Trends in consumption of fossil fuels

Question 1

Global demand of oil

Answer 1

Between 1987 and 2012 global demand changed from 8000 million tones oil equivalent to 12,500 million tonnes. 60% difference

Question 2

Oil

Answer 2

Oil is the most important energy source

Question 3

Global oil consumption

Answer 3

-Asia had the highest consumption in 2012
- Asia’s demand grew by almost 300% between 1980s and 2012
- Asia uses 33.6% of global consumption
- Africa uses 4% of the global consumption of oil per day

Question 4

Oil reserves

Answer 4

Reserves to production ratio = the amount of a non-renewable resource available over time

amount of known resource/ amount used per year

Question 5

Concerns on peak oil

Answer 5

Geologists are worried that there are no big projects looking for more oil around the world.

Question 6

Shale oil

Answer 6

Shale oils are oil reserves that are stuck tightly in rock formations where it does not flow freely (shale rock)
Methods to extract include pumping water in at high pressure into the rock, which forces the oil up and out ( fracking or hydraulic fracturing)

Question 7

Dangers of fracking

Answer 7

Fracking is very destructive:
-it changes the rock formations forever
- it destroys underground water supplies
- it pollutes the underground water with chemicals and gas

Question 8

Geopolitical

Answer 8

Relating to politics, especially international relations as influenced by geographical factors

Question 9

Natural gas

Answer 9

• Main producers are USA and Russia
• A strong positive correlation between the amount of gas produced and consumed in a country.

Question 10

Trends in natural gas

Answer 10

-Proven reserves of gas globally increased significantly between 2002 -2012
- Consumption of natural gas is highest in Europe and Euroasia (over 32%) and North America ( about 27%)
- Global reserves to production ratio = 55 years

Question 11

Conventional gas

Answer 11

The gas that is usually extracted currently when drilling for it

Question 12

Unconventional gas

Answer 12

Gas that comes from more difficult to reach places.

Question 13

Tight gas

Answer 13

Natural gas reservoirs locked in very impermeable, hard rock

Question 14

Shale gas

Answer 14

Gas found between shale rock sediments / layers

Question 15

Coal bed methane

Answer 15

Gas that is found in deposits or layers of coal

Question 16

Coal

Answer 16

-Asia uses and produces most coal (about 68%)
- China mines about 48% of the world total coal production.

Question 17

How to extend the ‘life’ of fossil fuels

Answer 17

-Improving technology increases how we find and access fuels
- But these improved technologies are expensive such as coal gasification, clean coal technologies, unconventional gas extraction

Question 18

Coal gasification

Answer 18

The process of producing syngas - a mixture of carbon monoxide, hydrogen, carbon dioxide, methane and water vapour - front coal and water, air and /or oxygen.
These gases are then burnt and used to create steam and energy for turbines which generate electricity
Syngas can be converted into petroleum products such as petrol and diesel

Question 19

Clean coal technologies

Answer 19

Involves burning new and different forms of coal that burn more efficiently and in ways that the pollutants are captured before escaping into the atmosphere
Existing coal power stations can be upgraded to clean burning stations

Question 20

Nuclear power

Answer 20

-11% of the world’s total energy production comes from nuclear energy production comes from nuclear
- USA uses the most nuclear power (32% of world total)