The latest info that I have indicates that the EROEI (Energy out ratio
to energy in) for synthetic crude is about 1.5 to 1. However, since the
global warming emissions of oil are considerably greater than for gas,
it is possible that the gw emissions are greater than had we just
consumed the natural gas. As one commentator put it, it is like
'turning gold into lead'.
When one considers the oil input in the mining, the reclamation of the
soil, the destruction of the forests, the release of gw gasses from the
wetlands/peatlands etc., it is indeed possible that the EROEI is less
than 1 and the contribution to global warming gases much greater than
that produced from the oil itself.
Paul P
Gar Lipow wrote:
On 10/5/06, Leigh Meyers <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
Posted by Macdonald Stainsby on the [A-List]:
Scouring Scum and Tar from the Bottom of the Pit (Petr Cizek)
Canadian Dimension Magazine, July/August 2006 Issue
http://canadiandimension.com/articles/2006/07/07/557/
The greenhouse-gas intensity of tar-sands production is almost
triple that of conventional oil, largely due to the vast amounts of
natural gas consumed.
Natural gas produces 10-20 percent less CO2 equivalent emission per
MMBTU than oil. So for greenhouse emissions to be be nearly triple,
does that mean that oil sands consume more energy that they consume?
Turning to Wikepedia (cause I don't have time to real research on this
at moment)
According to the National Energy Board, it requires about 0.4 Mcf of
natural gas to produce one barrel of synthetic crude oil, which is the
energy equivalent of 6 Mcf of gas, so the process produces a
substantial net gain in energy
If the natural gas used represents less than 10% of the enery in a
barrel oil produced, then it would be interesting to know how tar
sands produce triple the greenhouse gases of conventional oil. You
would expect an increase of more like 10%. Anyone with enough
expertise in the oil industry to explicate?
--
No virus found in this outgoing message.
Checked by AVG Free Edition.
Version: 7.1.407 / Virus Database: 268.12.13/463 - Release Date: 10/4/06
