21 September 2005

Technology news

We'll likely see decades of innovation in oil exploration necessitated by the end of cheap oil....stuff like this:

"Since 1981, Shell researchers at the company's division of "unconventional resources" have been spending their own money trying to figure out how to get usable energy out of oil shale. Judging by the presentation the Rocky Mountain News heard this week, they think they've got it." [full story here]
My own entirely amateur, almost totally uninformed opinion is that while the days of gushing oil strikes may be over, a couple advances like this combined with a couple unexpected new finds will allow us to continue to exploit fossil fuels for the coming decades at reasonable prices. We will not be forced to get smart for the foreseeable future, for better or worse.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Yes, heaven forbid we find ways to keep prices down while moving to other technology and resources.

Can you chew gum and walk at the same time, Doc?