Quote:
Originally Posted by Bill Bumface
I think those costs are included for sure, I just highly doubt they are the majority of any of the other sub-categories.
And yes, the point I was trying to make is that a marginal barrel now is a lot more energy intensive than in 1999, globally.
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This is generally true globally, and acutely true in Alberta as our average barrel continues to weigh towards oilsands production.
Not only does it take more energy to surface that barrel, the energy content of the crude is lower than conventional light options.
The average barrel of oil put towards oil exploration in 1950 would yield somewhere between 50 - 100 barrels of useful output. Today, it is more like 10 - 20. In Alberta it is closer to 6. This is NOT a curve that reverses, and it is NOT a linear decline. This is in line with resources like Wind.
Dissipative systems like human civilization require a lot of energy to maintain, even more to grow or improve. The excess energy supplied by it's fuel sources go towards that build out. If more energy has to go towards energy collection, that is LESS available for everything else.
Modern industrialized civilizations require an energy return rate around 15. Any sources less than that require energetic subsidization from more abundant supplies. Oil is very much at the cusp of that reality and the oilsands are the perfect example - they are subsidized by natural gas.