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Importance of oil essay
Importance of oil in today's life
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Oil has made a huge impact on today’s modern world. From the environment, to the economy, to transportation, oil has been a driving force to the advances of those industries. Although oil has increased global trade and made global and local transportation easier, it has also had negative effects on the United States oil trade with the middle east, and on the environment. Oil’s damage to the environment is extremely extensive, and continues to increase and rapidly puts the world into greater environmental debt. Oil has had a massive overall impact on the world at large, but more specifically, it has shaped the modern world environmentally, through the effects of various oil spills, economically, through global trade and foreign relations, and …show more content…
Oil, as a fuel source, is so widely used because it harnesses a lot of energy from the sun. Oil’s influence on modern transportation has made many advancements to today’s technology starting with the invention of the first engine. Those ideas were then produced into the more advanced transportation technologies that the world uses today, such as automotive vehicles, and shipping vessels. Transportation was initially affected by oil when the Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) was invented. The ICE changed increased the possible speed at which all vehicles could travel, and increased travel range for these vehicles. The ICE ran completely on oil, which made oil a popular fuel technique, and originated the need for oil that the world has today. The time period of World World War I also demonstrated the development of oil, and its importance for the success of vehicles at the time. Great Britain, and many other developing countries alike, turned to oil because of its advantages over coal. Because of oil and ICE engines, motorization advanced throughout the world, and the demand for Oil increased. It is hard to believe that one simple commodity could impact the world so greatly, yet oil stands as a testament to that concept. Today, the world uses 85 million barrels of oil each day, at 42 gallons a barrel. These statistics only increase as time goes on, and as …show more content…
"OPEC Oil Embargo ." Gale US History in Context. http://ic.galegroup.com/ic/uhic/ReferenceDetailsPage/ReferenceDetailsWindow?failOverType=&query=&prodId=UHIC&windowstate=normal&contentModules=&mode=view&displayGroupName=Reference&limiter=&currPage=&disableHighlighting=false&displayGroups=&sortBy=&source=&search_within_results=&action=e&catId=&activityType=&scanId=&documentId=GALE%7CEJ1667500484&userGroupName=sand55832&jsid=d0432a3458ac8cd5a190eec20f33e239 (accessed November 19, 2013). Holmes, Frank. "How Growing US Oil Production will Affect the World." How Growing US Oil Production will Affect the World. http://oilprice.com/Finance/investing-and-trading-reports/How-Growing-US-Oil-Production-will-Affect-the-World.html (accessed November 16, 2013). Hurley, Michael , and Adam Lyons. PWC , "PWC UK." Accessed November 17, 2013. http://www.pwc.co.uk/oil-gas/publications/shale-oil-what-next-for-the-oil-industry.jhtml. Koenig , Brian. "Unconventional Oil and Gas Industry Created 1.7 Million Jobs This Year." Unconventional Oil and Gas Industry Created 1.7 Million Jobs This Year. http://www.thenewamerican.com/tech/energy/item/13393-unconventional-oil-and-gas-industry-created-17-million-jobs-this-year (accessed November 20,
In conclusion, Oil impacted social change over time, which helped us grow as a society. If you took my proposal into consideration I would really appreciate it. My proposal is going to have all of the factors of Oil and how oil has change our state. After reading the documents that you have given me I was able to answer question “What story should be told”. As H.L hunt always said “money is just as way of keeping score”. - H.L
U.S. Government. "2012 World Oil Consumption." Countries. U.S. Energy Information Administration, 2012. Web. 03 Dec. 2013. .
Richard Manning Wrote the essay “The Oil We Eat – Following the Food Chain Back to Iraq” which was published in Harper’s Magazine February 2004 edition. In this essay, Manning discusses the evolution of agriculture and the consequences of it. Furthermore, Manning explores the relationship of fossil fuel, food calories and transfer of energy to illustrate earth’s prospective future. Through the use of charismatically presented factual arguments, visual powerful emotional narratives and the credibility of a few choice names, Manning creates an environment in his essay that allows flaws to escape otherwise unknown to majority reader.
Almost every single nation in our world today, the United States included, is extremely reliant on oil and how much of it we can obtain. Wars have been started between countries vying for control of this valuable natural resource. The United States as a whole has been trying to reduce its reliance on foreign oil and has had some success, especially with the discovery of the Bakken formation and projects like the Keystone Pipeline.
U.S. Energy Information Administration. Independent Statistics & Analysis: U.S. EIA. March 15, 2012. http://www.eia.gov/countries/index.cfm?view=consumption (accessed March 16, 2014).
