RS: OPEC Flashcards
What is OPEC?
13 members
40% crude oil production
But control 72% of reserves
How has OPEC impacted on global energy supply?
1973 oil shock - in response to US support for Israel during the Yom Kippur war
OPEC stopped oil supply to countries supporting Israel
= oil prices have approx tripled since 70s
2 reasons why the effectiveness of OPEC is limited?
- Non OPEC countries (e.g. Russia) have a strong impact on the market
- Growing development of resources outside of OPEC reduces OPEC control of international markets e.g. US = oil prices fall
How has the pipeline between Russia and Ukraine affected the politics of the EU?
- Reliance on Russian gas - ability to influence European politics e.g. Russian gas monopoly Gazprom halting supplies to Ukraine and Europe as a whole to encourage political changes
- Increasing dependence on renewables= reduced dependence on Russian
Give three technological development which will help improve sustainability of water supply.
Saltwater greenhouse technology
Sand dams
Electrodialysis
What is electrodialysis?
Less energy intensive method of desalination
What is saltwater greenhouse technology?
- solar radiation to evaporate sea water and collect condensation
- method of desalination (low energy intensive)
- useful for agriculture
What are sand dams?
- constructed on seasonal rivers to trap water making it available all year round
- simple, low cost, low maintenance tech.
How will economic developments affect water supply and demand?
- increased consumption per person = demand increases
- increased development = more able to afford water efficient tech and infrastructure needed to meet demand = may increase reliability of access.
- increase in water trade = e.g. water shipping, virtual water trade and water diversion.
How will environmental changes affect water supply and demand?
- Climate change
- Increased water consumption by humans will impact aquatic ecosystems = may need management.
Give three technological advances which will increase energy supply:
- Improvements to renewables (e.g. aeronautic wind turbine designs)
- Development of secondary and tertiary oil extraction methods
- Development of a hydrogen economy
Give three economic changes expected to affect energy supplies:
- Declining importance of OPEC - growth of non-OPEC production due to non-conventional resources/ exploitation of LICs. (But decline from Canada, Brazil and USA)
- Growing trade of natural gas - LNG and pipelines = Western Europe increasingly reliant on Russian supplies
- Energy trade flows towards Asian markets will increase (slowdown in China replaced by India and the Middle East).
How might environmental futures impact on energy supply?
- Increasing environmental awareness = pressure on governments and TNCs to develop and use more environmentally friendly energy sources - e.g. US Texas vs State.
- Increasing international agreements to limit fossil fuel usage e.g. Paris agreement 2015
- Increasing use of carbon capture and sequestration = decrease the environmental impact of fossil fuel combustion but may increase energy prices
How might geopolitics impact on future energy supply?
- Increasing influence of TNCs for the development of resources as monopolise skills - impact LIC politics
- Increasing instability and conflict in areas with conventional supplies > price shocks and unexpected supply shortages
- Increasing political pressure to develop resources in areas of environmental interest e.g. global commons
How might technological advances affect mineral ore supplies?
- Deep sea exploration e.g. first deep sea mining in 2020
- Technological advances to improve exploration methods - magnetometry; gravimetry
- Extraction methods for low grade ores e.g. phytomining for copper (more environmentally friendly as less SO2 emissions; can be used on existing spoil heaps to reduce the need for further land take)
