looking for peak oil statistics...

Where would one go to find historical data on the ratio of fossil fuels used in pumping/production/delivery vs. total fuels pumped out of the ground? A graph of this data would help draw some conclusions about the peak oil situation.

Does anyone know roughly what that percentage is now? I've heard its over 1/3 of gross fuel consumed in getting the fuel pumped, processed, and delivered to retail locations from rigs.

Sri Oracle

I think you are talking about EROEI (Energy Returned on Energy Invested)

This does an okay job in explaining EROEI

www.eroei.com...

Though, the site still looks like its under construction. But here is a list

www.eroei.com...

An article on Wikipedia states

when oil was originally discovered, it took on average one barrel of oil to find, extract, and process about 100 barrels of oil. That ratio has declined steadily over the last century to about 3 in the US (and about 10 in Saudi Arabia).

en.wikipedia.org...

So, yes. On average, for every three barrels we grab we spend the equivelant of one, within the US anyway.

Can't seem to find a historical charts on EROEI but I did find some historical prices. 1997 oil was under $5 a barrel. Natural Gas was a little over $2.

www.eia.doe.gov...

www.eia.doe.gov...

So what's that a 1200% increase in the price of oil and a 700% increase in price of Natural Gas?

Is it just the commodity traders have a field day or is the stuff coming out slower?

Is it just the commodity traders have a field day or is the stuff coming out slower?

Short answer both. Traders do add a preimium to the price but that preimium is usually only 10-15 % either +/- the current "Real Value" of the oil. Right now we are in the + range so that is exasperating the Cost of Oil right now but it's not true that they Traders control the market there are too many people involved(eg Tens of Thousands) to even consider such a vast conspiracy, even more ludicris then the Moon Landing Hoax theories.

I read through the links... right on subject... just no historical data

but for right now were burning 1/3 of a barrel for every barrel we get to the pump in the US. Is there any projection for when we are at a 1 to 1 ratio; one barrel used to get it to the pump and one barrel available for sale? When would the industry collapse economically? What happens when it takes five barrels burned to get one to the pump for sale? Do we know of any historical energy returns? For example... in 1940 how many gallons of oil were consumed getting a barrel to pump?

oracle

Back then it was something like 1 barrel for every 50 pumped out of the ground as the resources were much closer to the surface then they are today.

[edit on 16-10-2005 by Thatoneguy]


[edit on 16-10-2005 by Thatoneguy]