Do you think the phenomenon of "peak oil" is a threat to society?

Question

If not, why not.

Answer 1

No. Because the threat has been exagerated beyond all reason.

Yes, production levels of easily extracted easily refined oil are pretty much topped out, and there are few if any untapped major oil reserves. Combine this with increasing world demand, and yes there is a problem coming in the next couple of decades.

Fortunately, the market will deal with this. As demand outstrips supply, prices will rise. This will force two things to happen. It will force us to conserve and explore alternatives, including finding new oil fields or different sources of petroleum.

Some examples of change dictated by market conditions could be:
1. People switching to more fuel efficient vehicles.
2. Alternative fuels such as electric, ethanol or biodiesel being tapped.
3. Oil to be extracted from less easily tapped sources, like tar sands, oil shale and coal. Tar sands are now being extracted in Canada with oil price rises over the last 3 or 4 years making it worthwhile. The USA just happens to be the Saudi Arabia of oil shale and coal.
4. More mass transit built or used.

I'm not saying all this will be a smooth transition. There will undoubtedly be periods of shortages and high prices, unless we plan ahead now. What I am saying is that catastrophe is not around the corner and that we will not be running out of oil anytime soon.

Answer 2

No we have enough proven oil reserves for at least the next 100 years. All we have to do is go get it.

In 100 years we will have moved onto another form of energy, most likely hydrogen.

Answer 3

Um of course. If you have read up on peak oil then that is the only answer you can give.

Answer 4

If we do not use the remaining oil to make a transition to other energy, and so far we are not, we are in for very hard times, famine, and chaos.

Answer 5

our politicians are the threat