Hurricane Rita And The New Oil Fears

Thankfully it appears that the damage from Hurricane Rita to the oil industry in Texas is not as bad as it could have been. Yet the fact that 1/3 of America's oil supply could face such a major threat shows just how delicate this dependence on oil has become for America. It begs the question why a new fuel source based on more plentiful elements such as the sun, wind or water is not developed.

Some geologists in 1977 assumed that the world had gone past the "peak oil" point. After this critical point, every major oil reserve has faced problems with production that could only be solved through means such as water or gas injection to force oil supplies to the surface and to maintain production levels comparable to any past production levels.

In Saudi Arabia, the world's largest oil field, the Ghawar oil reserve, is only able to maintain production of 4.5 million barrels per day by means of pumping 7 million barrels of seawater each day into the reserve to raise the oil level near to the surface.

But the other world's largest oil reserves have all declined in production despite means such as gas injection or water injection. Russia's giant Samotler oil reserve has declined in production from 3.5 million barrels per day, down to just a mere 325,000 barrels per day. The Prudhoe oil reserve has declined from 1.5 million barrels per day, to a mere 350,000 barrels per day. The Forty Field in the North Sea has declined from 500,000 barrels of oil production per day, down to just 50,000 barrels per day. And the most promising oil reserve found in North or South America so far has been the Cruz Beana oil reserve in Columbia. But even this oil reserve has declined down from 500,000 barrels a day to just a mere 200,000 barrels a day.

Mankind continues to demand more and more oil to maintain the lifestyle that the Western economies as well as the developing economy of China demand to continue to function. The only real solution is to look to the vast elements that God has given the earth. The sun, wind and water.

There is much interest in harnessing water as a power source. This is by converting water into a fuel source. As far back as the 1970's, even engineering students have built hydrogen powered automobiles that seem to work well, despite some problems in producing the fuel source plentiful enough for more than a mere test. But with water, such a plentiful resource, there is an unlimited supply of energy that could be harnessed. Both the automobile industry and even the Bush Administration have expressed real interest in this viable fuel alternative.

One of my own relatives, worked for years on a modern version of the steam engine for the Lear Jet company in Nevada. My relative was the chief engineer for the Lear Jet steam turbine engine project. Steam engines have proven themselves for longtime success. In 1769 the first steam powered vehicle was tested by Nicolas Joseph Cugnot. The first steam locomotive was tested in 1804. Robert Fulton's early steamboat was designed in and tested in 1807. Production Stanley Steamer automobiles began in earnest after 1905. These vehicles were so fast compared to the other internal combusion automobiles of the time that a standing offer of $100,000 to anyone who would operate a Stanley Steamer with the throttle full open was offered. In fact, the Lear Jet steam turbine motor was powerful that one was tested at the Bonneville Salt Flats at over 145.6 miles per hour. The Lear motor was similar to an aircraft engine. Turbine engines were once tested by Chrysler in the early 60's. These Chrysler turbine motors used gasoline, but spun at 50,000 RPM compared to many present internal combusion engines, and had to be geared down to be streetable. The Lear Jet engine was similar to the other turbine engines, yet powered by steam. On wonders with microwave oven technology to quickly heat the water supply, whether these engines could avoid the long warm up time. And the safety of any boiler from explosion danger must be made to protect the users as well. But steam powered vehicles have long proven themselves for viability since the late 1700s .

Solar power using solar panels to heat homes has proven itself to work on an experimental basis with a few project homes. Some homes can produce enough of their own electric power, that the cost for external power purchases from electric companies is as low as $14 amonth for some. The sun is the greatest source of power known to the earth. It is this basis of the solar system, and remains an untapped resource for clean electricity generation. And experimental automobiles powered by the solar power have proven themselves for years. College students have also built many solar powered automobiles for events and races. And model kits as well as parts exist at Radio Shack to build small solar powered experiments or toy project automobiles. J.C. Whitney has long sold a device that uses a small dashboard mounted solar panel to keep a car battery fully charged. Solar power has proven itself as a clean and powerful resource that needs yet to be put to good use. Every home could have solar panels instead of tar and shingles and provide much of it's own needed electricity and heat.

Holland for years has used the wind and windmills for electricity production. This has been so successful that even China s working with Holland on a large project to build windmills in China to provide clean and safe electrical power.

The days of oil as the world's main fuel source need to be limited. Not only is oil production much more difficult to maintain since the peak oil level of 1977. But rising prices, as well as problems from pollution, require that new power sources harnessed from the clean and plentiful elements of water, wind and the sun. God provided these powerful elements. With technology, these can all provide clean and plentiful resources for energy and power. America's oil dependence can be broken, and God has provided the means in unlimited sources that cannot ever be depleted. Just like the early days of whale oil to light lamps, the oil dependence has gone long past it's entitled due. Now the intelligent harnessing of the elements should be undertaken to provide for the future.