Glg 101 Week 9 Review Questions
Week 9 Review Questions
1. Oil production in the United States satisfies only half of the country's needs; the rest is imported. If imports were cut off, what changes would you expect to occur in your lifestyle?
If oil imports were cut off, the changes to my lifestyle and to the United States would be devastating. Gasoline prices would skyrocket. This would force me and others to curtail our driving. I might have to rely on public transportation; however, the cost of said transportation would also increase. There would be gas rationing as the government would need to have gas for the military and other essentials to keep the government running. Prices for other goods such as food would also increase as it would become more expensive to ship items from place to place.
2. Investigate how geophysicist M. King Hubbert predicted in 1956 that annual U.S. oil production would peak in the early 1970s (the actual peak occurred in 1971). Also, investigate the debate over whether the same predictive technique can be applied to world oil supplies. When do you think world oil production will reach its peak—or has it done so already?
According to Kuwaiti scientists, global oil production will peak in 2014 (Hsu, 2010). These scientists used some of Hubbert’s techniques as well as adding new information such as the rise of renewable energy, economic factors, and new technological innovations (Hsu, 2010). Of course, there are many different opinions. Some believe we have already reached the peak. Nevertheless, the discovery of new oil is declining as the use of oil is increasing. This will eventually lead to the peak in oil production.
3. Many hydrothermal mineral deposits of copper, gold, silver, and other metals have been found in the countries bordering the Pacific Ocean. Can you offer an explanation for this remarkable concentration? If you were part of a team of exploration geologists looking for large copper deposits, where would you focus your search?
1. Oil production in the United States satisfies only half of the country's needs; the rest is imported. If imports were cut off, what changes would you expect to occur in your lifestyle?
If oil imports were cut off, the changes to my lifestyle and to the United States would be devastating. Gasoline prices would skyrocket. This would force me and others to curtail our driving. I might have to rely on public transportation; however, the cost of said transportation would also increase. There would be gas rationing as the government would need to have gas for the military and other essentials to keep the government running. Prices for other goods such as food would also increase as it would become more expensive to ship items from place to place.
2. Investigate how geophysicist M. King Hubbert predicted in 1956 that annual U.S. oil production would peak in the early 1970s (the actual peak occurred in 1971). Also, investigate the debate over whether the same predictive technique can be applied to world oil supplies. When do you think world oil production will reach its peak—or has it done so already?
According to Kuwaiti scientists, global oil production will peak in 2014 (Hsu, 2010). These scientists used some of Hubbert’s techniques as well as adding new information such as the rise of renewable energy, economic factors, and new technological innovations (Hsu, 2010). Of course, there are many different opinions. Some believe we have already reached the peak. Nevertheless, the discovery of new oil is declining as the use of oil is increasing. This will eventually lead to the peak in oil production.
3. Many hydrothermal mineral deposits of copper, gold, silver, and other metals have been found in the countries bordering the Pacific Ocean. Can you offer an explanation for this remarkable concentration? If you were part of a team of exploration geologists looking for large copper deposits, where would you focus your search?
References: Hsu, J. (2010). Peak oil production predicted for 2014. Retrieved from http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/35838273/ns/business-oil_and_energy/t/peak-oil- production-predicted/