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Can the oil run out? Is there a never ending supply down there?

Posted on 5/18/10 at 1:45 pm
Posted by Nike1
On the Lake
Member since Jun 2009
2846 posts
Posted on 5/18/10 at 1:45 pm
Seems like it would run out sooner or later?
Posted by Bwana Whiskey
Member since Dec 2008
6777 posts
Posted on 5/18/10 at 1:49 pm to
eventually
Posted by Indiana Tiger
Member since Feb 2005
4098 posts
Posted on 5/18/10 at 1:50 pm to
quote:

Seems like it would run out sooner or later?

Yes it would. Later. Really, really later.
Posted by jeffsdad
Member since Mar 2007
24042 posts
Posted on 5/18/10 at 2:04 pm to
Heard some "expert" on tv say in about 12 years. I dunno.
Posted by ItTakesAThief
Scottsdale, Arizona
Member since Dec 2009
10283 posts
Posted on 5/18/10 at 2:05 pm to

Well it is a matter or pressure. I am not a geologist, but everything underground is under pressure. When you open a hole it releases the pressure, and oil and gas come up.

Over time the pressure is relieved and the amount of oil and gas coming up will slowly decrease.

But depending on the reservoir size and other forces this would take a long time.
Posted by Indiana Tiger
Member since Feb 2005
4098 posts
Posted on 5/18/10 at 2:10 pm to
The point is that it would be much later than the efforts to cap will take.
Posted by Rex
Here, there, and nowhere
Member since Sep 2004
66001 posts
Posted on 5/18/10 at 2:14 pm to
There's a theory (google "abiotic oil") that oil is not a fossil fuel at all but a carbon liquid generated in the core of the earth.

But if we use it faster than it replenishes it doesn't matter, anyway.
Posted by back9Tiger
Island Coconut Salesman
Member since Nov 2005
17552 posts
Posted on 5/18/10 at 2:32 pm to
oil is a fossil fuel. it's hydrocarbons, just like natural gas, i.e. fossil fuel
Posted by ottothewise
Member since Sep 2008
32094 posts
Posted on 5/18/10 at 2:36 pm to
it would run out of pressure before it ran out of oil.

Thus, the oil fields of Pennsylvania still hold 90% of the original oil, but there is no pressure to get it out with.
They had oil derrick rigs every 50 feet in the 1870's, before there was concern over ruining fields.

Oklahoma is quite similar. fields with lots of oil, but no pressure.

We will get that oil out in 10 or 20 years after the microbe technology is perfected. the oil will be eaten by microbes and turned into natural gas.

Meanwhile, lets hope they can control this one in a few days.
Its likely now that they have the tube in place.

Posted by back9Tiger
Island Coconut Salesman
Member since Nov 2005
17552 posts
Posted on 5/18/10 at 2:59 pm to
quote:

it would run out of pressure before it ran out of oil.


this.... usually when you start hearing "water flood" or "watershed" They have been running low on pressure in a formation that they still feel is very viable and economical. Could take years or decades to run out of pressure, depending on the formation.
Posted by GREENHEAD22
Member since Nov 2009
20508 posts
Posted on 5/18/10 at 3:14 pm to
The initial pressure when the well is drilled is called primary recovery, usually 10-15% of the oil in place is recovered this way. Secondary primary deals with water flood and gas lifts, acid treating as well as a couple other techniques. Tertiary recovery is the final stage, we use chemical floods, steam injection, and other ways of heating the reservoir. The new thing is microbes and nanoreporters. But very new and not widely used. Secondary recovery usually yields up to 20-25% of the oil in place and tertiary can yield up to 40%.
This post was edited on 5/18/10 at 3:24 pm
Posted by TheHiddenFlask
The Welsh red light district
Member since Jul 2008
18384 posts
Posted on 5/18/10 at 3:34 pm to
quote:

There's a theory (google "abiotic oil") that oil is not a fossil fuel at all but a carbon liquid generated in the core of the earth.



How much crack does one have to smoke to come up with this idea?

I read for about 2 minutes, melted my mind and stopped.
Posted by the LSUSaint
Member since Nov 2009
15444 posts
Posted on 5/18/10 at 3:52 pm to
years!
Posted by TejasHorn
High Plains Driftin'
Member since Mar 2007
11587 posts
Posted on 5/18/10 at 3:56 pm to
Can we just let it run for 12 years and use the gulf as a big oil reserve?

We are addicted to the sh*t after all.
Posted by Mudminnow
Houston, TX
Member since Aug 2004
34200 posts
Posted on 5/18/10 at 3:58 pm to
quote:

Can we just let it run for 12 years and use the gulf as a big oil reserve?


Its looking like that way now
Posted by TheHiddenFlask
The Welsh red light district
Member since Jul 2008
18384 posts
Posted on 5/18/10 at 5:14 pm to
I went to the gym and thought about the people who are promoting the theory of abiotic oil and I think I'm even more shocked about it now.

I don't even have any idea why anyone would question the source of oil in the first place, the pieces fit together perfectly. Some people have way too much time on their hand and just want to be a pioneer of some field of thought.
Posted by Crawdaddy
Slidell. The jewel of Louisiana
Member since Sep 2006
19092 posts
Posted on 5/18/10 at 5:24 pm to
in 2012 when it sucks the inside of the earth dry causing an implosion
Posted by jim712
Baton Rouge
Member since Aug 2006
1520 posts
Posted on 5/18/10 at 6:02 pm to
quote:

I went to the gym and thought about the people who are promoting the theory of abiotic oil and I think I'm even more shocked about it now.

I don't even have any idea why anyone would question the source of oil in the first place, the pieces fit together perfectly. Some people have way too much time on their hand and just want to be a pioneer of some field of thought.


Don't be too shocked. After all, a sizeable portion of our population actually embrace young earth creationism. Data is irrelevant to these folks.
Posted by Oyster
North Shore
Member since Feb 2009
10224 posts
Posted on 5/18/10 at 7:02 pm to
quote:

Don't be too shocked. After all, a sizeable portion of our population actually embrace young earth creationism. Data is irrelevant to these folks.



I am never shocked at the BS people will believe. Just look at all the people that got elected in Washington DC!
Posted by windriver
West Monroe/San Diego
Member since Mar 2006
8656 posts
Posted on 5/18/10 at 8:40 pm to
depends on the size of the resovoir
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