[Ayoob]

OK, we've batted the idea around for a little while. Let's get some questions together. Frequently asked questions. I'll kick off the discussion. Chime in!


How much oil is there in the world?
How do you know that much is really there?
How much have we pumped out?
How much is left?
Why should I care whether oil peaks and declines?
How is oil created?
Where is the remaining oil situated?
There seems to be a great disparity in the numbers concerning oil. Why is that?
Which companies are the major players in the oil market, and what do they have to say about the Peak?
Who is in charge of the peak? Bush?
Are you sure about all this shit?
Why don't we just switch to burning coal or wood or whatever?
Well, if I buy a hybrid, then everything will be OK, right?
Well, if I buy a tent and hit the hills, everything will be OK, right?
Well, if I buy a gun and whack my neighbors everything will be OK, right?
Well, if I buy a piece of farmland out in the boonies, everything will be OK, right?
Well, if I get out of debt and load up on gold, everything will be OK, right?
My brother in law said this is bullshit and I trust him, and I don't even know you. Why should I believe any of this?
Will technology save our economic system?
Will our military save our economic system?
Will the invisible hand of the Market save our economic system?
Why is our economic system in trouble anyway?
So it'll be a little more expensive to drive to the grocery store. So what?
What are RELIABLE sources of information on this subject?
Who are the major academic sources of information, and why should I trust them?
Who are the major corporate sources of information, and why should I trust them?
Are there any good books on the subject I can read?
What had Bush said about Peak Oil?
What has Cheney said about Peak Oil?
What has the New Zealand government said about Peak Oil?
What has the Australian government said about Peak Oil?
What has the Venezuelan government said about Peak Oil?
Where does the oil come from that we use right now?
Where is oil in decline?
Where is oil production increasing?
What is the US Department of Energy saying about Peak Oil?
Are there any other US government agencies that have opinions on Peak Oil?

What is the range of opinion on how much oil is left?
What is the range of opinion on when we will peak?
What is abiotic oil, and where does it come from?
Noam Chomsky is a fucking communist, and if he says oil is going to peak, you bet your ass I say it won't. How bout that?

How long until we peak?
What's oil trading for today?
What are the historical oil prices?
How much are we pumping today?

[johnmarkos]

Some more for you:

What about shale oil and oil sands?
Will biodiesel save us?
I heard there's enough coal to last 300 years? Is coal the solution?
What does the phrase "Earth's carrying capacity" mean?
The USGS says that oil won't peak till 2037. Should I believe them?
I read all about peak oil and now I'm terribly depressed. What do I do?

[johnmarkos]

Another one:

What is Ghawar? Why is it significant?

[UncoveringTruths]

How do you make beer post peak?

[Guest]

Who is in charge of the peak? Bush?

Yea, the American President is large and in charge of EVERYTHING. Really. He's got God's blessings.

(Hint: No one is 'in charge'. You are seeking to place 'blame' to a simple supply curve. Peak Oil is the idea that thhere is only so much oil and at some point 1/2 of the oil will be gone, and only 1/2 will be left.)

Why don't we just switch to burning coal or wood or whatever?

Err oil is not just for burning. Oil is used in making many products. Like Plastic. The Plastic I'm typing on. Perhaps we could make keyboards out of wood.

What is the range of opinion on when we will peak?

Anywhere from 2005 to over 2104.

If you want to believe 2005, you'd better get planning. If you thing 2104, then tell your grandkids to prepare eh?

What is abiotic oil, and where does it come from?

It is an idea that allows people to deny the idea of 'peak oil'. No where does it address extraction rates or global warming from the burning of hydrocarbons. Feel free to spend your money as if abiotic oil is the correct idea - no one is gonna stop ya.

If you think abiotic oil is the correct idea, arguing that point won't be believed by most of the posters of peakoil.com's forum, so save yourself and others the problems and don't bother.

Well, if I buy a gun and whack my neighbors everything will be OK, right?

Number-O-People X energy-used-per-person = total-energy-used.

So yes, adjusting down the number of people would reduce the total energy used.

Well, if I get out of debt and load up on gold, everything will be OK, right?

All that glitters isn't gold. Compare gold VS other refined metals. Gold has moved up, more than silver/platinum/et la (as of Dec 2004). Consider many countries are sitting on tons of gold and can release that gold into the market for currency. Currency that can be converted into something valuable like oil.

Getting out of debt - not a bad idea no matter what.

Will the invisible hand of the Market save our economic system?

The Invisible Hand has done such a good job so far right? When flying garlic and even metal nails to the US of A to be sold is 'economical', the hand knows all.

[Ayoob]

Rather than burdening the mods with that, I have a suggestion. Let's just accept questions for a week or so, and pare it down to A list, B list, and C list questions. Further break down the questions by topic, such as Economic, Social, Science, Timeline, or some other method of breaking down the list. I obviously threw in some bullshit questions, but that's just because I like a laugh once in a while to cut the gloom and doom a little.

Anyone who would like to contribute to answering the questions and building up the FAQ can just monitor this thread and volunteer to take a section and document answers in whatever way they like.

I'd suggest that anyone who would like to contribute would agree that we should document answers with as much fact as possible. Who knows, maybe we can contribute the FAQ to Wikipedia or any other such repository of knowledge and wisdom.

I'd like to include the views of both gloom/doom and cornucopians, since we don't know how history will unfold before us.

Any volunteers, other than me?

[bart]

I'd like to include the views of both gloom/doom and cornucopians, since we don't know how history will unfold before us.

Don't forget us PowerDowners! Farms, bicycles and windmills. Ecotopia and permaculture, rah rah rah.

[Oilgood]

Another FAQ:

"Okay, I got sucked in by Y2K, and we all know how that turned out. How is Peak Oil different to/ more realistic than Y2K?"