Energy Pathways Flashcards
Define : Energy pathways
flows of energy from producer to consumer
What is the greatest region in terms of net exports of energy?
the Middle East
Where does the USA import most of its oil from? How many barrels?
Canada
2,435 barrels
Where is the Middle East’s biggest oil market?
Japan
Is Europe or China’s oil imports from the Middle East greater?
Europe
For every 100lites of oil consumed in the EU, how many are imported?
90litres
EU domestic oil production has declined by what in the past decade?
declined 50%
Since when has EU oil production declined by 50%
in the past decade
The proposed Nord Stream II pipeline proposes funnelling gas from where to where?
from Russia to Germany
What is the Nord Stream II pipeline a response to
declining energy security in Europe
What has Brazil done to increase its domestic energy security?
worked since 1970 to reduce energy imports
now major exporter of bioethanol
Where is now a major exporter of bioethanol after being an energy importer pre-1970s?
Brazil
What advantages can Europe receive if they take advantage of biofuels produced from agricultural and household waste?
- improve energy security
- recycle waste
- produce jobs (often in rural areas)
The proposed Nabucco pipeline would transport what?
Natural gas
Nabucco would run for how long?
3,000km
Nabisco would take gas from where to where? Crossing what river?
from Iran / Kazahstan / Egypt to Austria via Turkey and Eastern Europe
crosses Danube
How much would Nabucco cost?
8billion euros
Environmental damage of Nabucco
11 national parks crossed
Where would Nabucco deliver gas from?
Iran / Kazahstan / Egypt
Why is the Nabucco pipeline being proposed?
to lessen European dependence on Russian gas supplies
soon Russia will not have the capacity to meet European natural gas demands alone
What is a political problem with the Nabucco pipeline?
Iran and Syria still politically unstable
Name X2 major ‘oil crises’
1973 and 1980s
What did the 1973 and 1980s oil crises impact in terms of energy policy?
encouraged countries to diversify their energy policies
What security concerns are there to do with transporting energy?
- piracy
- terrorism
- politiical rivalrises
what is recuired to ensure safe transport of energy across borders? What does this do for energy import prices?
mass private investment in security
raises imported energy costs massively
What has increased energy costs meant for exploration?
previously ‘unconventional’ sources now economical to exploit
some vulnerable areas now attractive as energy reserves e.g Greenland
Name a tar sands hotspot
Alberta, Canada
How many barrels of oil from tar sands is in Alberta, Canada approximately
2.5trillion barrels
How many barrels of shale oil is there in west USA?
2trillion barrels
in 2007 what % did tar sands make of Canada’s total exports?
20%
When do tar sands in Canada become economically viable?
if oil prices are above $50 a barrel
Are tar sands in Canada currently (2016) economical to exploit?
No - has to be over $50 a barrel
How much does it cost to extract a barrel of oil from tar sand in Canada? How much is it for conventional crude oil?
$15 for tar sand oil
$2 for crude oil
Quote from Greenpeace on tar sands
“Tar sands are the greatest climate crime”
Environmental negatives of exploiting oil from tar sands;
- 2-5 barrels of water required per barrel of oil
- high energy use
- lakes of toxic waste from tar sand waste
- requires land to be deforested of mining
- largest oil reserve in North america located in Arctic National Wildlife Refugee
How much energy equivalent does it require to make tar sand oil?
1 barrel of oil in energy for 3 barrels of tar sand oil to produce
lakes of toxic tar sand waste cover how much area in Canada?
130km^2
What are mining companies exploiting tar sands in Canada required to do?
replant areas disrupted by mining
Which is greater, Canada’s tar sand reserves, or Saudi’s oil reserves?
Canada’s tar sand reserves
Name another area apart from Canada rich in tar sand
Venezuela
Where was the largest oil producer in barrels per day in 2015?
USA
Where was the second largest producer in barrels per day in 2015?
Russia
Where was Saudi ranked in largest producers in barrels per day of oil in 2015? What does this suggest about OPEC?
3rd
Not as large an influence as previously
Name 2 OPEC nations China ranked above in oil produced in barrels per day in 2015?
UAE
Iraq
Define : transit state
country or state through which energy flows on its way from producer to consumer
Define : geopolitics
study of the ways in which political decisions and processes affect the way space and resources are used, therefore linking geography, economics and politics
East Siberia-Pacific Ocean Oil Pipeline budget likely over…
$20billion
X4 reasons for increasing cost of East Siberia-Pacific Ocean Oil Pipeline
- rising global steel price
- cost of rerouting further north
- difficulties dealing with permafrost
- cost of protection / security
Originally the East-Siberia Pacific Oil Pipeline was meant to run through the habitat of which rare animal? in what location?
the Amur leopard in Siberia
Environmental consideration the ESPO pipeline had to take into account
original route was too close to Lake Baikal
What is significant about Lake Baikal?
largest freshwater lake
protected by UNESCO
Reasons for increasing likelihood of disruption;
x6
- rise of consumption / population
- concentration of production
- unpredictability of energy hotspots
- exhausting reserves = $$$ increases
- low prices currently meaning less sustainable investment
- terrorism
Reasons for uncertainty about future energy supplies;
ACRONYM : Every Uni Teacher Loves Receiving Everyday Uni Perks
- decisions to exploit
- undiscovered sources may become available
- new tech may decrease cost of extraction
- switch to renewables unknown
- population growth
- emergent economies demand
- contribution of unconventional
- impact of rising living standards
Technology future scenarios;
- business as usual
- tech convergence
- energy efficiency
- tech transfer
