$150 Barrel of oil

[al b]

You know what gets me? We send garbage to China and other parts of the world which has almost no value and they send it back as consumer goods which has much more value. They become more financlly rich and we become poorer. They get stronger and we get weaker as a country. Does anyone know how much oil one of those ships use on a round trip to say China and back? Seems to me we have bad habits we have to change.

 

[Sully2]

Rent the video "Crude Awakening". See if you believe it. I found it pretty factual after some checking.
Better yet. Have some friends over and watch it with them. Discuss what each is going to do.
We did, and here are a couple of the reactions. One guy just installed a geothermal heat pump for 15K. That is for a 3 Ton and his entire heat/cool bill was only $1200/yr. I guess it will cut his bill in half.

For 15,000 dollars PLUS $1200 yearly..I can heat and cool my home of 2000 sq ft for approx 35 years!!!!!

Someday people might learn that its NOT "how" you heat a home thats important...its "HOW MUCH" of the heat you can RETAIN is the big factor! The secret word is I..N..S..U..L..A..T..I..O..N !!

 

[IH3444]

Geothermal is a great system. I have given serious consideration about installing one. A friend has one, and when it was out of warranty, the main pump went bad, so he had to pay an additional $1500 to get that fixed. He does have very low monthy bills when it is working properly. As far as $150 barrel of oil. This will bring about all kinds of changes, smaller more fuel efficent commuting cars, instead of driving a Hummer to work, biodiesel will be cost atractive, oil wells that were shut down for costly production will be started up. We survived the 70's, and we will survive this. Global warming, oil crisis, Obamamania, etc.......now the next great ice age, whoaaaa....that's going to be a biggie! How about that snow they are getting in Maine? Just be thankful the doctor isn't saying to you," I think you have cancer". Yep, heard that one also, and survived it. And rockerman, cut back to 2 pots of coffee a day, 8 pots are killing you...

 

[jayhaitch]

We finished building our house in 2006, Canadian super energy efficient standard called R2000. I paid extra for: R60 blown in cellulose in the ceiling, R30 high density polyurethane spray foam insulation in the walls, R24 wood stud/fibreglass in the full basement, triple pane double low E coating casement windows. And, well to well water/water geothermal heating. The heated water runs 4 fan coils, so 4 zones in the house. Even, comfortable heat, and AC. The fan coils are high velocity ducted, so are noisier than I'd like. But....our heating bills are 60% less than natural gas.

Yup, I paid a lot, but it's a capital cost vs operating cost debate. I plan on living here forever, so amortized over the rest of my life, it's worth it.

This now allows me to buy a large pickup

 

[ihookem]

No doubt this will hurt!, but it's a good hurt, right? I hate to say it but it's mostly our fault. We (me and my wife included) drive too much,too fast, too big of autos etc. As north americans ,knuks included like jayhaich will find ways to compensate. In the long run we will look back and say if oil never hit $150 we never would have figured out how to build this and that like windmills, economical diesels, electric cars, better batteries, and whatever. Opec has kept the price just low enough to not make all the research worth it. I see people driving way too fast, low tires, huge trucks with nothing in them, 8 cyl. cars when a 4cyl. would be fine. The " yah it's got a Hemi" mentality is way too common even at 3.06 for gas and 3.70 for diesel. Before everyone jumps on me I have to say I drive a Gmc 3/4 ton diesel with an 8' box. I don't need a 3/4 ton but I have to have an 8' box or pull a trailor for work. Ironically it's the most economical truck with an 8' box. I drive it to work and that's all these days. My wife drives a 4cyl Sunfire and gets 35 mpg. Also, instead of ethonal, we need to make biodiesel out of coal and natural gas. We need to get mad as #$$% AND tell the bunny lovin tree huggers to stick it up their !@#$%s and congressmen too that oppose drilling our own oil and making refineries. Later, ihookem.

 

[Ken_CT]

Many years ago people were saying "when cigarettes hit a dollar a pack, I'm gonna quit." Of course, most of those people are dead now. In the seventies everyone was scrambling to buy small compact cars after the gas went up. A few years pass and gas guzzlers were back. Weren't SUVs invented to skirt the gas guzzler tax?

 

[tomd999]

Hiya,

I looked at the geothermal systems. I was looking to replace the propane fired forced hot air unit I have. After getting sticker shock, (more like sticker stroke) I went and bought a new hearthstone wood stove for $2500 to replace an old steel stove.

Last year: about $2300 US for propane (heat/hot water) and wood
This year: about $800 for wood and propane for hot water.

The old stove was more of a heat leak than a heat provider. When it ran it would plow through wood like gasoline and when it was off, it was a heat sink.

