAN WILL FALL.

Answer 9

Sure when the oil runs ought they will sell nuke power by the barrel at 100.00 dollars each.

Answer 10

Iran wants nuclear weapons to counter Israeli nukes. I don't blame them. Israel is a loose cannon also. But they're a majority white country, therefore 'responsible'.

Isn't it funny that Bush thinks it's 'nucular'? Our prez, the chimp.