by gampy » Wed 13 Aug 2008, 01:43:00
$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('BigTex', 'A') point that Deffeyes makes is that one of the consequences of nearing peak oil will be extreme price volatility.
I think a lot of us think that volatility means high prices, but we're finding that it also means unpredictable prices.
This price action isn't normal. Remember, too, that there weren't any significant political or weather events in the background of this recent runup (other than the Iran background noise that has been there for several years).
I would LOVE to see an oil chart from three years in the future. I can't imagine what kinds of ups and downs there will be between now and then.
I would agree with that.
It's not as if the price has gone to $50 a barrel. I am of the opinion that we have reached peak, and are now on the undulating plateau. Demand destruction will factor into the price, as well as geopolitics, refining capacity, the introduction of large conservation initiatives, et al. Many factors will drive the price, up or down. All of them pulling in different directions.
I have a feeling that we will see a mixture of powerdown, and moving to alternative energy. While still utilizing the remaining oil.
Not cornucopian, but not TEOTWAWKI, either. Somewhere in between.
"Some people are like Slinky's. They don't serve a useful purpose, but they still bring a smile to your face when you push them down the stairs."