• Congratulations to the Class of 2024 on your results!
    Let us know how you went here
    Got a question about your uni preferences? Ask us here

What will happen when oil runs out? (1 Viewer)

Speed6

Retired '16
Joined
Jul 31, 2014
Messages
2,949
Gender
Male
HSC
N/A
One day (estimated in just under 54 years time or in the year 2040...) oil will run out. As estimated, the world has around 1.3 trillion barrels of oil left and some people even say around 3-4 trillion barrels. But all with finish. What will happen? Will we see new technologies for transport?...Hydrogen Fuel Cell Cars? Have your say.
 

Papercutter

Active Member
Joined
Sep 23, 2014
Messages
146
Location
SYDNEY, NSW
Gender
Female
HSC
2017
Re: What will happen?

It's hard to tell what will happen so far ahead in the future. There could be two main outcomes (at least two):

Either humans discover a new alternative in terms of energy and resources, and we start relying on that rather than oil.

OR

As oil runs out, the prices will sky rocket and significantly change the economy. Then only the very rich and wealthy can afford to purchase that precious oil whilst the 80% of us plebeians will have to live without it.

But research and studies have already started into finding new ways of sustaining the Earth. Stuff you hear in the news are probably just the tip of the iceberg. So even if there's not much news about renewable energy for instance, we shouldn't assume that we won't have a B plan (we shouldn't also assume we are prepared either).



Maybe conflicts will just arise globally with many parties fighting for oil resources *cough --America*. And we end up destroying ourselves along with the earth.
 

wannaspoon

ремове кебаб
Joined
Aug 8, 2012
Messages
1,401
Gender
Male
HSC
2007
Uni Grad
2014
Re: What will happen?

New technologies will take over, the Saudi monarchy will come to an end due to economic turmoil in the Middle East, the US will be less focused in the Middle East, from that, there will finally be some form of normality in the Middle East...
 

Speed6

Retired '16
Joined
Jul 31, 2014
Messages
2,949
Gender
Male
HSC
N/A
Re: What will happen?

It's hard to tell what will happen so far ahead in the future. There could be two main outcomes (at least two):

Either humans discover a new alternative in terms of energy and resources, and we start relying on that rather than oil.

OR

As oil runs out, the prices will sky rocket and significantly change the economy. Then only the very rich and wealthy can afford to purchase that precious oil whilst the 80% of us plebeians will have to live without it.

But research and studies have already started into finding new ways of sustaining the Earth. Stuff you hear in the news are probably just the tip of the iceberg. So even if there's not much news about renewable energy for instance, we shouldn't assume that we won't have a B plan (we shouldn't also assume we are prepared either).
Exactly! We aren't prepared for a major economic collapse or another great depression or whatever but if it happens... 'gg', reiterating what Adrita said. And of course we have our engineers and their respective fields which they study in (petroleum, mining etc) but its not easy for them to find a green, sustainable energy for consumers.

Otherwise we would be riding bikes.
 

Rhinoz8142

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jul 25, 2013
Messages
1,334
Location
Sydney
Gender
Male
HSC
2014
Uni Grad
2018
Re: What will happen?

If oil runs out then Arabs won't be able to buy there lambos and Buggatis.

Well yea like you said hybrid and hydrogen powered cars will come into play companies like Tesla are already produces 100% fully powered electric cars(I think so) but their are also creating a large scale (solar powered)power station all around the country by then the production of these cars would be cheaper so the consumers would be able to afford it..
 

Speed6

Retired '16
Joined
Jul 31, 2014
Messages
2,949
Gender
Male
HSC
N/A
Re: What will happen?

If oil runs out then Arabs won't be able to buy there lambos and Buggatis.

Well yea like you said hybrid and hydrogen powered cars will come into play companies like Tesla are already produces 100% fully powered electric cars(I think so) but their are also creating a large scale (solar powered)power station all around the country by then the production of these cars would be cheaper so the consumers would be able to afford it..
Uranium is also an option but it is very dangerous as it is radioactive.
 

nerdasdasd

Dont.msg.me.about.english
Joined
Jul 29, 2009
Messages
5,353
Location
A, A
Gender
Male
HSC
2012
Uni Grad
2017
Re: What will happen?

We will have renewable energy by then!

Solar, wind, hydro, geothermal!

In the future, cars will have solar panels and houses will have huge rechargable batteries that can store lots of energy
 

Speed6

Retired '16
Joined
Jul 31, 2014
Messages
2,949
Gender
Male
HSC
N/A
Re: What will happen?

We will have renewable energy by then!

Solar, wind, hydro, geothermal!

In the future, cars will have solar panels and houses will have huge rechargable batteries that can store lots of energy
Hey nerd, what is your opinion on the highly radioactive element uranium?
 

Speed6

Retired '16
Joined
Jul 31, 2014
Messages
2,949
Gender
Male
HSC
N/A
Re: What will happen?

Where would you store the waste m9?
Good question, I was hoping that you would bring it up your self and expand on it but I can do it as well ;)

So for radioactive waste, scientists and engineers brought up the topic of sending the waste into space with a rocket. But their smart idea was scrunched, but not thrown out when the government or the company that can do this kind of job said it will cost millions and millions of dollars to build some sort of rocket capable of sending the waste. Its more on the governmental side, this thing. Its is a future option though, take my word for it man.
 

hypermax

Active Member
Joined
Jan 26, 2014
Messages
139
Gender
Undisclosed
HSC
N/A
Re: What will happen?

