Saudi oil minister: you be careful with those dangerous alternative fuels, OK?
Saudi Arabia's oil minister, Ali Al-Naimi, is nervous. Speaking earlier this month, he said that alternative fuels should be called "supplemental" and that "These sources cannot contribute meaningfully to the world's energy mix until they have attained levels of affordability, accessibility, acceptance and sustainability." So far, so good. Kind of dismissive of the biofuels' potential, kind of realistic. But, he went on:
We frankly court disaster if these supplemental resources on which such high hopes for energy security and sustainability are pinned do not fulfill the high expectations. While all viable energies will ultimately have a role in meeting world demand, many of these sources are either in their infancy or face too many unresolved sustainability issues to serve as more than supplemental resources for some time. Just as the oil industry needs a long-term horizon, so do many alternatives."Court disaster." "Catastrophic." "In their infancy." These are logical statements for someone who represents the Saudi oil industry, but it sure sounds like someone is working hard to dial down expectations for anything that threatens the dominance of oil. You can watch Al-Naimi's comments here (starting at minute 9 in the video).
In years to come, if traditional energy supplies should prove inadequate because capital expenditure was curtailed due to unsustainable prices, unreliable indications of future demand, or hopes for a substitute for oil cannot deliver, such a supply crunch would be catastrophic.
[Source: New York Times via Domestic Fuel]
Photo by nightthree. Licensed under Creative Commons license 2.0.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
jharlan 8:08PM (3/31/2009)
I have an idea the market will take care of those concerns, Mr Saudi Oil Minister. OPEC, you brought it on yourselves! We are not there yet, but we are turning the corner.
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Luke 9:20PM (3/31/2009)
When I'm driving my electric Ford Focus in 2011, I won't care about the price of oil or biofuels. But thank you for your concern, Mr. OPEC Minister.
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Nick 10:06PM (3/31/2009)
He is concerned because one day he and the 5000 princes that make up the royal family will no longer afford gold plated Rolls-Royces while his population is starving.
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jharlan 9:43PM (3/31/2009)
Luke:
Is Ford going to market an FFEV in 2011? Is it a pure EV or a PHEV? Or are you going to convert one yourself? I guess it's not that hard to do.
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oollyoumn 9:54PM (3/31/2009)
Ford calls it a BEV.
"A new battery electric small car in 2011 to be developed jointly with Magna International. The electric powertrain will be applied in a new-generation C-sized global vehicle platform. The BEV will first be introduced in North America, with the potential to migrate to the European and Asia Pacific markets down the road. Ford plans to introduce Battery Electric Vehicles (BEVs) based on new C (Focus-size) and CD (Fusion-size) global product platforms. By 2012, Bill Ford said, the company will have four high-mileage BEVs."
Richard 9:55PM (3/31/2009)
This reason alone, more than perceived "global warming" is the reason we should plow ahead with reckless abandon the pursuit of alternative fuels. EV's are a major stepping stone to energy independence. The batteries are good enough and should be implemented immediately. Let's stop with the testing and make the damn things. I'm ready to abandon fossil fuel as my primary energy source. I want an EV that gets me back and forth to work and go do errands. I'll recharge at the end of the night and never use a drop of gas until I need to use my other car for longer trips. I want solar panels on the roof of my EV so that I can charge for an average of 40 miles, enough for a typical day of driving. The Volt is too expensive. Why can regular people convert gasoline cars to electric using Lead acid batteries and manage 50 miles of range, yet the Volt using "advanced Lithium batteries" manages only 40 miles? Who's holding back the progress? I'm angry. If the batteries are an issue, make the EV, and I'll buy my own batteries and worry about taking care of them myself just like I have to do with my car now. My gasoline powered car doesn't warantee the battery, I have to do that on my own.
harlanx6 11:25PM (3/31/2009)
Right on brothers!
Luke 3:48AM (4/01/2009)
Yeah, Ford has one planned, as someone mentioned below. Here's a link,
http://money.cnn.com/2009/03/20/autos/ford_electric/index.htm?postversion=2009032005
harlanx6 11:05AM (4/01/2009)
Thanks, Luke. I'm guessing this car will come to market at around $20-25K Maybe? I guess it could carry a Honda generator in the trunk in case you exhaust your E. A 3KW Honda generator is less than $2K. It would take a while to recharge, but you might be able to limp it home. I'm just thinking here. A pair of eu2000 Hondas (less than $1K each) in tandem will give you 4kw with a combined fuel consumption of less than 1/2 gal/hr @ rated load. At least you wouldn't be helpless. Will a car go on 4KW? Or would you just have to wait until your batteries were partially recharged?
PeakOyle 10:05PM (3/31/2009)
He's worried he won't be able to afford to get his Ferrarri gold plated in the future.
Cry me a river.
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sp 6:52AM (4/01/2009)
Actually the Saudi state is a welfare state already and while the royalty lives well the populace also gets fat off the oil profits. Without them there will be unrest.
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Carney 7:31AM (4/03/2009)
Correct. Only one Saudi national in six works. The rest are free to idle in brothels or extremist mosques. On our dime.
Mark 11:28PM (3/31/2009)
Electric car? bio-diesel? Dangerous.
Right, I'll be sure to remember that when I think how "safe" OIL is when a flame is brought it it.
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Noz 11:40PM (3/31/2009)
All this hostility towards countries that have the oil but none when it comes to the same pigs in your own country that are making war over it everywhere and the oil companies that care jacksh$t about your own welfare. This represents the ultimate in two-face-ness.
