by Starvid » Mon 12 Nov 2007, 02:58:10
$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('JohnDenver', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Starvid', 'J')D: I have no idea what postpeak decline rates will be when new projects are factored in. Could be 2 %, or something else.
Really? That's surprising. Just above you were claiming that the decline rate with no new projects is 3.7%. You don't actually believe that number? What's your rationale for it being "something else"?
That number is from the IEA. Who knows if they are right? The oil debate isn't really characterized by the high quality of the data.
And it should be far easier to look at historical declines than predicting future ones, don't you agree.
For example, if we use the IEA number, the decline rate with no new projects is 3,7 %. As we are flat, this means we have been adding about 3,2 mbpd of new projects in the last couple of years.
If we believe the aggregate post peak decline will be 2 %, this means we will be adding 3,7-2=1,7 %=1,4-1,5 mbpd of new projects every year post peak (and use 85mbpd as the peak production, something I don't believe, but anyway).
I have no idea of this is true. Maybe we will add 1,5 mbpd of new projects annualy, or 1 mbpd, or 2 mbpd, or maybe the decline rate will be quite dynamic.
Maybe EOR will get a huge boost due to the high oil prices, reducing declines in current fields, bringing new life to old abandoned stripper wells in the US. Maybe not.
My main argument is that we can't be sure what decline rates will be, and as the cost of preparing for the worst is so small compared to the cost of not preparing if the worst, or anything worse than the IEA's or anyone else's predictions, happens, the answer from risk management is clear: we should prepare for the worst and we should do it NOW.
To quote Mr Birol himself:
$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'S')o, these two things put together, the short term security, medium term security of our oil markets, plus the climate change, consequences of this energy use, my message is that,
if we don’t do anything very quickly, and in a bold manner, the wheels may fall off. Our energy system’s wheels may fall off. This is the message that we want to give.
$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', '[')b]We want more action, instead of more targets and more meetings and more talks.