The Kuwait Thread (merged)

[Daniel_Plainview]

The researchers ... discovered that the world is already depleting its oil reserves at a rate of 2.1% per year

2.1%/yr seems a bit low.

[mos6507]

This report is DOA on MSM.

So if you're waiting for the breakthrough event that causes peak oil to become mainstream, this ain't it.

[rangerone314]

Politicaly Kuwait has a parliament and an educated populous. It is not Saudi. Its not exactly Amsterdam or Las Vegas but it is a nation where the people have some voice.

I am not over familiar with the system but I am assuming it somewhat like the Gregorian era in the UK, an early stage transition from monarchy to parliamentary democracy. IIRC there has been quite a buzz in Kuwait about their oil reserves in the past, with questions being asked about true reserves as many of the more thoughtfull parliamentarians seem to feel stretching what they have as long as possible is a better national policy than pump like mad.

I think you would need a pretty solid knowledge of the personalities involved before going too deep into potential motivations for this report.

At least they're attempting to do something useful with science, instead of something like trying to design improved suicide vests.

[Homesteader]

From a position of living in Kuwait for several years I can say the parliment has been in gridlock between the moderates, radicals and the Emir. Nothing, really nothing, substantive has been accomplished by the parliment in four years.

Take "an educated populous" with a grain of salt.

I'm not saying the report has no merit, just be careful what lens you view it through.

[Mesuge]

I'd say there is a difference between say Kuwait and Oman on one hand and Saudis - Dubai on the other though. The latter case disimilar at first glance but equally sick on the inside..

[ivanillich]

Here's a link to the actual study. Forecasting World Crude Oil Production Using Multicyclic Hubbert Model

[Homesteader]

[quote="Mesuge"]I'd say there is a difference between say Kuwait and Oman on one hand quote]

I gotta stick up for the Omani's. They and their country are on a whole other planet compared to Kuwait and the Kuwaitis. No one who has lived in the gulf and visited both countries would lump them together.

[GoghGoner]

This story is being ran on MSNBC, Yahoo, ScienceDaily, etc...

MSNBC

I think many folks have had an opportunity to learn about peak oil, however, most ignore it. Many folks even discount it. It may be important to government officials.

This report has OPEC producing 53 mbd in 2026. Looking over the last few years, it doesn't seem likely (putting it nicely).

[frankthetank]

Yup.. I just read the MSNBC link and came over here... I thought they were going to keep this hidden at all costs? Use smoke and mirrors to hide any decline? It isn't a main article and is somewhat buried on the front page, however.

I think we peaked already and are still on the plateau... like the Nirvana song

[GASMON]

More "good" news - Todays BBC

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/8563985.stm

China's demand for oil jumped by an "astonishing" 28% in January compared with the same month a year earlier, the International Energy Agency (IEA) says.

It's downhill all the way now, folks.

At least we'll be warm given global warming !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Gasmon

[mos6507]

I thought they were going to keep this hidden at all costs?

They've been doing a pretty bad job of it all this time.

It's not that the MSM doesn't write about peak oil at all, it's just that they don't write about if often enough, and like climate-change, they give too much credence to the denialist position.

But I've seen no evidence of an outright ban on peak oil coverage in the MSM.

[frankthetank]

I guess its something to continue to watch, to see if media increases coverage of the topic, although i highly doubt it.

[SFDukie]

I loathe the term "scientists" as applied to these authors. Analysts, modelers, mathemeticians or variants thereof, sure. But it wasn't as if they undertook a scientific study, where they generated information through measurements, geology or whatever.
Rant off.

[Windmills]

Both coverage and attention will vary in direction proportion to the price of gasoline.

[eXpat]

Kuwait cabinet resigns amid political crisis

Prime minister and cabinet submit resignations to emir following accusations of corruption, state television reports.
Kuwait's cabinet has resigned after protesters and opposition deputies demanded that the prime minister step down over allegations of corruption, state-run television has reported.

"The prime minister [Sheikh Nasser Mohammad al-Ahmad Al-Sabah] has submitted his resignation to the emir," Kuwait TV said, without specifying whether it had been accepted.

Earlier, opposition member Khaled al-Sultan said the cabinets's resignation was accepted amid a bitter political dispute between the prime minister and opposition MPs.

"We are waiting for the appointment of a new prime minister before parliament is dissolved in order to be assured of fair elections," the Sultan told reporters outside parliament.

Parliament speaker Jassem al-Khorafi said he had not been informed about a dissolution of parliament.

If it is confirmed that Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad al-Sabah, the emir of Kuwait, has accepted the resignations, he may then also dissolve parliament before setting a date for new elections.

Several opposition MPs welcomed the resignation.

"I hope that the emir will please the Kuwaiti people by dissolving parliament ... and forming a transitional cabinet to supervise the elections," opposition MP Falah al-Sawwagh told reporters.

Multiple resignations

The announcement of the resignations came after the emir chaired an emergency meeting of the cabinet headed by the prime minister to discuss the political crisis.

Sheikh Nasser, 71, had been due to be questioned in parliament by three opposition MPs on allegations of fraud, including charges that he transferred public funds into his overseas accounts.

http://www.aljazeera.com/news/middleeast/2011/11/20111128112619355567.html

[Tanada]

Will the USA allow the unrest that has swept the Middle East to take over in Kuwait as well? Doing so would cut the link between USA forces in Iraq and the Persian Gulf but who knows what the ultimate game plan is any more? If Kuwaiti oil sales are disrupted even for a short time it will be much worse than losing Libya. The MSM knows Kuwait is a major oil exporter and would be trumpeting it far and wide as TEOTWAWKI.