Oil reserves should not be thought of as physical entities

This article in the Atlantic explains the interaction between technology and energy resources when estimating energy reserves. The article begins with a portrait of the search for methods to harvest natural gas in methane hydrates (see some additional info here). It presents some nice historical context of the ongoing debates about oil reserves from the optimistic (from social scientists) and pessimistic (natural scientists) viewpoints - which is useful for interpreting some of the current discussions about the future of energy.

An article in the New York Times (here) discusses the implications of decreased US (and other country) reliance on fuel imports for Russia, Saudi Arabia, and other large exporters. And of course the nature gas revolution and the notion that reserves are much larger than previously estimated have real implications for greenhouse gas emissions. Given the importance of fossil fuels in our lives and expansion of new sources, does this make carbon capture and storage the only viable alternative to reducing emissions? See this piece by Sarewitz and Pielke.

The Atlantic article includes a map (reproduced below) of methane hydrate deposits and notes that determining ownership of undersea assets is difficult.


Stored mostly in broad, shallow layers beneath the seafloor, methane hydrate is, by some estimates, twice as abundant as all other fossil fuels combined. The yellow squares show where methane hydrate has already been recovered; the blue dots, where it is thought to exist. (Map by Alice Cho)