They will probably make something else into a commodity, like they have for sometime. Wealthy people are stacking gold more gold and even more gold, because they know when the next economic crash happens... shit will hit the fan. We can intergrate renewable energy but the problem for the global elite is that they wont be making as much money as they can, if they didn't use renewable energy. Did you know If 0.3% of this desert were covered in solar panels, we would have enough energy to power Europe! Now take that scale to 1%. We could power the U.S and Europe without the use of Nuclear, Coal, and other non renewable "harmful" substances. But they the global elite all know that.

 

Queenroot

I complete the Squar3
Joined
Sep 11, 2011
Messages
7,487
Location
My bathtub
Gender
Female
HSC
N/A
Re: What will happen?

I think Nuclear Energy is a viable option in Australia, since there's no actual natural disasters (besides bushfires and hurricanes in OLD) to destroy a power plant and have some fukushima shit happen. Chernobyl type accidents are possible, but that's why we put them in remote areas nomsayin.

Other than that Uranium is a great source of energy. :D
 

wannaspoon

ремове кебаб
Joined
Aug 8, 2012
Messages
1,401
Gender
Male
HSC
2007
Uni Grad
2014
Re: What will happen?

Other bio fuels will take over...

Things like ethanol (which is phenomenally easy to make)... As ethanol technologies advance, they are figuring out ways to use bio waste (agricultural waste) to make it... Meaning this would put less strain on things like corn, sugar and other fermentable food supplies... However, if this advance in these technologies is not quick enough, expect their to be a food crisis and possible worldwide famines... (which is very, very bad... the only scenario which would probably mean "gg earth")

Renewable energy will take over supplying powers to cities, etc...
 

Speed6

Retired '16
Joined
Jul 31, 2014
Messages
2,949
Gender
Male
HSC
N/A
Re: What will happen?

I think Nuclear Energy is a viable option in Australia, since there's no actual natural disasters (besides bushfires and hurricanes in OLD) to destroy a power plant and have some fukushima shit happen. Chernobyl type accidents are possible, but that's why we put them in remote areas nomsayin.

Other than that Uranium is a great source of energy. :D
I agree, nuclear energy is a viable option, BUT the greatest of care must be taken with radioactive elements because its radioactivity. Perhaps putting one in outback Australia can be an option in the coming future as you said?
 

Speed6

Retired '16
Joined
Jul 31, 2014
Messages
2,949
Gender
Male
HSC
N/A
Re: What will happen?

Other bio fuels will take over...

Things like ethanol (which is phenomenally easy to make)... As ethanol technologies advance, they are figuring out ways to use bio waste (agricultural waste) to make it... Meaning this would put less strain on things like corn, sugar and other fermentable food supplies... However, if this advance in these technologies is not quick enough, expect their to be a food crisis and possible worldwide famines... (which is very, very bad... the only scenario which would probably mean "gg earth")

Renewable energy will take over supplying powers to cities, etc...
I think they're already experimenting with cooking oil used in large fast food restaurants. I think its a solid step.
 

Amundies

Commander-in-Chief
Joined
Jul 29, 2011
Messages
689
Location
Sydney
Gender
Male
HSC
2013
Uni Grad
2018
Re: What will happen?

It's hard to tell what will happen so far ahead in the future. There could be two main outcomes (at least two):

Either humans discover a new alternative in terms of energy and resources, and we start relying on that rather than oil.

OR

As oil runs out, the prices will sky rocket and significantly change the economy. Then only the very rich and wealthy can afford to purchase that precious oil whilst the 80% of us plebeians will have to live without it.

But research and studies have already started into finding new ways of sustaining the Earth. Stuff you hear in the news are probably just the tip of the iceberg. So even if there's not much news about renewable energy for instance, we shouldn't assume that we won't have a B plan (we shouldn't also assume we are prepared either).



Maybe conflicts will just arise globally with many parties fighting for oil resources *cough --America*. And we end up destroying ourselves along with the earth.
We HAVE discovered different alternatives instead of oil, we just haven't invested in them enough (yet) for it to be made commercially viable.
 

Speed6

Retired '16
Joined
Jul 31, 2014
Messages
2,949
Gender
Male
HSC
N/A
Re: What will happen?

Sugar canes are one of them
 

wannaspoon

ремове кебаб
Joined
Aug 8, 2012
Messages
1,401
Gender
Male
HSC
2007
Uni Grad
2014
Re: What will happen?

I think they're already experimenting with cooking oil used in large fast food restaurants. I think its a solid step.
There is even the development of Bio Diesels, combined with hybrid type automobiles... (small engines that run with the efficiency of a diesel, batteries charged by small engine and the further development of super capacitors for speedy charging through kinetic energy recovery, electric motor)... would probably run rings around present hybrids (in range, efficiency and performance)...

A lot of technologies are coming out which may see oil use moot even before peak oil (if peak oil actually exists)... It's actually a very exciting time...

Then again, we do not only use oil as fuel... It is used in the manufacturing of many things (plastics, soaps, practically everything)
 
Last edited:

Users Who Are Viewing This Thread (Users: 0, Guests: 1)

Top