I just need to know about how much is left, and how long it will last, and I really need a link to a website where you got this information please. Thank You
2007-11-04 07:30:41 · 5 answers · asked by Will 1 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Earth Sciences & Geology
It won't "run out". It will simply get very expensive, and you can see that starting right now. There's no date, this is a continuous process.
No one knows exactly how much is left. The estimates come from governments, who have many reasons to exaggerate their reserves. There's no way to tell if they're telling the truth.
As it gets very expensive there will be power struggles. They could turn into wars.
The best answer is to develop alternative energy sources. Countries that import large amounts of fossil fuels are in a very dangerous position. Countries that develop good alternative technologies (like better solar cells) stand to make a huge amount of money.
The current US policy on this is both dangerous, and passing up great opportunity.
2007-11-04 07:39:48 · answer #1 · answered by Bob 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It's not so easy a question to answer. Many people will have different results, though most will really say it's not about "how much is left," it's about "how much will we be able to access at a given point in time"--what will happen to the rate of access. I'm not an expert, but I think it's because of the nature of oil pumps, that there's a point where the rate of production will "peak," and at that point it won't matter how much is available because we won't be able to pump out enough of it fast enough to serve market demand in the US. What you should research is "Peak Oil" which is a theory started by a man named M King hubbert. A documentary I would reccommend watching to learn more about the practical application of 'peak oil' theory and what it means for life in the US is "the End of Suburbia."
2007-11-04 15:41:04 · answer #2 · answered by lipgrl87 1 · 1⤊ 0⤋
There is much more than the oil companies let on. Opec causes shortages and drives up the price of oil. There are places in the world where prehistoric bones have been found. Underneath those finds, oil will (in all likelihood) will be discovered. There are unobtrusive ways to the environment as a whole to did for oil, such as restricting the areas where rigs may be built and run. We have millions of gallons of oil in reserve, and our government could protect us from being gouged by Opec if our government wanted to.
Brazil developed sugar-cane fuel, and it took them only five years to convert their cars from gas to another form of fuels for all of the cars there. The United States should start this NOW.
I did not get this info from a web site. It was on PBS and on the news.
Google "gasoline" or "oil" and do your own research.
Good luck and may God bless you.
2007-11-04 15:47:21 · answer #3 · answered by kathleen m 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Assuming that recovery technologies will improve, we have about 60-80 years left.
I didn't get this from a website, I got it from all the petroleum geology classes I have taken.
2007-11-04 15:38:29 · answer #4 · answered by Lady Geologist 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
On a video in one of my science classes they said we have about 50 years of oil left. I don't know when the video was made so it cold be less.
Thank God for hybird!
2007-11-04 15:34:47 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