[MonteQuest]

Developed by research scientists at the Stanford University, oil replicators are a low-resolution version of a particle beam accelerator, which transports raw materials from storage through "waveguides" to "replication terminals" where the raw material is reorganized at the molecular level into a new form based on stored data. This means that oil replicators can reconfigure existing elements into new molecular compounds and perform rapid-prototyping by rapidly assembling those molecules into programmed configurations. However, oil replicators cannot change one element into another.

Oil replicators can create oil at quantum-level resolution suitable for most current energy use; replicators can also re-create oil at the much simpler molecular-level resolution, which is not suitable for use as LNG. Many current researchers claim that oil replicators can cheaply manipulate matter at the subatomic level to achieve elemental transmutation, but this can be shown to be untrue:

Research has also disproved another long-standing but erroneous claim, which is that oil replicators manufacture objects out of pure energy rather than re-organizing existing matter. If they did, there would be no reason for specific elements to be difficult or impossible to replicate (since the cost of transforming pure energy into matter will not be related to the type of element). Therefore, it is most likely that oil replicators manipulate matter at the molecular level to reorganize existing (or supplied) elements into new materials. For instance, oil by-products can be manufactured out of the "raw energy stock"(solar) which is used as raw material for oil replicators. This stock must contain all of the elements commonly found in oil. If the replicator is supplied with more exotic elements, it could theoretically be used to manufacture other fuels like coal or even uranium (still under testing). However, an oil replicator cannot economically create U-235 (for example) unless it has a supply of uranium to work with. This explains the following phenomena:

Replicators cannot create U-235. Since a replicator would need uranium to create U-235, such an operation would be pointless. A replicator would only be useful for changing the shape of a uranium ore (eg. creating a sculpture without having to do all the work, although true artists would undoubtedly be quite offended at the idea of replicated sculptures).

An important question then arises: since oil replicators consume large amounts of energy and still require a supply of raw material to synthesize anything, why are they useful at all? The old EROEI. There is no economic benefit, because normal oil can be obtained as cheaply as "raw energy stock" which must be carefully mixed so that it has all of the ingredients necessary for replicator operations. Therefore, replicators are only useful if one wishes to provide an oil supply in a small local area. This may be considered an important priority for the consumer-driven America, but we have no need for such devices.

[Aaron]

This is pure research...

We do not have the ability to control micron level particles.

This is theoretically possible, but not without numerous primary science breakthroughs.

[BabyPeanut]

I'd love to see the EROEI estmates on this one. Talk about doing things the hard way. Molecules are very small and we probably burn billions of them just starting a car.

[Geology_Guy]

I guess energy input to create the oil would be the issue. Oil in the ground was created by inputs of solar and geothermal energy over thousands and millions of years-it's a very low cost energy source in terms of energy inputs for human use (at the moment).

If this process needed organic feedstock it would have to be fertilized and grown which takes energy. After we have the organic feedstock why bother with any fancy process to turn it into oil? Organic matter can already be easily turned into methanol or ethanol and burned in cars etc.

[Guest]

As Dr. Einstein said: "Nuclear power is a hell of a way to boil water"...

You know, the old alchemists' dream of converting things into gold is now proven and possible, but it doesn't make a whole lot of sense because it costs more to do it than it's worth...

[SanDiegoBear]

Read carefully and you'll realize this is a hoax.

[MonteQuest]

Boy! I was wondering how long it would be before someone caught on. Yes, this is total BS. Internet blather and misdirect. We need some humor on this forum, and I have been too serious, so that was my BS construct of the week. Reasoned eloquence can impart some serious trash into your head. Always read the fine print carefully, and beware of trolls blowing smoke out der' ass.

[Aaron]

Not total BS.

Replication is BS...

But nano application is a very serious science...

[MonteQuest]

Oh, I forgot.....Here, fishy, fishy, fishy!

[MonteQuest]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Aaron', 'N')ot total BS.

Replication is BS...

But nano application is a very serious science...

[SanDiegoBear]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('MonteQuest', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Aaron', 'N')ot total BS.

Replication is BS...

But nano application is a very serious science...

[Guest]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('SanDiegoBear', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('MonteQuest', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Aaron', 'N')ot total BS.

Replication is BS...

But nano application is a very serious science...

[Aaron]

This guy thinks that nano technology is real enough... although he does acknowledge we need several primary breakthroughs for it to become useful.

http://peakoil.com/contentid-6.html

[lowem]

Sure, and we can all have "Star Trek transporters" too

[MonteQuest]

bump up for a laugh

[dissimulo]

No no - this can work. The USA will conquer third world countries, process their populations through thermal depolymerization and then use the resultant oil to power the oil replicators. It should be at least as energy efficient as producing oil shale!

[jato]

I am still holding out for space mirrors and methane from Jupiter.

[AmericanEmpire]

Theres no need for any of this. Just standard drilling. If the goddamn environmentalists would just let us drill in Alaska and offshore Florida we wouldn't have to worry about oil for millenia.

(Belive it or not. I've actually heard someone say this because they believed it.)

[Keith_McClary]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('MonteQuest', 'B')oy! I was wondering how long it would be before someone caught on. Yes, this is total BS. Internet blather and misdirect. We need some humor on this forum, and I have been too serious, so that was my BS construct of the week. Reasoned eloquence can impart some serious trash into your head. Always read the fine print carefully, and beware of trolls blowing smoke out der' ass.

[MonteQuest]

Deserves a bump up today.