6.5

Question 1

Describe the relationship between the supply and demand of coal.

Answer 1

There is a small mismatch - 8/10 of the worlds largest coal producers are also 8/10 of the worlds largest coal consumers.

E.g. China, USA, South Africa are on both lists

Question 2

Why is there a small mismatch between the supply and demand of coal.

Answer 2

Coal has a low energy density - meaning it is needed in larger quantities. As a result, it is more likely to be consumed in the same area as it produced.

Question 3

Describe the relationship between the supply and demand of oil.

Answer 3

There is a large mismatch between oil consumption and oil production. This can be seen in Japan, where there isn’t high production of oil by they are the world’s hard largest importers with 4.2million barrels everyday.

Question 4

Why is there a large mismatch between the supply and demand of oil.

Answer 4

3 reasons:
- Oil is energy dense, meaning despite high transportation, less oil is needed.
- Oil can be transported easily, through pipelines and ocean tankers.
- Oil has a variety of functions - labelled the ‘lifeblood’ of industrialised nations. This can be seen as 97% of the UK’s transport sector energy demand is met by oil supply.

Question 5

Describe the relationship between the supply and demand of natural gas.

Answer 5

There is a large mismatch between the production and consumption of natural gas. This can be seen as Iran produce high levels of gas but aren’t a main consumer of natural gas.

Question 6

Why is there a large mismatch between the supply and demand of gas?

Answer 6

• Natural gas is highly desired as it’s considered cleaner than oil and coal.
• It is possible to liquify gas meaning it can be transported easily.
• It is very energy dense meaning despite high transportation costs, it is still desirable, as not a lot is needed.
• Lots of the world’s leading coal and oil producers, also produce gas meaning they don’t need to consume as much natural gas.

Question 7

Why are energy pathways essential?

Answer 7

• some countries have very limited supplies and heavily rely on imported sources of energy - e.g. Japan
• some countries have a vast reserves in remote places e.g. Alaska
• some countries have abundant supplies e.g. Russia.
• Some countries level of development is a barrier to be to exploit their own supplies - e.g. Nigeria.

Question 8

What are 4 reasons energy pathways can be disrupted?

Answer 8

• Political conflict
• Piracy
• Extreme weather
• Proxy wars

Question 9

What is an example of how political conflict can cause disruption to energy pathways?

Answer 9

Terrorism disrupted the Trans Forcados pipeline, as it was bombed by militants, causing a loss of 300,000 tonnes of crude oil a day.

Question 10

What is an example of how piracy can cause disruption to energy pathways?

Answer 10

This can be seen along the Straight of Malacca, between Malaysia, Indonesia and Singapore, over 500 attacks have occurred between 2009-15. This frequently occurred at choke points, with the straight of Malacca being the world’s second largest choke point - where 15.2 million barrels of oil are moved a day.

Question 11

What is an example of how extreme weather can cause disruption to energy pathways?

Answer 11

In 2013, the UK’s gas reserves fell during a stormy winter. This led to only 6 hours’ worth of gas being available, due to storm damage paralysing an import pipeline.

Question 12

What is deep water oil?

Answer 12

As accessible reserves run out, companies will have to look deeper into ocean waters for oil.

Question 13

What is tar sands?

Answer 13

Tar sands (aka. oil sands, bituminous sands or extra heavy oil) are naturally occurring mixture of sand,clay, water and a dense viscous form of petroleum called bitumen. Canada has 73% of known global stocks.

Question 14

What is oil shale?

Answer 14

deposits of organic compounds called kerogen in sedimentary rocks that have not undergone sufficient pressure, heat or time to become conventional oil. The US has 77% of known global reserves.

Question 15

What is shale gas?

Answer 15

Usually methane in coal seams, or natural gas trapped in fractures and pores of sandstones and shales.

Question 16

How is deep water oil extracted?

Answer 16

• Accessed by deep drilling in oilfields located offshore.

Question 17

How is tar sands extracted?

Answer 17

It is too thick to be pumped from the ground, therefore it needs to be strip-mined. It is then injected with steam to make the tar less viscous so that it can be pumped out.

Question 18

How is oil shale extracted?

Answer 18

Oil shale can be mined, but must be heated to a temperature to release the oil - this is expensive and releases greenhouse gases.

Question 19

How is shale gas extracted?

Answer 19

It can’t be extracted by normal drilling. Instead, the rock must be broken to free the gas, which is done by hydraulic fracturing - fracking.

Question 20

Where in the world is deep water oil being exploited?

Answer 20

Gulf of Mexico, Atlantis

Question 21

Where in the world is tar sands being exploited?

Answer 21

Canada and Venezuela

Question 22

Where in the world is oil shale being exploited?

Answer 22

The USA have large reserves in the Green River Formation of rocks in Canada, Utah and Alaska.

Question 23

Where in the world is shale gas being exploited?

Answer 23

In the USA natural gas overtook coal as the main generator of electricity.

Question 24

What are the economical & social costs of deep water oil?

Answer 24

Not easy, as hurricanes may occur, as well as possible leaks which may occur, leading to wasted supply.

Question 25

What are the economical & social costs of tar sands?

Answer 25

Expensive process as oil must be separated from sands using very hot water diluted with lighter hydrocarbons. Large amounts of energy is needed for heating and pumping.

Question 26

What are the economical & social costs of oil shale?

Answer 26

Oil shale can be mined but must must be heated to a high temperature to release the oil, which is expensive.

Question 27

What are the economical & social costs of shale gas?

Answer 27

Fracking can cause earthquakes. Many drill sites are also needed.

Question 28

What is the benefits of deep water oil?

Answer 28

Produces 200,000 barrels of oil and 5.1m^3 of gas per day.

