by Raffique Shah
02-10-05
In discussion with one of our energy experts recently, when I asked him about
current thinking that this country's oil and gas reserves may run out within 50
years, his response was, "I don't agree with that. As it stands, we have
reserves that could last us that long. And we are still exploring there are good
prospects that we'll find more fossil fuels." Saudi Arabia, he postulated, can
produce crude oil almost indefinitely.
"It now costs them around $ 1 to produce a barrel of crude. But they have
immense reserves of heavier crude which they can tap into for an almost
indefinite time. It will cost more, but it will be there."
Earlier, Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez, almost echoing the sentiments of
my friend, said in Brasilia: "With this mission of energy integration, Venezuela
guarantees petroleum and gas for the South American continent for at least 200
years."
Venezuela and Brazil will jointly exploit oil in the Orinoco tar belt (very
heavy, costly crude). His new "Petroamerica" initiative integrates three current
projects -- PetroCaribe, Petrosur and Petroandina -- under which fuel is sold to
member countries on preferential terms.
Earlier, too, at another important energy meeting, this time the 18th World
Petroleum Congress in Johannesburg, South Africa, Christopher Flavin, president
of the Washington-based Worldwatch Institute, told oil executives and energy
ministers: "Energy markets are about to experience a seismic shift." He stated
that energy drawn from the wind, tide, sun, Earth's heat and farm waste is
poised to begin replacing oil and other fossil fuels.
"The question," Flavin told his distinguished audience, "is whether you are in
the oil business or the energy business."
Who are we to believe on this question of the future of fossil fuels? The
school of thought that energy reserves that lie beneath the Earth are
inexhaustible, or those who believe that not only are fossil fuels are not only
dangerous to the Earth's future, but that they will become increasingly
expensive, and will ultimately be replaced by alternative, renewable energy
sources?
These are questions we need to address since our future as a nation hinges
heavily on our oil and gas reserves. In fact, it was an optimistic Finance
Minister, PM Patrick Manning who delivered the 2005-2006 Budget that was loaded
with largesse and based almost solely on expected revenues from oil and gas.
This debate is not one we should shun, or approach ostrich-like. We in
Trinidad and Tobago, and Chavez in Venezuela, must be both realistic and
futuristic in our thinking lest we find ourselves left in the lurch 10 or 20
years down the road. It's true that at this point oil accounts for about 30 % of
the world's energy use; renewable energy sources currently make up a meagre two
% of world consumption. Other fuel sources are coal (still big in America,
Europe and Asia), hydro-electric and nuclear, in that order.
Renewable energy, however, needs to be taken seriously, more so as oil prices
soar to levels never before seen. Oil, most experts agree, will not dip below $
50 a barrel. In fact, if anything, it's likely to approach the $ 100 mark.
This is welcome news to net oil exporters (like Venezuela and Trinidad and
Tobago), but very bad news to non-oil producing countries, more so the poorest
nations in the world. Outside of nuclear and coal, many European countries are
turning increasingly to wind and solar energy to mitigate their energy bills.
Recently, when President George Bush signed the new Energy Bill, besides
allowing for generous tax breaks ($ 14.5 bn in four years), he also allocated a
tidy sum for pursuing renewable energy. The US currently imports 58 % of its
oil, and this dependency is expected to increase to 68 % by 2025. With prices at
the pumps crossing the $ 3 mark, many Americans have voluntarily "parked up"
their gas guzzling SUVs and luxury cars, and are choosing instead to use public
transport or smaller, in some cases hybrid, cars.
In the past, the price of oil has been largely dictated by Americans'
insatiable appetite for oil. Hell, they have gone to war over oil: witness Iraq
and Afghanistan.
Now, the parameters are changing. If Chavez had not had a vision of "The
Americas" becoming less dependent on the US, both as its major market and the
biggest-muscle-on-the-block, small Caricom countries will have been weeping long
tears. But the truth be told, The Americas (and here I include the Caribbean)
cannot continue to have a virtually free ride on the backs of Venezuela,
Trinidad and Tobago, Ecuador and Mexico.
Is it not better that we plan now for a future based on renewable energy,
rather than risk a continuing dependency on oil and gas?
If we do, we must start now. Capital expenditure on wind and solar energy is
high, and we can use the oil windfall to make this "seismic shift".
Source: Trinidad Express