[thackney]

In 1980 those estimates said we had 27 years left.

In 1990 those estimates said we had 41 years left.

In 2000 those estimates said we had 36 years left.

In 2005 those estimates said we had 41 years left.

In 2007 those estimates said we had 43 years left.

On average, the petroleum industry meets the rising demand and still adds more to the proved reserves.

http://www.eia.doe.gov/pub/international/iealf/crudeoilreserves.xls

http://www.eia.doe.gov/emeu/ipsr/t44.xls

Proved reserves are only based upon fields that have been flow tested. Areas known to contain oil but not drilled, like ANWR and most of NPRA for example are not counted in the total.

Now add those others plus oil shale, coal-to-liquid, gas-to-liquid and methane hydrates to our supplies.

Still think we won’t use liquid petroleum in 50 years? I’m not claiming it will be cheap, but I suspect it will still be the largest source of world energy.

[SAJ]

Some of the more apocalyptic idiots in 1973 claimed we had less than 12 years' supply remaining. Isaac Azimov at one point wrote an article (1975 I think it was) halfway cheering the imminent 'running out' of petroleum on the grounds that this would effectively de-militarise most of the world.

Go figure, eh?

[thegreatestgeneration]

Very interesting