3.2.5.4 Energy security Flashcards
1
Q
Energy: Oil
A
- Non renewable
- abstracted from the ground with giant drilling machines
- crude oil is converted by oil refinery in a thermal power station converted into petrol, diesel and fuel oils
- 46% of the worlds energy in 1973 now 31% in 2013
2
Q
Energy: Oil Advantages
A
- indispensable in road transport and petrochemical industries
- leading tradeable commodity
- flexible, to transport fuel
3
Q
Energy Oil: Disadvantages
A
- high price volatility
- geopolitical tensions in areas with the largest reserves
- market is dominated by leading oil
- producing countries and large TNCs
4
Q
Energy Oil : How geology impacts supply
A
- reservoirs hold oil in their pores
- due to crude oils liquid texture it creates a geological trap that accumulates above layers of trapped water meaning its harder to supply and fuel prices increase
- economic pressure on fuel prices means that there’s now technological advances allowing once possible resources of oil and gas to now be measured reserves
5
Q
Energy: Natural Gas
A
- non renewable
- found in huge reservoirs called sedimentary basins
- natural gas is converted by combustion after transfer by national grid creating heat for cooking, central hearing (domestic use)
- 21% of the worlds energy
6
Q
Energy: Natural Gas advantages
A
- cleanest of fossil fuels so its better for the environment
- flexible and efficient fuel for power and heat generation
- natural gas is abundant and a major source of energy
7
Q
Energy: natural gas disadvantages
A
- reserves increasingly offshore or in more remote areas
- large investment requirement for gas transport and distribution
- increasingly long supply routes with high infrastructure costs
8
Q
How physical geography affects supply: Natural Gas
A
natural gas is found in rock formations in sedimentary basins sometimes along side oil
9
Q
Energy: Coal
A
- non renewable
– converts into electricity and heat -
10
Q
Advantages : Coal
A
- most plentiful fossil fuel
- huge global reserves
- inexpensive energy resource
- independent on the weather
- convertible to various formats
11
Q
How physical geography affects coal
A
- the access to coal as sedimentary rock which started to form 360 million years ago in swamp conditions on the edge of sedimentary basins such as lagoon and lakes this means it takes along time to form which may limit supply and only available in select countries whose geological past had these conditions
12
Q
Energy: Uranium
A
- non renewable
- obtained through nuclear fission
- converted into electricity
- makes up 6% of worlds energy
13
Q
Uranium advantages
A
- highly energy efficient fuel
- relatively large reserves of uranium
- moderate and predictable cost of electricity over the life of a power station
- atmospheric pollution is overall decreased compared to fossil fuels
14
Q
Uranium disadvantages
A
- high investment and compliance costs
- public concerns over operation and radioactive waste disposal
- potential dangers and impacts of nuclear accidents
- difficult to find
15
Q
Main energy uses
A
- industry has main energy consumption of 25%
- residential has increased by 5x
