There`s No Tomorrow

By Søren Nielsen 2017.

The modern way of life has become increasingly dependent on fossil fuel, although surprising amounts of people take this fact for granted. Since the 1860s, geologists have discovered over 2 trillion barrels of oil, but the world has already used up about half of that.

Oil deposits used to be relatively easy to find: the first American oil well was found in 1900. However, once a well starts producing oil, it’s only a matter of time until it enters a decline; it takes about 40 years after the discovery for a well to reach its peak of production.

In 1970, American oil production peaked and entered a period of decline. From this point on, The United States has started to depend progressively on imported oil. This situation contributed to the economic mayhem of the 1973 and 1979 oil shocks.

There is enough evidence that proves that the worldwide oil production is now peaking. The rate of discovery of new oil fields reached its maximum amount in the 1960s. At that time about six barrels of oil were found for every one that was used. Now it’s one barrels of oil were found for every six that was used: The world consumes between three to six barrels of oil for every one that is found. This means that even if any new wells were found, they would hardly be able to produce the amount of oil on which our world now depends.

Currently 54 of the 65 known oil-producing nations have already peaked in production and many of the others are expected to follow in the near future. This means that demand will soon exceed supply by a wide range and the economy will be affected severely.

Fossil fuels are used in more ways than most people realize. Even the production of computers, clothing, food, and entertainment equipment relies heavily on the availability of oil and other fossil fuels.

It’s quite clear that something needs to be done really quickly. Many economists believe that the free market will substitute one energy source with another, however many of the main oil substitutes are also facing their own decline rates. This means that we might be on the verge of a future in which we will become increasingly more self-reliant just like our ancestors once were.

Typically, it takes 40 years after the peak of discovery for a country to reach its peak of production, after which it enters a permanent fall.

In the 1950s, Shell geophysicist M. King Hubbert predicted that America`s oil production would peak in 1970, 40 years after the peak of US oil discovery. Few believed him. However, in 1970 American oil production peaked, and entered a permanent decline.

Hubbert was vindicated.

From this point on, America would depend increasingly on imported oil. This made her vulnerable to supply disruptions, and contributed to the economic mayhem of the 1973 and 1979 oil shocks.

More recent finds, such as ANWAR, would at best provide enough oil for 17 months. Even the new "Jack 2" field in the gulf of Mexico would only supply a few months of domestic demand. Though large, neither field comes close to satisfying America`s energy requirements.

Chemicals derived from fossil fules, or Petro-chemicals, are essential in the manufacture of countless products. The modern system of agriculture is heavily dependent on fossil fuels, as are hospitals, aviation, water distribution systems, and the US military, 

which alone uses about 160 million barrels of oil a year.

We are so dependant on oil and other fossil fuels, that even a small disruption in supply may have far-reaching effects on every aspect of our lives.

Besides energy, civilisation demands numerous essential resources: Fresh water, topsoil, food, forests, and many kinds of minerals and metals. Growth is limited by essential resource in scarcest supply.

Humans currently utilise 40 % of all photosynthesis on Earth. Though it might be possible to use 80 %, we are unlikely to ever use 160 %.

According to BP, the United States decreased its energy consumption by 1.0% from 2005 to 2006, a rate of change that made it rank fifty-eighth in that category. Denmark ranked first, with an increase of 12.7%.

I will end this with showing some photo of who uses the most oil in the world. But also ask a question, "Would the world be a better place, if all the military were gone", as it is the ones who use most of the world's oil.

If we keep going as the World are, then in a few years it`s going to look like this.