Science Forums 2

[Eclogite]

Before any discussion begins I think we need to make clear the distinction between peak oil and running out of oil.

Peak oil reflects the point at which oil production from a field, basin, region, country, or the entire planet, reaches a maximum and then declines. At this point there is still a great deal of oil left. The point at which we run out of oil is distant from the point at which we reach peak oil (production).

What will occur when peak oil arrives on a planetary basis is that oil prices will rise, economic expansion will be slowed, international tensions will increase and promoters of the concept will say "I told you so".

When, many years later, we eventually run out of oil in a practical sense, no one will care, since we will long have implemented an alternative energy strategy.