The Earth Pope

Oil Shale Revisited

Ah, the folly of operating in artificially defined boundaries drawn by engineers with a linear mindset on a Holy Grail quest for increased oil profits!  The world they manufacture is so perfect that they are actually able to convince skeptics and environmentalists that they can pull oil out of oil shale in a manner that actually creates more energy than is expended.

A least that is what Shell oil would have us all believe.  They just can't leave the world's biggest deposit of oil alone, even if it is locked up in rocks underlying Utah, Wyoming and Colorado.  Even though the oil companies tried to do this back in the 1970S and failed miserably. But this time Shell has new technology (that marvelous silver bullet to save us all) that is going to extract this liquid gold in an environmentally safe process providing that favorite drug of overly consumptive Americans--cheap oil.

Here's how Shell plans to do it.  They are going to drill giant holes in the ground, lower in huge electric heaters and heat the rocks until they ooze oil in a viscosity that can be pumped out. Then, to protect the ground water Shell will drill another set of holes surrounding the heater holes where they will insert electric refrigeration systems to freeze the water, forming an ice wall so the flowing oil can't get out and pollute anything.

Just like the days of the Synfuels project during the Carter Administration these same oil companies are trying to get us all to believe that they can extract more energy out of the ground then they have to use getting it out.  In this case "3.5 units of energy for every 1 unit used in production." But the question really is what constitutes "production?"

These folks are much more sophisticated about terminology now then they were back in the 70S.  They throw around words such as "life-cycle analysis" to give the impression that they have looked at the whole system and have taking everything into consideration.  But let's just pull at the edges of their study boundary a bit more to see where this oily Ponzi Scheme begins to erode.

First, the energy needed to heat the rocks and then freeze the water will require enormous amounts of electricity.  A report estimates that for "each 100,000 barrels produced daily it would require about 1.2 gigawatts of electric-generating capacity." That is more than the largest power plant in Colorado today!

Second, the fuel used to generate this energy would most likely be coal.  How much energy is expended mining, processing, transporting and fueling these coal fired power plants?  Has this been factored into the equation for determining recoverable energy from oil shale? 

Third, if this process for extracting oil from oil shale requires the construction of new power plants, what is the energy expended in building these plants?  How much energy is used to make the materials, transport the materials and then erect the plants?  This has not been factored into the energy availability equation at all.

And finally, with all of the evidence of global warming and climate change linked to the burning of fossil fuels it is simply an oil addict's insanity to burn coal to generate electricity to heat rocks to 700 degrees to extract oil to burn for energy all the while generating megatons of life destroying CO2.

If Shell's plans succeed and their minions in Congress push through legislation supporting and subsidizing this petroleum psychosis we won't be able to breath easier because of lessening our dependence on Mid-East oil.

We probably won't be breathing at all.

Canine Power

The debate about energy has scientists and engineers arguing about the feasibility of hydrogen power while the Bush Abomination once again moves to eliminate funding for successful energy efficiency programs.  I am all for alternative and renewable energy sources but I have a feeling that we are once again overlooking the obvious.

It occurred to me the other day when one of the members of the Earth congregation was giving me a lift to town.  While we were stuck in yet another traffic jam, a horrendously foul odor emerged from the backseat where Campy, the chocolate Labrador sat.  “Jesus!” exclaimed Rita as she rolled down the window, “that was a foul one.”  As the fumes fermented my brain I realized that the odor was also a potential source of renewable energy.  As we crept along I counted six cars with one dog each and four others that had two dogs in them.  Knowing what I know about dogs and flatulence I realized that if these living methane factories could be harnessed we just might have a viable renewable energy source in the seat next to us.

Imagine a small device capable of capturing these emissions and feeding them directly to a modified carburetor on the car.  Such a device already exists for capturing and assessing dog flatulence and could be easily modified for transportation purposes. There are several potential sources for canine flatulence that are currently treated as “problems” but with a bit of research and good ole American ingenuity I am confident that we could turn farts into fuel.

This isn’t as crazy as you might think.  There is already interest and investment to collect dog poop for its energy potential so why not hook up a canine companion to power your car on a quick trip to town.

I suggest that each congregation member write a letter to their senator and representatives to insist that the Bush Abomination not only restore alternative fuel funding but that new money be allocated for capturing dog farts to power cars.  This would not only help the country achieve energy independence but would also fight greenhouse gas emissions at the same time.

Put a dog in your tank today!