Paper 3: Consuming Energy Resources Flashcards
What is Gazprom-the polar pioneers?
This is one of the worlds largest oil and gas companies. In spring 2014 they began drilling for oil in the remote north west of Russia, within the arctic circle.
What are the draw backs of Gazprom?
- as the oil rig prepared to depart (in order to drill for the oil) in September 2013. It was surrounded by 30 activists and crew from the Greenpeace International trip, Arctic sunrise.
- they were protesting about drilling for oil in the Arctic and the impacts of further us of fossils fuels on global climate.
What are the positive impacts of Gazprom?
-they have spent $4 billion developing technology to search for oil and gas beneath to sea in a region that could hold 6.6 million tonnes of oil.
Why does drilling take place in difficult climates, such as the Arctic?
Because it offers a huge potential revenue for oil companies and a guarantee or customers that petrol won’t dry up yet.
Why is drilling in polar or arctic regions difficult?
Because it cold, fragile and remote. Also drilling through rock in freezing environments is difficult.
What types of new technology’s enable companies to exploit oil and gas in extreme environments and how?
- drilling technology allows deep water reserves of oil and gas to be accessed. It is estimated 5% of the worlds oil lies underneath the sea bed.
- seismic imaging has led to the discovery of oil of the coast of Brazil and West Africa and in the Gulf of Mexico. It uses sound waves bounced underground to detect rock structures containing oil or natural gas.
- Liquefaction of natural gas (converting gas into liquid) means it is economically possible to transport gas by ship. This allowed development of remote gas fields.
What is the difference between renewable and non-renewable energy resources?
Non-renewable resources: These are being used faster and cannot be replaced or they are being used faster than they are being made. These include: coal, natural gas, oil and nuclear power. (Fossil fuels)
Renewable: These will never run out and can be reused over and over again. They are infinite.
Give some examples of renewable energy sources:
- HEP
- Solar power
- wind power
Define the term recyclable resources?
These provide nerdy from sources which can be recycles or reused. E.g reprocessed uranium for nuclear power and biofuels.
Why is the the global demand for energy resources growing?
Growing population means more energy resources are needed to provide fore more people.
Some countries are growing through the industrialisation process so are using more non renewable energy that they did not use before.
How has high oil and gas prices throughout the 2000s led to the companies being able to drill in new regions?
High oil and gas prices mean allow oil companies to drill in new regions previously thought to be too expensive (e.g in deep seas) or too difficult to work (in intense cold). Costs are high so profits need to be guaranteed.
What is the Ichthys LNG project and where is it located?
- The Ichthys field lies 220km of the coast of North-Western Australia.
- It is one of the world biggest of shore gas fields, below 260m of water.
- it produces 10 million of of liquefied natural gas (LNG) per day to meet demands in Asia.
- At this rates there’s enough gas for 120 years. As well as this there are befits. 900 jobs were created in the pipeline construction alone.
How much oil and gas does the Arctic region have?
Oil and gas companies and long known that the Arctic region has up to 25% of the world remaining supply.
What problems do countries face with drilling in the Arctic region?
- the region includes the Arctic Ocean and northern Canada and Russia. The region is huge nearly 4x that of Australia.
- it is a vast wilderness, one of few remaining so protected. (E.g environmental groups are already concerned that oil companies have damaged many parts of Alaska and Siberia. The Exxon Valdez oil spill in 1989 devastated local ecology and wildlife)
-Only 4 million people live there with over 40 different ethnic groups.
several countries lay claim to the Arctic. The region has a quarter of the worlds forest known as the Taiga.
What has the International Energy Agency warned about current unsustainable energy usage?
That significant investment is needed throughout the world to develop renewable energy supplies. New types of energy resources are being developed to meet rising demand, such as Tar sands and hydrogen fuel cells.
Mini Case Study 1 on non renewable energy:
Non-renewable energy: natural gas supplies in Europe
- natural gas supplies are used for cooking and heating in Europe.
- In the UK most of the gas supplies come from underneath the North Sea but their share of the gas is being used up.
- Now, 60% of the UK’s gas comes from the North Sea but the rest come form pipelines from Norway, which did not use up its share if North Sea gas as quickly.
- Much of the EU gas depends on Russia and Ukraine for gas as large pipelines carry the gas across the continent.
- in 2004 a report was published estimating gas production will leak in 2030 and after which supplies will diminish.
Mini Case Study 2 on renewable energy:
Renewable energy: wind power in the USA
- wind turbines are used to convert the power of the wind into electricity.
