Page 58 - Introduction to Petroleum Engineering

42 THE FUTURE OF ENERGY
serve as a transition fuel because it is relatively abundant, continues the trend to
decarbonization, halves greenhouse gas emissions relative to oil and coal
combustion, and requires reasonably affordable infrastructure changes that take
advantage of available technology. A natural gas infrastructure would be a step
toward a hydrogen economy infrastructure in the event that hydrogen becomes
a viable energy carrier. The development of a game‐changing technology, such
as commercial nuclear fusion, would substantially accelerate the transition to a
sustainable energy mix.
The twenty‐first‐century energy mix will depend on technological advances,
including some advances that cannot be anticipated, and on choices made by society.
For the foreseeable future, oil and gas will continue to be a key source of energy in
the global energy mix as society makes a transition to a sustainable energy mix.

2.7 ACTIVITIES

2.7.1 Further Reading

For more discussion about the future of petroleum, see Fanchi and Fanchi (2016) and
Yergin (2011).

2.7.2 True/False
2.1 Gas hydrates are clathrates.
2.2 Shale gas is produced from reservoirs with high permeability.

2.3 Coal gas production requires gas desorption from the coal matrix.
2.4 Coal gas is primarily propane.
2.5 The first oil crisis began in 1973.
2.6 M. King Hubbert predicted that global oil production would peak between
1965 and 1970.
2.7 Per capita global oil production peaked by 1980.
2.8 Recovery factor is the fraction of original fluid in place that can be produced
from a reservoir.
2.9 Shale oil and gas are unconventional resources.
2.10 Probable reserves are more likely to be recoverable than possible reserves.

2.7.3 Exercises
2.1 Complete the table that follows and estimate proved, probable, and possible
reserves. Assume the reserves are normally distributed.
Hint: Reserves = OOIP times recovery factor.