Question 29

What is the benefit of tar sands?

Answer 29

Is more economical to extract oil from sands when oil princes are high.

Question 30

What is the benefit of oil shale?

Answer 30

US has reserves of 800 billion barrels.

Question 31

What is the benefit of shale gas?

Answer 31

Increasing the energy reserves and reduces the need for imports. The carbon footprint of shale gas is about half of that of coal and lower than liquefied natural gas (LNG).

Question 32

What are the implications of deep water oil on the carbon cycle?

Answer 32

Not very involved in the carbon cycle

Question 33

What are the implications of tar sands on the carbon cycle?

Answer 33

Huge amounts of electricity needed for heating and pumping, which will come from burning fossil fuels, releasing carbon dioxide.

Question 34

What are the implications of oil shale on the carbon cycle?

Answer 34

Not very involved in the carbon cycle.

Question 35

What are the implications of shale gas on the carbon cycle?

Answer 35

It is still a fossil fuel, releasing carbon dioxide when combusted.

Question 36

What is the consequences of deep water oil on the environment?

Answer 36

Can lead to oil spills.

Question 37

What is the consequences of tar sands on the environment?

Answer 37

• The amount of energy needed contributes to global warming is 3 times higher than conventional oil.
• The mining process scars the landscape, impacting local wildlife and people, leaks into water supplies.

Question 38

What is the consequences of oil shale on the environment?

Answer 38

• Disturbs land and vegetation cover.
• Disposal of the waste after processing, over-use of water resources, air and water pollution.

Question 39

What is the consequences of shale gas on the environment?

Answer 39

• Lowered local groundwater levels, possible chemical contamination of groundwater and surface water, methane gas leaks, adding to the greenhouse effect.
• Risk of minor earth tremors
• Carbon Dioxide is released into the atmosphere, causing global climate change.

Question 40

What are governments attitudes towards fossil fuels?

Answer 40

Experts say the world will be dependent on fossil fuels for the foreseeable future to increase energy security.

Question 41

What are oil companies attitudes towards fossil fuels?

Answer 41

They are able to gain massive profits from fossil fuels.

Question 42

What are environmental pressure groups attitudes towards fossil fuels?

Answer 42

Aim to conserve land and prevent the deforestation of primary forest, as well as protect habitats and vegetation cover.

Question 43

What are local communities attitudes towards fossil fuels?

Answer 43

• New jobs in the area
• Fears over pollution of rivers as well as illnesses during extraction - e.g. auto-immune diseases.
• Disruption to traditional ways of life - areas inhabited by indigenous people.
• There may be problems with housing displaced residents.

Question 44

What are 2 positives of tar sands as a contributor to the world’s energy?

Answer 44

• Very large supply - second largest oil field in the world
• big economic driver in Alberta. Jobs for native amercians.

Question 45

What are 2 negatives of tar sands as a contributor to the world’s energy?

Answer 45

• Requires strip-mining which can be up to 100m deep.
• To retrieve bitumen, it needs to be melted above its melting point, before being pumped out.
• requires steam injection and upgrading - both give oil its high energy cost, resulting in its low energy return on investment (about 1:3)

Question 46

What are 2 positives of oil shale as a contributor to the world’s energy?

Answer 46

• The process of extracting oil shale is more flexible than traditional methods of oil extractions.
• Reduced oil and gas prices: oil prices can be reduced, as there is more gas available for extraction.

Question 47

What are 2 negative of oil shale as a contributor to the world’s energy?

Answer 47

• uses a lot of natural resources - fracking is controversial because of its consumption of natural resources. A single well can use up to 16 million gallons of water. This means a lot of water is needed to be shipped in.
• Fracking liquid can leak into a community’s groundwater either by accident or if they are incorrectly disposed of. If the fields are near groundwater reservoir, the fracking fluid can be directly injected into drinking water.

Question 48

What are 2 positives of shale gas as a contributor to the world’s energy?

Answer 48

• Large shale gas reserves - 60 years worth of energy supply - shale gas reserves out-number conventional gas reserves, with 48 major shale basins in 32 counties.
• Shale gas is considered to be a cleaner fossil fuel than coal, with shale gas having half the carbon footprint of coal and a lower carbon footprint than liquified natural gas (LNG). Gas is considered a transition fuel source on the way to more sustainable technologies.

Question 49

What are 2 negatives of shale gas as a contributor to the world’s energy?

Answer 49

• Methane has x20 the warming power of CO2. It will then decay into CO2 after 100 years. The amount of methane produced during shale gas extraction is 40% higher than a conventional source. This is because around 5% of total production of a shale gas well escapes.
• Hydraulic fracking can have devastating ecological impacts, with fracking fluid being toxic and containing carcinogens.
• It is also a long process taking around 1000 days, where traffic is significant, leaving a large carbon footprint.
• Deforestation may also take place to provide space for the fracking well.
• Chemicals can contaminate aquifers, disrupting drinking supplies.

Question 50

What are 2 positives of deep water oil as a contributor to the world’s energy?

Answer 50

• Produces 200,000 barrels of oil and 5.1 million m^3 of gas per day. High supply allows it to be used as a contributor to the world’s energy use.
• Offshore drilling has also provided the ability to increase oil production, as well as energy independence.

Question 51

What are 2 negative of deep water oil as a contributor to the world’s energy?

Answer 51

• Not easy, as hurricanes may occur, as well as possible leaks that may occur.
• The process of oil extraction offshore is more expensive and dangerous than onshore drilling projects.

Question 52

What is a positive of unconventional fossil fuels?

Answer 52

Increases the amount of energy reserves available to be used, providing energy security around the world.

Question 53

What is a negative or unconventional fossil fuels?

Answer 53

• Low energy return in investment (EROI)