Longtime oilman reflects on evolution of industry, Basin

…We hear much about the development and use of alternative fuels in the U.S. Will these sources replace oil and gas? What is your take on this?

My answer is doubtful.

It will probably be years before alternative energy sources are able to compete with oil and gas. Ethanol as a fuel has received a lot of publicity, but substituting ethanol for gasoline provides a fuel that is much less efficient in BTUs, and studies show that it will have no significant impact on gasoline consumption. I have a friend — Caithness Corporation — who is a large geothermal producer in Nevada and California. You might say that geothermal is an important alternative energy source, but is like wind power and solar, with limited capability and a small market.


Our coal reserves in the U.S. are enormous and some of the objections can be solved with new technology. There are new methods to clean these coal deposits, but carbon emission is a serious problem. With national interest concerned with the emission problem, it is doubtful that coal will be a serious competitor to oil and gas in the near future.

The one source I believe will eventually impact oil and gas consumption is nuclear power. Europe has greatly increased its use of nuclear energy and with more education about the increased safety of the new plants, the U.S. will probably follow Europe’s example at some point in the future. For the public to be comfortable, it will take time, and the planning and construction of modern nuclear facilities will be a slow process and costly.

Midland Reporter-Telegram