Human Geo 11.2 Questions Flashcards
What are the 3 fossil fuels?
- Coal: as North America/Europe developed rapidly in the late 1800s, coal supplanted wood as the leading energy source in these regions.
- Petroleum: First pumped in 1859, it didn’t become important until the diffusion of motor vehicles in the 20th century.
- Natural Gas: Originally burned off as a waste product of petroleum drilling, natural gas is now used to heat homes & produce electricity.
Describe the demand for energy:
Developed adn developing countries currently demand equal amounts of energy, but fossil fuel consumption has been increasing faster in LDCs, who will demand 60% of world energy in 2040. China has surpassed the US as the country that uses the most energy, but highest per capita energy consumption is in North America.
Demand for energy in the US comes from what 4 principal sources?
- Industry: Factories use 40% natural gas & 30% each coal/petroleum. Most is burned directly, but coal is consumed through buying electricity.
- Transportation: Most transportation systems run on petroleum products
- Homes: Natural gas provides heating & AC, & coal provides electricity.
- Commercial: Stores/offices have uses/sources similar to homes.
What is the distribution of coal?
-Coal formed in tropical locations (lush, swampy areas with plants). Due to the slow motion of Earth’s drifting continents, the tropical swamps are found in mid-latitudes, and that’s where many of today’s coal reserves are. China produces 1/2 of the world’s coal, other developing countries 1/4, and developed countries (mostly the US) produces the other 1/4.
What is the distribution of Petroleum?
It formed millions of years ago from residue deposited on the seafloor. Some petroleum sill lies beneath the North Sea & Persian Gulf, but other reserves are in land that WAS underwater millions of years ago. Russia & Saudi Arabia supply 1/4 of the world’s petroleum, other developing countries 1/2, and developed countries(mostly the US) the other 1/4. Largest flows of oil: from Russia to Europe, and from Canada to the US. The US and Europe import 50% of theirs, and Japan imports 90% of its.
What is the distribution of natural gas?
-It formed the same way as petroleum, and 1/3 of natural gas production is supplied by Russia & Southwest Asia, 1/3 by other developing regions, and 1/3 by developed countries (primarily US).
What is the OPEC?
The OPEC (Organization of the Petroleum Exporting countries) was made in 1960 to enable oil-rich countries to gain more control over Petroleum. US and European transnational companies were selling the petroleum at low prices to MDC consumers and keeping most profits. Countries possessing the oil reserves nationalized or more tightly controlled the fields, and prices were set by gov’ts rather than by petroleum companies.
Describe US Oil/Petroleum supply & demand:
-The US made more petroleum than it consumed in the first 1/2 of the 20th. In the 1950s, international petroleum distribution determined that extracting it in the US was more expensive than importing it, so the US became a net importer. Since 1973, the countries from which it is imported have changed. Canada is supplying growing amounts (arriving through pipelines). The Keystone and Dakota Access pipelines are controversial (environmentally damaging leaks).
Potential reserves can be converted to proven reserves in what two ways?
- Fields yet to be developed: At first, petroleum “gushed” from wells in rock layers, but now extraction is harder. It’s easy to quickly remove the main volume of oil/gas/coal, but the last few drops require more effort.
- Fields yet to be discovered: The largest, most accessible deposits have already been exploited. Newly discovered reserves are smaller and more remote (like beneath the seafloor), and expensive to retract. Exploration costs have increased because methods are more elaborate, but as energy prices climb, exploration costs may be justified.
In what 2 ways has demand for petroleum been dampened in developed countries?
- Conservation: Factories reduce petroleum demand by consuming more natural gas. Gas mileage in the US increased from 1975-1985, due to a gov’t mandate (Corporate Average Fuel Efficiency). Other countries have also mandated more fuel efficient vehicles.
- Price: Under OPEC control, world prices have increased sharply a few times (esp. during the ’70s-‘80s and early 21st). The average price paid per gallon of petroleum is more than $8 in developed countries, which isn’t high by historical standards when adjusted for inflation.
Describe US forecasts of fossil fuel consumption:
It is forecasted that US energy consumption will increase from 100 quad BTU (quadrillion British thermal unit) in 2017 to 110 BTU in 2050. Due to population increase, consumption per person will decline by 20%. Natural gas and energy from sources other than fossil fuels consumption will increase, but consumption of petroleum and coal won’t change.
Resources are unconventional if we don’t have economically feasible or environmentally sound tech to extract them. What are 2 examples of how exploiting unconventional resources of fossil fuels can be profitable?
- Oil sands: Alberta, Canada, Venezuela, Russia. They are saturated with think petroleum (tar). They have become profitable, proven reserves recently in Alberta. Canada now has 10% of world’s petroleum reserves.
- Hydraulic Fracturing: Naturally, rocks break apart, and gas fills the space between them. Hydraulic fracking involves pumping water in to further break the rocks and extract more gas. It is exploiting many US natural gas fields (TX, OK, & Appalachians). Opponents of fracking fear damage from pumping water beneath Earth’s surface, and that it uses too much water that is in high demand for consumption/agriculture.
What is an issue for the world regarding petroleum?
Are dwindling petroleum reserves handled wisely/peacefully during a transition process of substituting other energy sources? With massive expected growth in petroleum consumption in LDCs (esp. China/India), the US and others may have little influence over price and supplies. All states need to pursue sustainable development strategies (renewable energy).
Describe distribution of nuclear power (a nonrenewable resource)?
It supplies 14% of world electricity. 2/3 of world nuclear power is made in developed countries (1/3 Europe & 1/3 North America). Only 30 countries make some use of nuclear power (19 developed). The most dependent countries on it are in Europe, where it supplies 80% of France’s electricity and 50% of Belgium’s, Slovakia’s, and Ukraine’s. Dependency varies among US states. It accounts for 70% of VT electricity and 50% in CT, NJ, & SC. However, 20 states and DC have no nuclear power plants.
What are 2 examples of nuclear disasters?
1986 at Chernobyl (Ukraine), causing 56 deaths and 4,000 cancer-related deaths to people living near. After an earthquake and tsunami in 2011, 3 of 6 reactors at a Japan power plant experienced full meltdown. 3 workers died, and many nearby residents died and will die. Waste from nuclear fission is radioactive/lethal, and remains so for many years. Plutonium for making nuclear weapons can be harvested from the waste.