Mainly, the United States imports petroleum products and crude oil from Canada 23.3%, Venezuela 10.7%, Saudi Arabia 10.4%, Mexico 9.2%, and Nigeria 8.3%. (e. I. Administration) In addition, approximately 77 other countries import to the United States. (e. I. Administration)
In 1908, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) predicted that the total future supply of U.S. oil would not exceed 23 billion barrels. In 1914, the U.S. Bureau of Mines predicted that only 5.7 billion barrels of oil remained. In 1920, the USGS proclaimed the peak in U.S. oil production was almost reached. In 1939, the Department of Interior declared that there was only 13 years of oil production remaining. In 1977, President Jimmy Carter claimed, “We are now running out of oil.” Despite these predictions, the U.S. has produced over 200 billion barrels of oil since the early 1900’s. (The Futurist, 1997)
The United States has had several scares throughout its history in terms of oil, most turn out to be over exaggerations of a small event. However, these scares highlight a massive issue with the U.S. and that issue is the U.S.’s dependence on foreign oil. Why does it matter that our oil should come from over seas? In a healthy economy this probably wouldn’t be as relevant, but the U.S.’s economy is not exactly healthy at the moment. There are 4 things that I would like to address: what the problem is, how it affects us, what some solutions are, and what solutions I feel are best.
In ancient times Babylonians used oil as mortar, Native Americans used oil as a topical medicine, and, before electricity, oil was used to create light. Mankind has been dependant on oil as a resource for generations. It has influenced growth, warfare, and technological advancement, but what if mankind were to run out (Alois)? The possibility of this eventuality was first vocalized by M. King Hubbert who introduced the notion of “peak oil.” When global oil production “peaks” it reaches its greatest output level and then permanently declines (Hubbert). There is much debate as to whether this “peak” exists, has already been passed, or will be passed in the near future. Despite the debate there is one undeniable fact; there is a finite amount of oil since it is a non renewable resource. Considering a sudden systemic collapse of all oil production seems unlikely, oil will probably be replaced gradually. This loss of oil could be positive; possibly less CO2 would enter the atmosphere and global warming may be stalled. However, the success of this transition away from fossil fuels will be largely dependant on the ability of developed nations to manage their time. If the US, or any other nation, is going to be successful, they need to start now.
The U.S dependency on foreign oil presents many negative impacts on the nation’s economy. The cost for crude oil represents about 36% of the U.S balance of payment deficit. (Wright, R. T., & Boorse, D. F. 2011). This does not affect directly the price of gas being paid by consumers, but the money paid circulates in the country’s economy and affects areas such as; the job market and production facilities. (Wright, R. T., & Boorse, D. F. 2011). In addition to the rise in prices, another negative aspect of the U.S dependency on foreign crude oil is the risk of supply disruptions caused by political instability of the Middle East. According to Rebecca Lefton and Daniel J. Weiss in the Article “Oil Dependence Is a Dangerous Habit” in 2010, the U.S imported 4 million barrels of oil a day or 1.5 billion barrels per year from “dangerous or unstable” countries. The prices in which these barrels are being purchased at are still very high, and often lead to conflict between the U.S and Middle Eastern countries. Lefton and Weiss also add that the U.S reliance on oil from countries ...
" Oil is the life blood of our modern industrial society. It fuels the machines and lubricates the wheels of the world’s production. But when that vital resource is out of control, it can destroy marine life and devastate the environment and economy of an entire region…. The plain facts are that the technology of oil-- its extraction, its transport, its refinery and use-- has outpaced laws to control that technology and prevent oil from polluting the environment…" (Max, 1969). Oil in its many forms has become one of the necessities of modern industrial life. Under control, and serving its intended purpose, oil is efficient, versatile, and productive. On the other hand, when oil becomes out of control, it can be one of the most devastating substances in the environment. When spilled in water, it spreads for miles around leaving a black memory behind (Stanley, 1969).
...n. "Twenty Years after the Embargo US Oil Import Dependence and How It Can Be Reduced." Energy Policy 22.6 (1994): 471-85. Print.
“Pollution is the major disadvantage that is formed due to fossil fuels. When burnt they give out carbon dioxide, a green housed gas which is the main aspect of global warming.”(conserve-energy-future.com) That is an environmental hazard. Drilling can be inconsistent because some places may have a lot of oil, and some places do not. Sometimes if there is too much oil there can be a blow out. People also drill on their properties just for money, and some drill just to see if they have oil for money. Doing that is inconsistent. Gas prices rise and cause tension between nations. “Middle-east countries have huge reserves of oil and natural gas and many other countries are dependent on them for constant supply of these fuels.”(conserve-energy-future.com) Gas prices rise and some people cannot afford gas...
Oil is an essential resource in the whole world. People use oil in a variety of ways. The world has used oil for many years and it will still use it as a basic commodity. Oil use can be traced back to 1850s. However, when Edwin Drake produced commercially usable quantities of crude oil from a 69-foot well in Pennsylvania in 1859, he marked a new period that considered oil as a valuable commodity. Oil prices have been inconsistent since 1859. The discoveries of more wells considerably lowered oil prices and made some oil barons abandon the industry. However, oil prices have increased over time because of several factors.
Mast, Tom R. Over a Barrel: A Simple Guide to the Oil Shortage. Austin: Hayden, 2005. Print.