[yull]

Today on the TV news, first item, here in the UK the average price for unleaded petrol/gasoline has hit £1 for the first time ever.

They talked about it to the house correspondent who named every reason under the sun for the rising oil prices - bad weather, political instability, terrorism, falling dollar, speculators, soaring demand... you name it, yet completely failed to mention that oil production has been flat for 3 years. Why didn't he mention it!? Everyone knows that flat supply and rising demand means high prices - oil production data is out there freely available that clearly shows the plateau, but why is it NEVER mentioned? It really baffles and frustrates me.

Then the IEA comes out, and some other organistions like Total who gloss over the issues, despite waring vaguely of a "supply crunch" and instead blame future supply problems on lack of investment, political instability, bad infastructure etc. Yet where's the mention of flat production? The IEA produces the data themselves, surely that have noticed something weird going on?

I'm starting to think that it'll be 5-10 years or more after peak before it's generally accepted that oil is geologically depleting. It will be blamed on OPEC trying to raise prices, lack of investment, lack of personel etc. And when a recession/depression is triggered, then they'll blame the falling production on demand destruction from that. Even when there are gas lines they'll blame that on "the recession", becaues the refiners are struggling or whatever. Rapid inlation, unemployment? Blame that on "the recession".

I despair. By the time they figure it out, or admit it, or accept it, it's going to be far far too late to do anything, and the game will be over. We're screwed.

edit: oops, wrong forum. move please.

[seldom_seen]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'I') despair. By the time they figure it out, or admit it, or accept it, it's going to be far far too late to do anything, and the game will be over. We're screwed.

[Ayame]

You bet ya, the official line will be to blame everything/everyone under the sun and to never ever mention peak oil. Acknowledging peak oil would be akin to acknowledging that we can't carry on with business as usual and that's just not acceptable to TPTB. Expect denial to the very end.

[Opies]

Humans are reactionary... they won't just get it.
Once the lights go out and there is no gas in the tank.... that's when people will stop denying and start panicking.