If its only a matter of cost then why not use a better process to make oil?

Question

We all agree oil can be made but it cost is too high but good engineering could reduce these problems and a huge new supply of non poluting energy can come on line.

Answer 1

What you've said is very true and there are potentially viable alternatives that can be used instead of conventional oil in many instances.

However, like the other answerers have said - the oil companies have a huge vested interest in selling oil, they have a powerful voice in government and a geat deal of sway over politics and decision making.

Frequently big businesses, including the motor vehicle, pharmacutical and petrochemical industries, buy the rights and patents to new technology. In doing so they can simply shelve the issue and continue with their business without the threat of an alternative being developed.#

My distant relatives founded one of the major petrochemical companies about 100 years ago and many family members are employed by the company - it's amazing some of the underhand tricks that are used to protect their interests.

Another thing that the oil companies don't really want people to know is that there's a lot more oil than they're letting on. For 40 years they've been saying that reserves will run out in 25 to 30 years time, they're still saying it now. In truth there's about 30 years of known proven reserves, any number of years of probable and possible reserves, and about 50 years of reserves in the form of sand-oil. We're looking at about 100 years or more worth of oil remaining.

What you'll find is that people will keep paying for gas and oil even when the price goes up. I know that in the US a lot of people are angry about paying over $3 a gallon for gasoline but here in the UK we pay $9 a gallon - we don't like it, people are angry but there's no alternative so we have to keep paying. Basically, governments and the oil industry have got the public by the short and curlies.

Answer 2

If you're referring specifically to oil, as in carbon-based decompositions, I'm pretty sure there is no great alternative. First off, biodiesel is short-sighted and opportunistic at best, sinister and imperialistic at worst. The main cause of rainforest depletion is due to the lack of space for crops. This has to do with many things, including rich countries' appetites for meat, the method of world food distribution, tariffs, and a host of other reasons that aren't likely to change themselves anytime soon. Massive commercialization of biodiesel would put such a strain on farming capacity as to starve many more of the poor because corporations can make more money growing food for car rather than human consumption. There is no room for more carbon-based oil farming. Furthermore, the extraction of crude oil, if done with proper equipment and oversight, is actually rather low-impact compared to other fuels such as coal and lignite. The efficiency of how we use oil is much more at the heart of the issue.
In terms of why the world won't break it's dependence on unrenewable resources... well, the cabal of oil execs current in power are certainly not helping, but they are just a smaller part of a larger part of world economics. It's actually in companies' interests to withhold technology. If something is making a good profit now, why change it? The newer product may be more efficient, but it is unproven compared to the sure thing of old, comfortable business practices.
Perhaps the hardest thing, however, is that the world has nowhere near enough solar panels, windmills, geothermal converters, etc. to provide for current energy needs. And folks usually don't tend to give up what they've become accustomed to unless it has been taken forcefully from them.

Answer 3

Well as you said, it's cost. It costs a lot of money for research and development. Also, many oil companies oppose this along with officials in the government. They may not support this research with developing renewable or alternative energy and therefore it's really difficult to raise enough money to support it. Unlike you, many people don't realize that alternative energy is the only sustainable way for our future, they don't really realize that oil is NONrenewable and WILL run out.

Also, some alternative energy is really difficult to just get all of our energy from it at once. For example, solar energy is not going to work if there's a cloudy day and we're relying on it to run our world. Wind power doesn't work because it's not attractive and that it might not work on a dry, calm day.

Answer 4

Used Veg Oil can but made into heating oil for about $1 a gal. with less then $1000 start up cost. On the downside, there is an Finite amount avalible. Lots now less if everyone starts doing it.

Answer 5

Easy answer, because enviromentalcases will not let oil compaines update/build new refiners. And, the miracle (for the moment) "green" fuel, ethonal, is going to cause massive starvation the world over. In mexico, you would have to work 3 days to buy one tortillla chip if we made a totally switch to this type of fuel.

Answer 6

If good engineering can solve the problem, then it will. Once the problem is solved and alternative sources of oil become economically competative then they will be used. People are working on it as we speak.

Answer 7

Too many people in oil companies with cash...cash used as influence to keep them away from things like that so they keep raking in the cash. A big 'Bwahaha' from Bush goes here, I believe.

Answer 8

There are WAY too many *very* influential people / families / groups in the oil business to let that happen anytime soon (ie BUSH?)

Too much money involved, mate.

Answer 9

And, just what were you planning to make oil from? Coal? Plants?