by AgentR » Fri 17 Jul 2009, 00:40:18
$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('DantesPeak', 'I') will say bluntly here that anyone who thinks the effect of PO is lower oil prices will be proven totally wrong. In the post-peak world, there is less oil, and therefore oil must get more expensive relative too most everything else.
I wouldn't mind being proven wrong; but so far, no one's done it.
If there is at some future point, only 40 mbpd production, but the maximum instantaneous economic use at that point is 20 mbpd; the price is gonna be squat. The price reinforces the falling production level. The price does not motivate long term increases in production because the maximum cap in production is simply too low; the price spikes to ridiculous levels before anyone can even warm up a furnace; another million lose their jobs; another giant swath of the economy is destroyed; and now can manage to put into service 19.5 mbpd.
Just because someone can buy 10 of something for $5; does not imply that one can buy 100 of that something for $50. If there is 20 of the something, and a marketable use for 50, and a background level use for 10; that additional marketable use will NEVER be realized, no matter how low the price is for the 10.
You could easily see weird things like $20 bbl oil, and $4 / gallon gasoline. The further down the chain we get in total available production, the harsher the effects of jitter will become. What was once a 1-2% over or under, becomes greatly magnified; miss high or low by a million when production is 100 mbpd; annoying, but not ridiculously distorting. Miss by a milllion when total production is 20 mbpd; and you've just created rocket and brick wall iteration #55.
Again, my point isn't that price WILL be low; but rather, to assume that price tells us anything useful is an illusion. What counts is how much energy is input into the production of tangible, marketable good, as this falls, so does our modern way of life.
edit: two "to"s in need of being "too"s. Ah well.
Yes, we are. As we are.
And so shall we remain; Until the end.