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Sustainable Oil? -- v. Peak Oil

Addressing the theory in circulation that oil is not solely of organic origin, but that there may be another mode of origin as well from deeper in the crust, involving magma.

Sterling's Preface:
It looks as though there is a substantial body of evidence to support this theory.  Does that mean that the quest for getting away from dependence on fossil fuels is unnecessary?  Absolutely not.  First of all, the greenhouse gasses produced by the burning of such will continue to be a pressing matter that must be addressed.  Second, now that the world has achieved a consciousness about how we treat our planet, this news that we are not so far from depleting our oil reserves is a welcome breath of fresh air, removing some of the panic effect that can foster unrest.

Supporting Evidence, Briefly

• Oil being discovered at 30,000 feet, far below the 18,000 feet where organic matter is no longer found.
• Wells pumped dry later replenished.
• Volume of oil pumped thus far not accountable from organic material alone according to present models.
• In Situ production of methane under the conditions that exist in the Earth's upper mantle. (PhysicsWeb; Sept. 14, 2004)

Expounding the Theory

• Article > Sustainable Oil? - presents theory and evidence that oil is not solely of organic origin. (Rense.com; July 10, 2004)  a reprint of Sustainable Oil (WorldNetDaily; May 25, 2004)
• Data >In situ Production of Inorganic-Derived Petroleum - Scientists in the US have witnessed the production of methane under the conditions that exist in the Earth's upper mantle for the first time. The experiments demonstrate that hydrocarbons could be formed inside the Earth via simple inorganic reactions -- and not just from the decomposition of living organisms as conventionally assumed -- and might therefore be more plentiful than previously thought. (PhysicsWeb; Sept. 14, 2004)
• Peak Oil: Can 3D Exploration Postpone The Peak? - Ability to find reserves more readily may postpone the "peak" phenomenon; general discussion of "peak oil" factors. (MSNBC; Sept. 23, 2004) (Alt Energy Blog)
• Follow-up > More Evidence For Sustainable Oil - (Rense.com; July 10, 2004)
• PhysicsWeb - Science gets hot under the crust
• Thomas Gold - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
• Book > The Deep Hot Biosphere: The Myth of Fossil Fuels - by Thomas Gold, Ph.D. (originally published 1999)

The Deep Hot Biosphere - by Thomas Gold, Ph.D. (2001)

Amazon.com Description of Thomas Gold's book [link above]: Suppose someone claimed that we are NOT running out of petroleum. . . . Or that life on Earth began below the surface, in the dark airless pores of our planet's rocky crust. Or that oil and gas -- so-called "fossil fuels" -- are not the product of biological debris. You might expect to hear statements like these from an author of science fiction. But what if they come from a renowned scientist, someone who has been called "one of the world's most original minds"? In THE DEEP HOT BIOSPHERE, Thomas Gold sets forth truly controversial and astonishing theories: First, he proposes that Earth supports a subterranean organic domain of greater mass and volume than the biosphere -- the total sum of living things -- on its surface. Second, he proposes that the organisms inhabiting this Deep Hot Biosphere are not plants or animals but heat-loving bacteria that survive on a diet of hydrocarbons -- natural gas and petroleum. And third and perhaps most amazingly, he advances the stunning idea that most hydrocarbons on Earth are not "fossil fuels" but part of the primordial "stuff" from which Earth itself was formed some 4.5 billion years ago. The Deep Hot Biosphere may seem difficult to believe at first glance, but its theories are supported by a growing body of evidence, and by the indisputable stature and seriousness Thomas Gold brings to any scientific enterprise. In this book we see a brilliant and boldly original thinker, increasingly a rarity in modern science, as he develops revolutionary conclusions about the fundamental workings of our planet, the origins of life on Earth, the nature of earthquakes, and even the likelihood of life on -- or within -- other planets.

Theory Opponents

• LifeAftertheOilCrash.net - Matt Savinar says "Peak Oil" point of no return has arrived, that the peak happened long ago and that the inevitable economic crash will render consumers unable to invest in, develop, or purchase alt energy devices. (Feet to the Fire interview; Sept. 26)
  [Comment: bottom line is that it is up to people, do we have the will to see a different world?]

More on Peak Oil

• Chart watchers eye $70 peak for oil (Reuters; Oct. 13, 2004)

For Further Study

• Google > "Origins of Petrolium"
• Gas Origin Theories To Be Studied
• The Mystery Of Eugene Island 330
• Odd Reservoir Off Louisiana Prods Oil Experts To Seek A Deeper Meaning
• Fuel's Paradise

Page posted by Sterling D. Allan, July 10, 2004
Last updated October 13, 2004