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Originally Posted by Wiggums
Here are some numbers to consider. We consumed 7.593 billion barrels of crude oil in 2005. When peak oil hits the experts are looking at a decline rate of 3-7%. Taking the mid number, 5%, you are going to be short about 1 billion barrels per year in by the third year of the peak oil event.
Wiggums,
Since you read articles at the www.theoildrum.com blog have you learned anything about geologist Jeffrey Brown's (oil drum id: West Texas) Export Land Model?
It has actually been proven. It is also why the importers of oil are going to have to deal with instead of 5% declines something more like 10%.
The "Export Land Model" works like this:
Act like all the exporters of the world are one country. We'll call it Export Land.
This Export land produces 60 million barrels a day.
They export 40 mbd.
They consume internally 20 mbd.
--When the declines begin they will lose 5% per year from their production. So after one year their production drops from 60 to 57 mbd.
--Their internal consumption will continue to rise, especially since their economy is getting such an incredible boost because of the oil revenues, and consumption will climb like the exporters today are seeing at about 5% per year. So after year one their consumption has climbed from 20 to 21 mbd.
--End of year 1: Available oil to importers is down from 40 mbd to 36 mbd.
A loss of 10%!
--Year 2 production of Export Land down to 54.15 mbd
--Internal consumption of Export Land up to 22.05 mbd
--End of year 2: Available oil to importers down from 36 mbd to 32.1 mbd.
A loss of 10.8%!!!
I think I actually did a good job explaining that. Do you agree?
So because the Export Land model will probably be what happens to the world, we'll need more than DOUBLE (about 2.25 X) the 28 new coal to oil plants you came up with just to keep our energy level even!
We're not used to having level consumption, and level consumption alone is horrible for an economy.
Competition for these available exports will heat up tremendously between countries like the U.S. and China. This is why China is circling the globe to lock in long-term contracts.
Understanding the Export Land Model will make one understand that the problem will be even worse than they first thought.
A 10% decline rate for importers is scary as hell..........
The DOE Study didn't even consider the Export Land Model when they made their assumptions on future needs.
JetRecent projections indicate an 8% decline which would reduce production by 50% in less than 9 years.
Even Exxon says existing field decline is 4 to 6%
I am also inclined to believe we are past mid-point ( because of over-stated reserves) and, due to tertiary extraction methods, the decline will be quite steep.
And if these declines are any indicator...
#3 Cantarell in Mexico ~ 14%/year decline.
#2 Burgan in Kuwait ~ 14%/year decline.
#13 Prudhoe Bay in Alaska ~ 11%/year decline.
#12 Samotlor in Russia ~ 9% decline.
Saudi Arabia just admitted an 8% decline for their mature fields.
But we won't know until it is past.
We did something like this awhile back. We reviewed the production data for all of the countries that were post-peak and tried to deduce how steep the decline curve would be.
On average, the decline is about 6% for the first year after the peak, and usually after about 3 years post-peak, the proverbial average nation is pumping about 87% of peak capacity.
It remains to be seen whether or not future decline curves will be the same shape. When this year's BP Review comes out, we will have a chance to recalculate some of this.
IT IS A CARTEL. THESE COUNTRIES CONTROL THE PRICE OF OIL BY CONTROLLING THE AMOUNT PUT ON THE MARKET!
Despite all the horror of production rates falling that much at CERTAIN FIELDS, worldwide oil production has stayed relatively flat. THAT'S THE POINT!!