Reliance on fossil fuels

Question 1

Who are the world’s leading coal producers and consumers?

Answer 1

Producers: China, USA, India
Consumers: China, USA, Japan

Question 2

Who are the world’s leading crude oil producers and importers?

Answer 2

Producers: Russia, Saudi Arabia, USA
Importers: China, USA, Japan

Question 3

Who are the worlds’s leading gas producers and importers?

Answer 3

Producers: USA, Russia, Iran
Importers: Germany, Japan, Italy

Question 4

What is the energy pathway for coal?

Answer 4

From six main producers (Australia, Indonesia, Russia, South Africa, Colombia and USA) to four major markets (EU, India, China and Japan-Korea-Taiwan)

Question 5

What is the energy pathway for oil?

Answer 5

From producers in the Middle East to four major markets (EU, USA and E and SE Asia)

Question 6

What is the energy pathway for gas?

Answer 6

From major producers in the Middle East and from Russia to markets in Europe; lesser producers are Indonesia, Nigeria and Trinidad.

Question 7

Where does most of Russian gas exports go?

Answer 7

Europe

Question 8

What is the geopolitical significance of three of the five Russian pipelines to Europe cross through Ukraine?

Answer 8

Ukraine is a country from which Russia had annexed Crimea in 2014.

Question 9

Why is Ukraine possibly in a position of strength, having three of the five pipelines crossing it into Europe?

Answer 9

Ukraine could increase its charges for allowing Russian gas to pass through it.
It could even stop the gas flows altogether.

Question 10

The potential threat of Ukraine increasing its charges on Russian gas or stopping it leaves Russia with which two options?

Answer 10

1. Reduce delivery of gas through these threatened pipelines and export more through two northern pipelines that run through Finland and Poland.
2. Annex the whole of Ukraine.

Question 11

What are the four unconventional fossil fuels?

Answer 11

Tar sands
Oil shale
Shale gas
Deepwater oil

Question 12

What is the nature of Tar sands?

Answer 12

A mixture of clay, sand, water and bitumen (a heavy, viscous oil)

Question 13

How are Tar sands extracted?

Answer 13

Tar sands have to be mined and then injected with steam to make the tar less viscous so that it can be pumped out.

Question 14

What is the nature of oil shale?

Answer 14

Oil-bearing rocks that are permeable enough to allow the oil to be pumped out directly.

Question 15

How is oil shale extracted?

Answer 15

Either mined, or shale is ignited so that the light oil fractions can be pumped out.

Question 16

What is the nature of shale gas?

Answer 16

Natural gas that is trapped in fine-grained sedimentary rocks.

Question 17

How is shale gas extracted?

Answer 17

Fracking: pumping water and chemicals forces out the gas.

Question 18

What is the nature of deepwater oil?

Answer 18

Oil and gas that is found well offshore and at considerable oceanic depths.

Question 19

How is deepwater oil extracted?

Answer 19

Drilling takes place from ocean rigs; already underway in the Gulf of Mexico and off Brazil.

Question 20

What are the downsides to the exploitation of unconventional sources?

Answer 20

They are all fossil fuels, so their use will continue to threaten the carbon cycle and contribute to global warming.
Extraction is costly and requires a high input of complex technology, energy and water.
They all threaten environmental damage, from the scars of opencast mines and land subsidence to the pollution of groundwater and oil spills. Certainly, the resilience of fragile environments will be sorely tested.

Question 21

Who are the players in the harnessing of unconventional fossil fuels?

Answer 21

Exploration companies
Leading oil and gas TNC's
Governments
Environmental groups
Affected communities

Question 22

What would be the view of exploration companies regarding the harnessing of unconventional fossil fuels?

Answer 22

They have a key role to play in discovering and developing reserves. However, they will be keen to see a good financial return on their exploratory work and perhaps willing to take risks with the environment in order to achieve this.

Question 23

What would be the view of leading oil and gas TNC’s regarding the harnessing of unconventional fossil fuels?

Answer 23

Anxious that their investments in conventional fossil fuels are not threatened by competition from these unconventional sources.

Question 24

What would be the view of governments regarding the harnessing of unconventional fossil fuels?

Answer 24

Some will see domestic sources of these fuels as offering a higher level of energy security, while others might wish to avoid any political fall-out led by environmental groups and affected communities.

Question 25

What would be the view of environmental groups regarding the harnessing of unconventional fossil fuels?

Answer 25

Well organised and very vocal in pointing out risks and potential damage to the environment. Clearly, they favour renewable energy sources.

Question 26

What would be the view of affected communities regarding the harnessing of unconventional fossil fuels?

Answer 26

May well be divided between those who support exploitation of the sources (on the grounds of providing jobs and generating local income) and those who see the peace and quiet of their homes areas and environmental quality as being threatened.