Posted on 06/09/2004 9:15:38 PM PDT by narses
This theory is rather old. Most geologists reject it as its predictions aren't often borne out. It doesn't explain the sulfur and nitrogen in oil nor why oil isn't found in the oldest rocks.
Oil forever ping!
Yep, it gets much more play here than it does in the scientific community; there really isn't much of a "debate."
Dear Doctor,
You obviously do not know what you are talking about, nor do you comprehend what you read.
What do you think they are talking about in the above article, if not the "oldest rocks"? The well in question was drilled in precambrian granite. Rocks don't get much older than that.
The American Association of Petroleum Geologists has scheduled a conference in July 2004 to review the evidence supporting the theories about the formation of oil.
DKK
There are no dinosaurs, or land animals of any kind, in oil. It's sort of interesting how a myth so completely wrong is so widespread.
It's made out of microscopic dead marine algae. The biomass of marine algae is beyond belief. Actually, if all the oil that ever formed still existed, gas would be a penny a gallon; the overwhelming majority of it has been destroyed or escaped to the surface; the key thing is getting it trapped underground.
I wonder why the dryer always gets blamed. How do we know it's not the washer or the hamper?
Lay people think of oil as that stuff in the Pennzoil can they buy at Jiffy Lube, when, in reality, that kind of oil does not exist below certain depths across the world, and that depth depends on the geothermal gradient which exists there.
At least, there has always been a definitive line proven by exploration.
Below those depths we find natural gas and condensate, which is a different product than oil.
If this post upsets or irritates you, it's probably because you're jealous of my tagline!
I've been told by geologists that it exists, but getting to it would be difficult to do and cause problems later (like overpopulation, pollution, market power balance changes, etc.).
The world has more oil not less
The Origin of Methane (and Oil) in the Crust of the Earth
Thomas Gold
U.S.G.S. Professional Paper 1570, The Future of Energy Gases, 1993
PETROLEUM RESERVES EVALUATED WITH MODERN PETROLEUM SCIENCE
Another Washington Post article here
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Oil Fields' Free Refill - More oil than we thought (maybe) |
There was a science fiction short story many years ago with the premise that all those extra hangers, socks, etc. that accumulate are a form of mimicry by alien life forms, like a walking stick insect. Wish I could remember the author, Laumer, Leiber, Kornbluth, Sturgeon, hmmmmm...story had a somewhat sinister twist too, watch out for those spare socks!
It has huge policy implications.
If oil is finite, it makes sense to save our oil and get the middle east to pump their's.
However, if oil is replenishable or flows underneath the earth's surface, then we should pump like crazy.
In fact T.Gold is considered a crackpot by many in the industry. The only thing that gives him some credibility is that he can say he was 'right' in the neutron star debate (although he does keep quiet about the things he has been wrong about).
Anyways, according to most estimates current world needs for oil will rise from 80 to 140 million barrels by 2035. It will be obvious by then if T.Gold's 'theories' will pan out as true or not.
I'd bet they are false.
Why? Well, there is something called the 'water cut.' That is when water pumped into oil wells to help in the extraction of oil, and when the oil is removed a certain portion of it is water. Most wells in M.E have been getting a higher water cut level as they pump more H2O to aid in oil extraction. How come oil is not 'seeping' up from the mantle and filling them up?
I am familiar with several oil wells in Texas and Oklahoma. How come those wells are not being 'filled up from below?'
I personally think that T.Gold studied one neutron star too many! And most in the petro-chemical industry concur.
We are clearly guilty of appliance profiling.
((((PING))))
What stupidity. We can create oil from organic garbage, lets see these bright boys create oil from rocks.
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