Just out of curiosity and lack of knowledge, should we be afraid yet if we are going to run out of supply? I was watching a show today that said something about maybe in the future somewhere there will be no more fossil fuels because lack of chemicals/ingredients to make it. Does anyone think we should be worried about it yet? Isn't there any kind of substitution for any of the ingredients/chemicals that can be used to replace them and still be able to run in the internal gas combustion engine? I have no knowledge about this topic since I only caught a last glance before the show was over. What are your thoughts or knowledge on this o No: Just out of curiousity. Thanks
Im not worried about gas. Right now it is $20 every 2-3 weeks per car, in our 2 Toyotas. I dont think it will "dry up" anytime soon. But who knows? o No:
Well I voted "Don't know" but I figure if gas companies are determined enough if supply ran short, they would have to figure out something as you know they won't want quit selling it and would have to figure out something to substitute it with. Im not worried about it now but im just curious about everyone's thoughts and knowledge on this topic.
The oil companies are going to be their own doom in this one. They keep raising the price more and more so people start buying more fuel efficient cars (I'd say another 5-10 years) and then they have to charge even more to keep their profits as high as they have now and I don't think $6 for a gallon of gas would last very long before people would start female dogging about the price and cause a gas market crash that'll leave the oil companies in shambles. The good part about this is in 10 or so years our hobby will have really cheap gas because the companies will actually have to compete with each other since the demand will be so low.
We will run out someday, but not in our lifetime. Alternatives already exist, but aren't terribly practicle yet. We'll probably move on to electric long before the supply of oil is exhausted, so I don't see a future panic about fuel.
Necessity is the mother of invention. That's all there is to it. Unlike Cody though, I don't think there will ever be cheap gas. You have to remember Cody just because there is very little demand, doesn't mean that the price will fall, oil companies will just pump less, look at the price of a GS grille as an example, there is next to ZERO market and there are next to ZERO around. You could also say that the consumer is benefiting from economy of scale, which wouldn't happen in a market that pumped less oil. Finally due to the world economics, they can make up the slack in emerging countries. But back to the Original question. Will oil ever run out? I think as a viable fuel for the masses it will some day. How far off? Well the "experts" predicted it would be gone already, and it isn't so who knows. I'll dump the 455 when they come up with an electric motor can match it.
I doubt they would stop the supply quite like that, especially since they dump millions of dollars into it every year and have billions in the equipment and everything. In my example above, they would still be making money, just not as much and they would be more sensitive to the market. I know there's a word for that and now the "sleeping in economics" doesn't seem like it was such a good idea those years ago. ou:
Remember them commercials for the home brew beer kit on late night TV??? We need the same for gas. the home brew racing fuel kit.
Even if "crude" oil were no more, what about other alternatives such as "synthetic" oil, you can substitute the "synthetic" for the "crude" oil and everytime an oil change comes up just put in synthetic, same with gas stations, instead of mixing crude oil in with gas why not synthetic? Im no expert, yet far from it, but my theory should work shouldn't it? Interesting topic.
Hey Cody, It has to do witht he way it's refined, I think even synthetic oil is produced from chemicals that come from "crude" oil. As it's refined, different aspects are used for different applications, you can't turn one barrel of crude into one barrel of gasoline, some becomes furnace oil, tar, diesel, airline fuel, and the like.
I can see my kids bringing the grand kids up to the house someday in the distant future. I'll take the kids for a ride. I'll be in heaven they'll think this old man is crazy driving this old stinky thing. I can't wait!
Never thought about it like that, but I guess it is used for different things. But from the way science and tech. is improving greatly and yet gradually over the years, they should be able to come up with something. If oil were to run out tommorow, what would they do make us get rid of our cars that run on fuel and make us all buy electric/solar powered cars?? They can't do that, I can see from the way gas prices are and stuff, people might start considering but converting from electric/solar cars aren't an overnight thing, in the mean time they'll have to figure how to keep our gas combustion motored cars on the road. Nice thoughts and opinions from everyone though, very interesting topic!!!
I hate to monopolize here but... I'm all for alternative fuels. But so far, all have inherent weeknesses. Mostly with the creating of them. A strictly battery operated electric car has a large short coming in cold temeratures. Also, if you're buring coal to make electricity, then whats the point? Same goes for the refining of hydrogen and ethenol. In my opinion ithink the hybrids are the way that autos will go, with a constant improving of economy, gas will always become more expensive. I think for the forseeable future gasoline will be here, and it'll just get harder and harder to fill the Buicks of the world
Another thing to think about is that the materials that go into alternative fuels have to come from somewhere as well and eventually they would run out as well.
I also have to agree with what Bruce said, you have the money, they'll have the oil. There is oil wells that have never even been touched yet, it's just that they haven't been drilled into because of some environmentalists, but don't worry they will be drilled into when the time comes. As far as im concerned, im not even going to worry about it as even if oil does get more expensive and all this stuff, it's worth it to pay the price than to get rid of my pride and joy(my buick). In my opinion, oil supply is too big to worry about right now, not even including the immaculate untouched oil wells.
I voted that there will be enough!! The thing is ,I am old enough that when it does run out, I will already be planted!!
Hopefully there will be enough to outlast my lifetime to as I don't want to see the end of oil, which I have very much doubt if they run out between now and 100 years(hopefully)