- there are now 16,000+ large wind turbines in California and hundreds of homes across the state are also using smaller turbines.
- in 2015 wind energy provided 6.9% of California’s total energy requirements. (This is enough to power San Francisco)
- there are drawbacks, such as on still days they other renewables would have to meet demand. Some argue it ruins the landscape and causes noise pollution.
Mini Case Study 3 on recyclable energy:
Recyclable energy: biogas in India
- organic matter (e.g wood chips, animals dung) is fed into a pit which forms part of a biogas plant and is left to ferment.
- the methane released is collected in a tank and is used to power electrical generators or used as gas for cooking.
- the Indian Government has encouraged communities to install biogas plants to provide mercy for rural villages.
- there are now 2.5 million + biogas plants across India.
What are some of the main environmental impacts caused by the mining of fossil fuels?
Habitat loss: extinction of some pieces due to the lack of their habitat as its being destroyed. Also causes a lack of biodiversity.
Water pollution: oil contaminates the sea causing fish and animals to die.
Air pollution: increases CO2 emissions which contributes to global warming.
Scarring of the landscape: irreversible damage to the landscape. Also causes the deforestation of trees meaning less carbon stores.
What are the benefits of using solar energy in rural areas in the UK?
- large areas of rural landscape can be used in the future for solar panels.
- they allow animals, such as sheep to graze the land. Land owners have been given large subsidies to erect solar panels. These can bring farmers incomes of over £50,000 each year so are popular.
Mini Case Study 1: (environmental impact)
Landscape scarring Xilinhot, China:
China’s rapid industrialisation and population growth has led to a demand for more energy. coal is its biggest energy resource, providing over 70% of China’s energy.
- The Chinese government has a new policy and is encouraging the development of surface open cast quarries instead of drilling. This causes scarring on the landscape.
- releases carbon molecules and soot into the air which can causes lung problems.
- Death rate per million tonnes of coal mining is 30x higher than USA.
- Also uses billions of tonnes of water to extract the coal.
Mini Case Study 2: (environmental impact)
Oil spill, drilling in the Gulf coast, USA:
- In April 2010 BP’s Deepwater Horizon oil rig exploded and sank in the Gulf of Mexico, killing 11 people. For 87 days, oil leaked from the sea floor before it could be finally stopped.
- It was the worlds largest accidental marine oil spill with 3.2 million barrels of oil lost. The oil coated the ocean, killing marine and bird life.
- By July 2010 the spill had endangered Louisiana pancake batfish as well as Gulf corals. Dead baby dolphins were washed up on the Mississippi and Alabama shorelines.
- BP were fined $13 billion.
Mini Case Study 3: (environmental impact)
Deforestation - HEP development in Pará in Brazil
- 46% of the energy in Brazil comes from renewable energy sources, and HEP produces over 85% of all electricity used.
- It has 400km2 of Amazon rainforest causing loss of vegetation, harming animals and changing fish migration routes.
- Endangered animals e.g dolphins
- flooding around dam (in dams water shed)
How is coal made in the UK?
coal was formed during the Carboniferous period over 300 million years ago. Coal is the remains of giant tropical plants in swamp forests. When these died they formed layers (seams), which geographical pressure turned into coal. During the industrial revolution and early 20th century it was the UK’s main ur e for industry, transport and heating.
Why did coal mining decline after 1970?
- High costs
- cheaper imported coal
- declining demand
- other energy sources
- greenhouse gas emissions
How did high costs cause the decline of the coal industry after 1970s?
Coal requires expensive drilling and pumping technology. Production costs rose as coal became more inaccessible- the shallowest coal had mined.
How did cheaper imported coal cause the decline of the coal industry after 1970s?
Cheaper imports now came from Russia, Colombia and the USA.
How did declining demand cause the decline of the coal industry after 1970s?
Trains switched from steam to diesel and electric, and homes moved from coal heating to oil and gas. Gas is a cleaner, cheaper way of producing electricity.
How did other energy sources cause the decline of the coal industry after 1970s?
Replaced coal (e.g oil, gas, nuclear and renewables).
How did Greenhouse gas emissions cause the decline of the coal industry after 1970s?
Coal produced more greenhouse gases than any other fuel. Pressure by the EU and environmental pressure groups such as Greenpeace forced the UK to reduce coal usage.
How much of the UKs energy comes from fossil fuels and how has this changed throughout the years?
In the 1960s, natural gas and oil were discovered beneath the North Sea. New drilling technology and deep sea oil rigs were developed to access these. The most accessible reserves have been extracted and production is declining.
