I inadvertantly left these out of the prior post. Note everything is copyright by Scientific American.
QUICK ARTICLE SUMMARIES
MARCH 1998
SPECIAL REPORT:
PREVENTING THE NEXT OIL CRUNCH
Global production of oil from conventional sources is
likely to peak and decline permanently during the
next decade, according to the most thoughtful
analyses. In these articles, industry experts explain
why and describe technologies that could cushion
against the shock of a new energy crisis.
THE END OF CHEAP OIL
Colin J. Campbell and Jean H. Laherr�re
Forecasts about the abundance of oil are usually
warped by inconsistent definitions of "reserves." In
truth, every year for the past two decades the
industry has pumped more oil than it has discovered,
and production will soon be unable to keep up with
rising demand.
MINING FOR OIL
Richard L. George
Tarry sands and shales in Canada alone hold more
than 300 billion barrels of petroleum, more than
Saudi Arabia's reserves. Some companies can now
extract that oil economically, while addressing
environmental concerns over open-pit mining.
OIL PRODUCTION IN THE 21ST CENTURY
Roger N. Anderson
Tracking the flow of underground crude,
pressurizing dead wells and steering drills
horizontally will help keep current oil fields alive.
Meanwhile better engineering will open reserves
under the deep ocean.
LIQUID FUELS FROM NATURAL GAS
Safaa A. Fouda
Liquefied as gasoline, methanol or diesel fuel,
natural gas can buffer the coming decline in crude
oil. Technological improvements are making this
conversion cheaper and more efficient.