Peak oil: is Ireland ready?

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Having recently done some personal online research on the topic of peak oil, and reviewing such websites as former oil expert Professor Campbell’s ASPO site- I have begun to give thought to what will happen in Ireland if we do not prepare for the decline in the production of oil- and the escalation of prices thereafter. Many experts in the industry including oil CEO Matthew Simmons have for the most part concluded that we may in fact be past peak-production. Also with the urbanisation, and industrialisation of China and India (populations of 1.3. billion and 1.1 billion respectively) - it will put even more pressure on oil retraction resources- and ultimately the price of oil.

While many remain optimistic about the oil tar sands of Alberta- and their potential to supply the world’s transport and energy for a century of more, others (including top scientists and oil industry insiders) have concluded that it is not a plausible scenario as the cost of digging, retracting and refining the sands would actually cost more than the cost of the tar sand oil itself. So that does not look like a plausible scenario. It’s hard to believe it but oil and gas are running out. Will this be good or bad? And is Ireland ready? More importantly is there potential for disaster for Ireland if peak oil hits- and should we be getting worried? And what do you think we (including politicians) should do to prepare for this increasingly likely event? Last but not least, regarding the foreign affairs spectrum- do you think there are worldwide dangers, or potential battle scenarios, especially when you consider that America, Russia, China, India and Europe could get competitive, so to speak- over the last remaining oil fields?

Peak oil - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

ASPO International | The Association for the Study of Peak Oil and Gas

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colin_Campbell_(geologist)

Matthew Simmons - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

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[COLOR="DarkRed"]VIDEO (Prof.Colin Campbell):[/COLOR] [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PYmnriCJ18I&feature=related"]YouTube - Peak Oil Causes Global Recession, Depression[/ame]

[myksav]

Ireland, it appears, in not ready for anything, never mind peak oil.

[expat girl]

Frankly, the role of the oil price spike in the banking collapse has been underestimated by everyone, not just Ireland. We're already there. The merest hint of etiolated green shoots of recovery seems to be having a stimulatory effect on the oil price and not too much else.

[Drico]

I believe that George Lee was heavily involved in Peak Oil research at one point. Having him in the Dáil should be of benefit to us but would be even more so if he was in government..