John Ryden is an Engineer with a background in Finance and Economics. Here he will discuss how energy production, energy use, and conservation affect us and the rest of the world with a focus on the economic implications.

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Restricting Drilling Offshore and in ANWR May Actually Increase Global Warming

1 comment

June 20, 10:46 AM

by John Ryden, Global Warming Examiner

Offshore Oil Drilling Ship

It seems so simple. If you just stop drilling, you can reduce global warming. But, that may not be the result. We have to consider the effects of policy in the context of a world economy. Restricting drilling will reduce supply, which should raise prices for oil. This may cause alternative sources of oil, such as additional Canadian Tar Sands to be developed. If tar sand oil is substituted for high grade sweet oil from ANWR for example, then carbon dioxide emissions go up. Extracting oil from tar sands consumes a lot of energy and releases a lot of carbon dioxide, much more than drilling wells at ANWR.

If energy prices are increased in this country, it may drive production of goods off-shore to countries like China that are almost 4 times less energy efficient in the release of carbon dioxide than we are in the United States. Any policy that moves production from the US to China hurts our job market, damages our economy, and increases global warming.

It will take decades to replace our current energy infrastructure with clean, renewable energy technology. We should be producing energy from our cleanest fossil fuel resources to give us the time to develop this clean infrastructure. It would make more sense to restrict the development of energy sources like coal and oil shale that release a tremendous amount of carbon dioxide compared to traditional oil development. Natural gas has half the carbon content for the same amount of energy as coal.

Instead of restricting drilling, we should focus on incentives to develop more carbon efficient vehicles and alternative energy resources.

Topics: Global Warming , Coal , Carbon Dioxide , China , oil , Alternative Energy , natural gas , energy prices , oil shale , tar sands , energy policy

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Bush signs $25 billion loan guarantee to auto industry postponing their collapse

6 comments

October 1, 3:12 PM

President Bush signed the bill authorizing $25 billion in loan guarantees to the auto industry. U.S. auto companies are being hammered by high gasoline prices, weak consumer spending, the credit crisis, and tough competition from foreign imports.U.S.... Read More
Topics: Global Warming , oil , gasoline , GM , consumption tax , John dingell , loan guarantee

Off shore oil development is back on - for now

Add a Comment

September 30, 3:47 PM

Little noticed during the congressional debate on the financial bailout plan has been the passing of continuing resolution for funding the government into next year. With the partisan rancor in congress and the upcoming election, a lot of spending bills... Read More
Topics: Bush , oil , Alternative Energy , nuclear , McCain , oil shale , Obama , Nancy Pelosi , California , offshore drilling

Chavez to sell China oil currently going to US

2 comments

September 24, 4:42 PM

Hugo Chavez, president of Venezuela, is currently in China making deal to supply China with up to 1 million barrels of oil per day by 2011. Under the agreement, China will invest $4 billion in Venezuela’s oil industry to secure this supply of oil.... Read More
Topics: China , oil , ExxonMobil , Mexico , offshore drilling

Arctic sea ice second lowest coverage on record

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September 23, 5:11 PM

NASA reported that Arctic sea ice reached its lowest extent for the year on September 16th. Each year the sea ice cover contracts during the summer and then grows again during the winter. The maximum extent is in March of each year.This year the sea... Read More
Topics: Global Warming , Greenhouse , Arctic , Methane

Global warming costs from Hurricane Ike

1 comment

September 17, 4:51 PM

Damage in Florida from Hurricane Andrew in 1992The amount of damage from Hurricane Ike is going to total in the tens of billions of dollars. I have seen estimates where the insured costs are likely to be as high as $20 billion.This is going to be... Read More
Topics: hurricane , hurricane ike

Hurricane Ike – in harms way

3 comments

September 15, 3:22 PM

Hurricane Ike has moved out of Texas, but left a wake of destruction in its path. It appeared that the hurricane started moving North just before landfall. This moved the eye right over Galveston. I was watching some of the Fox live coverage with Geraldo... Read More
Topics: Global Warming , hurricane ike

Hurricane Ike storm surge could be greater than Katrina

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September 12, 7:54 PM

Hurricane Ike is heading towards Galveston, Texas. The storm is a Category 2 storm, very close to Category 3 strength. The storm is huge. Hurricane force winds extend up to 120 miles from the center. Tropical Force winds extend out to 275 miles.The potential... Read More
Topics: Global Warming , hurricane , ike

Natural gas producer promoting – natural gas

1 comment

September 12, 4:01 PM

CNG-NOW!Chesapeake Energy Corporation is promoting the use of compressed natural gas (CNG) as an alternative to gasoline in cars. Chesapeake Energy Corporation is the second-largest independent producer and third-largest overall producer of natural gas... Read More
Topics: Global Warming , Bush , Carbon Dioxide , natural gas , natural gas vehicle , CNG

Congress to develop energy policy

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September 10, 12:06 PM

Democrats in Congress have been put on the defensive by the electorate who collectively seem to understand that we need to develop our country’s oil and natural gas resources. The idea that not drilling off-shore will somehow solve our energy... Read More