New description for the debate over oil – Cornucopians vs Peak Oil

There is an old saying to describe someone who is brand new on the job. They are wet behind the ears.  I’m so new to energy issues I need to towel off a while so I can move up to the level of merely wet-behind-the-ears. 

But I’m learning fast. I hope.

If you’ve read many posts here, you know I haven’t found anything from the Peak Oil school of thought that makes any sense at all. Quite the contrary, it is nonstop foolishness to me.

The idea we are entering an era of abundance does make sense.

Million Dollar Way has introduced a new phrasing that frames up the issues well. Mr. Oksal’s post this past weekend is titled Maugeri vs The Oil Drum: Cornucopians vs The Peak Oil Crowd.

In it he provides an overview of the debate between those who think there is a tremendous amount of energy available with more on the way and those who think we will run out the week after next.

Ok, maybe not the week after next. But Peak Oil doctrine says there is an absolute, fixed, date-certain time in the very near future at which point there will be no more oil anywhere on the planet. We will have used it all up. Every drop. And soon.

The post is a good place to start making note of the various positions.

We know about the Peak Oil crowd and their beliefs.

Interesting turn of phrase to describe those perceiving abundance as the Cornucopians. I sense somewhat of a putdown there, but at the same time that phrasing has interesting implications – there is lots of energy.  Increasing reserves. Not enough downstream capacity to get all the oil to refineries. New oil fields.  A time of abundance.  Lots of new long-term jobs.  A reminder all good things come from God. Increased production from new technology.

Not too bad a label. I sorta’ like it. Cornucopians.  Yeah. That’s okay by me. Not that my opinion matters.

Reminds me I need to finish reading The Next Revolution and write a few posts on it. I got half way through before getting distracted.  Good stuff in it.  Mentioned it in an earlier post.

It’s not an accident my previous post was about the recent surge of shale resources having an impact on geopolitics.  That is obviously because we’re running out of oil early next week, huh?

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