Look yourselves in the mirror before criticizing others who....for all practical purposes...are doing exactly the same thing you call survival.
Also, don't forget who created all this oil and auto infrastructure. An inconvenient matter of fact that I am sure burns on the way down and burns coming out too.
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Chris M 1:48AM (4/02/2009)
It isn't the oil that triggers the hostility. After all, most of the U.S. oil imports come from Canada, and we're on very friendly terms with our pals in the North. No, the hostility is a reaction to the anti-US hostility shown by the Wahabist perversion of Islam that pervades that area, the hostility shown by terrorist groups from that area, and the fact that the petrodollar wealth of that area has funded the terrorist groups. It also didn't help when they abruptly cut off supplies back in the mid-70's, not a good way to treat customers.
If you haven't noticed the hostility to the oil companies, you haven't been paying attention. The oil companies haven't exactly been customer friendly, either.
But there is hope for eventual reconciliation between the US and the middle east. The House of Saud other mideast leaders and both Sunni and Shia moderates have belatedly realized that the Wahabist Al Qaida terrorists are a far greater threat to them than they are to us.
Noz, your attitude makes me wonder where you came from and why you ended up here. Let me guess: Couldn't find a high tech job in the Desert Kingdom, so you came here to wrangle a job from NASA, maybe?
Noz 1:14PM (4/02/2009)
CHRIS M:
What BS. The hostility is from resources, land, and attempted occupation. Don't complicate things. Religion is the instrument that allows people do what they do...under that guise. The Canada/US friendship isn't particularly strong for neighbouring countries and would disintegrate easily were it not for the close proximity that requires an amicable exchange of resources. So don't flatter yourself on that one.
Ah yes..those pesky terrorist groups which, for the most part...we trained, we gunned, and we sent over to places to do our dirty work under the label of "freedom" fighters. But of course, now the tables have turned and they are once again terrorists.
The overthrow of Mossadeq in the 50's wasn't any doing of the CIA or Brits of course...we'll have none of that. No of course not...or the British Tony Ben who was part a US/Brit envoy to Iran in '76 encouraging the Shah to adopt nuclear power...oh the irony! Much like when the Syrians were in the process of building nuclear power plants funded, built, and operated initially by the French who then turn around and sell to the war-eager Israelis who then went and bombed them. Excellent.
I also hope there is reconciliation with the US and the Middle East. Because I know how people are over there...I'm from there originally. I know what people have gone through and how much of the stories that Americans here today about what has happened in the past is complete utter nonsense from what really did and does happen.
As for your stupid comment about why I'm here and couldn't find a job. People come here for many reasons. It doesn't mean they have to love the place or agree with the politics. Are you that simply minded like some other dolts here too? Or do you have the capacity to realize that every person's reason for coming OR going is different? Sounds like you can't think beyond a rubber-stamp scenario. I understand..ignorance is bliss.
Need I ask how many Americans are losing their jobs now? You sure have the gaul to say such things when your country is going down the toilet...probably along with your job soon...if it hasn't already happened.
Yes!!! I came all the way here 25 years ago as a teenage kid from the UK to wrangle a job from NASA....lol...seriously...that's a pea-brainish even for you.
Chris M 1:20AM (4/04/2009)
So, you really had to dig deep to find some sort of US misdeeds in the middle east, and even had to drag in the French - as far as I know, France has never been part of the US. But the incidents you quote pale in comparison to the actions of Al Qaida, who callously plotted the murder of thousands all over the world, and as much mayhem and destruction as they could manage. Flying jetliners into buildings wasn't an act of "survival", that was an act of pure evil malice.
Oh, yes, we helped the Mujahadeen in their battles, only to see most of them join the Taliban and turn against us. No gratitude whatsoever, bting the hand that helped them, and yet another reason to dispise them.
Perhaps you were brought here against your will when you were young, but you're all grown up now, and you're free to leave. Oh, but maybe you don't want to go back to the UK, it sounds like you dislike the English, too. There are other places - well, maybe not. You're beginning to sound like a general misanthrope, and would probably kvetch and complain about the locals no matter where you ended up.
Noz 2:55AM (4/04/2009)
Blah blah blah...
Keep looking at everything with face value and you'll sound like a parrot sooner or later.
Flip people off with one hand, shake their hands with the other. You're two-faced.
Flying aircraft into building huh? Oh that's right...those were our Saudi buddies who we protect at all costs. So sad.
Ah...so since the Mujaheddin have now turned their faces the other way, they are now terrorists where before they were friends and allies huh? Gratitude? For what? For shaking hands with a group of hell-bent white folk who make it their mission in life to take over parts of a world they don't belong in by paying off and training a bunch of corrupt people from the local areas?
I presume your arrogance and egoism makes you think that's something to be proud of....befriending drug lords and local gang members in other parts of the world to do your filth for you. You should be very proud.
Educate yourself about your own country. As an immigrant of this country, it's shameful that I know more than you. But being your biased and blind as a bat, I'm not too surprised either.
Thank you for assessment of who I am what I like. Since you're clueless, I'll leave it at that.
Faldo 12:35AM (4/01/2009)
Ali is the mainframe IBM, right as small little personal computers were starting to come out. "They are too small, they will never have the power necessary for real computing...." He is a dinosaur.
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emil 3:02PM (4/09/2009)
But the MF didn't die. Only few really need it. And so will be with oil. And when people have choice, they will never buy oil from these scum. Let people decide which sort of fuel they need.