How much of the UKs energy comes from renewable energy and how has this changed throughout the years?
These depend on landscape, climate and developments in technology. Renewables provide 10% of UK energy, from wind, solar, biomass and HEP. Most wind energy potential is out at sea but the coast of building turbines is much higher there.
How much of the UKs energy comes from recyclable and how has this changed throughout the years?
Nuclear energy provides 16% of the UK energy. Nuclear technology, using uranium and plutonium, was developed in the 1950s and the UK developed several power stations. These may now be replaced by a new generation of reactors, like the Hinkley Point in Somerset
How are fossil fuels distributed?
Unevenly spread across the planet. Some places have lots of them like the Middle East region and some places such as central Africa have very little. The most fossils fuel left is coal worth over 900 billion tonnes left- enough for another 150 years.
Why does the UK have a great potential for renewable energy?
It is the windiest country in Europe and has 11,000 miles of coastline and enough daylight sunshine for over 200,000 solar power projects.
Inequality in global consumption rates can be linked to 2 main points:
- natural distribution of resources
- access to resources
Why does Canada (and North America) have high energy consumption rates?
It has a large supply of oil in the Tar sands and therefore has easy access to this. It may need to use a lot of energy because it’s much colder here. They are developed country/continent so are able to buy resources due to their economic ability and have good connections around the world.
Why does Iceland have high energy consumption rates?
Have the most access to renewable energy resources. They use geothermal energy due to their volcanoes, mountains and volcanic activity.
Why does (Central) Africa have low energy consumption rates?
A very warm place so energy needed for heating is needed less. The central Africa region has LIC’s so can’t afford to buy resources. These resources such as fossil fuels are also not accessible Africa so they don’t have access to them.
Why does Europe have high energy consumption rates?
MEDs meaning they have money to purchase resources from other countries.
What factors can affect energy consumption rates?
Geology
Accessibility
Climate
Landscape
What impact does geology have on countries or regions energy consumption rates?
Fossil fuels are found in sedimentary rock. Countries located in plate boundaries will be able to access geothermal energy.
What impact does accessibility to resources have on countries or regions energy consumption rates?
An area might have large energy resources but unable to access them. E.g Permafrost (permanently frozen ground) makes it difficult to access fossils fuels. Some are found in protected areas e.g Antarctica but cannot be accessed.
What impact does geology have on countries or regions energy consumption rates?
Solar power requires large amounts of sunlight. Countries with sunnier climates. E.g Spain can use it more effectively than colder countries.
What impact does landscape type have on countries or regions energy consumption rates?
Wind turbines are most effective in areas with a steadily reeliabke source of wind.
How much did global energy consumption grow between 2000-2014 and why?
It grew by 1/3. Most growth came from Asia, particular India and China. This is because Asia is growing through the industrialisation process.
What happened to global consumption rates in 2014 and what was significant about this?
In 2014 global energy consumption rates grew very slightly and looked as if they might level off completely. This happened despite a growing economy. Cars use less fuel, power stations use less energy and houses are better insulated. This experience showed that the world is slowly becoming more energy efficient. Before this global energy consumption has grown steadily since the year 2000.
What countries consume the most of the worlds energy, how does this link to their population and why?
The most energy is consumed by the USA and China, most HICs also have high consumption rates. The USA is the worlds largest user of energy-with just 4.5% of the worlds population it consumes 21% of global energy each year. As countries develop energy uses increase. Most increase in the worlds HICs comes from increased ownership of domestic appliance (e.g washing machines, TVs) and cars.
Why do LICs have low energy consumption rates?
LICs have mainly primary economies which use small amounts of energy. Most energy is used in the home.
How does industrialisation cause a countries energy consumption rates to increase?
Newly industrialising or emerging economies (e.g India) focus on manufacturing, which uses high volumes of energy (e.g steel making which needs coal). The development of large scale infrastructure projects help to increase energy production to encourage economic growth.
Why do HICs have high energy consumption rates?
As people in these countries consume more products, demand for energy grows. But many have reduced their overall energy use by ‘exporting’ their manufacturing industries overseas to countries such as China. It reduces their overall energy consumption but increases China’s. The growth of the service industries and the knowledge economy demands for far less energy than manufacturing.
What does to be energy-poor mean?
Lacking electricity or the income to pay for it. This referee to many people who love in rural villages in Africa. Energy poverty keeps women poor by limiting their chances to attend school and earn an independent income.