I also shut off the furnace, closed off 1/2 of my house and kept the temp between 57-62 for the most part instead of the 65-68 last year. Ya, kids whined about the temp and fetching wood but I just turn a deaf ear. (It's easy, I rode with straight pipes for a lotta years, I can't hear out of my right ear anyway)

Tom

 

[milkman]

No doubt this will hurt!, but it's a good hurt, right? I hate to say it but it's mostly our fault. We (me and my wife included) drive too much,too fast, too big of autos etc. As north americans ,knuks included like jayhaich will find ways to compensate. In the long run we will look back and say if oil never hit $150 we never would have figured out how to build this and that like windmills, economical diesels, electric cars, better batteries, and whatever. Opec has kept the price just low enough to not make all the research worth it. I see people driving way too fast, low tires, huge trucks with nothing in them, 8 cyl. cars when a 4cyl. would be fine. The " yah it's got a Hemi" mentality is way too common even at 3.06 for gas and 3.70 for diesel. Before everyone jumps on me I have to say I drive a Gmc 3/4 ton diesel with an 8' box. I don't need a 3/4 ton but I have to have an 8' box or pull a trailor for work. Ironically it's the most economical truck with an 8' box. I drive it to work and that's all these days. My wife drives a 4cyl Sunfire and gets 35 mpg. Also, instead of ethonal, we need to make biodiesel out of coal and natural gas. We need to get mad as #$$% AND tell the bunny lovin tree huggers to stick it up their !@#$%s and congressmen too that oppose drilling our own oil and making refineries. Later, ihookem.

Try selling something fuel effecient like the diesel Smart car here, and the SUV tank drivers are screaming "you'll never get me in a tin can death trap like that".

 

[joerocker]

I have facts and it's nothing to do with ancient threads. I have an issue with fear mongers with no facts. Plus I have no need to resort to profanity. You let it go. Here are the FACTS abour price/barrel in the 70s. Where did the price go down? It didn't. Oh look. The price almost doubled between 78 and 79.

You're the one who doesn't use facts. Just fear and profanity.

As I said in another thread, plenty of facts also plenty of hyperbole and fear.

People are entitled to their own opinions, not their own facts.

1970 $3.39
1971 $3.60
1972 $3.60
1973 $4.75
1974 $9.35
1975 $12.21
1976 $13.10
1977 $14.40
1978 $14.95
1979 $25.10

Why stop there... Why not mention that in the 80s and 90s the price went back down...

1982 $31.83
1983 $29.08
1984 $28.75
1985 $26.92
1986 $14.44
1987 $17.75
1988 $14.87
1989 $18.33
1990 $23.19
1991 $20.20
1992 $19.25
1993 $16.75
1994 $15.66
1995 $16.75
1996 $20.46
1997 $18.64
1998 $11.91

I guess what I'm saying is this: MANY people believe that oil IS running out. We use a whole lot of it, the price of anything that is in limited supply goes up and STAYS up.

Even if it's NOT running out, OPEC controls the price (through production) and they will keep it up anyway because they need the money.

Cheap energy allows/allowed the world to prosper. Expensive oil causes economic problems. Do you really think that oil will ever go back to $12 a barrel? If you do, (and I truly hope you're right) then yes...things will work out in the end. But if it doesn't, the cost of EVERYTHING is going up...and staying up...with horrible consequences.

From $12 to $102+ (remember the year has just started)...in 10 years? That's a HUGE rise... Especially IF it stays there.

In the end, only time will tell who predicted the future the best. There are always people on both sides of the fence. For every prediction, one side is right and the other is wrong. I really HOPE you're right but this time I'm not so sure...too many "bad" things happening...

High oil prices ALONG with the housing bubble collapse, mortgage crisis, people carrying too much debt, the nation carrying too much debt, talk of taking the dollar off the "oil standard", oil producing nations "having it out for us"...hating us, too many people to feed, "good" jobs leaving the US as illegal immigrants stream in to take what's left, China manufacturing (using oil) like a "bat out of ****", India's economy taking off, baby boomers retiring, social security cashing in the IOUs, medicare costs doubling AND the dems wanting "free" healthcare for everyone, a war we're paying for by ourselves...shall I continue?

This ALL adds up to bad times ahead in my book...but I HOPE I'm wrong.

 

[Hammy]

I put a 6 ton geothermal unit in my house two years ago when I built. I don't see why more people don't install them if they have the land or at least a air source heat pump for the city dwellers. They are much more efficient the any gas or propane furnace.

I heat/cool our whole house (5500 sq. ft.) with the thermostat set at 72 in the winter and 75 in the summer. We average about $160 a month in the winter and $50 in the summer. Keep in mind, this electric bill includes our lights, well, septic, oven, washer, dryer, hot water recirc., and the rest of the house. I also have an on-demand hot water heater that runs off of propane.

The initial investment was high, but I would much rather put the money into my house then give it to the utility company, and we are very comfortable all year long.

I'm installing a wood stove this summer.

To each their own. Oh yeah, I drive a 1 ton Dodge too, which loves the diesel. However, my wife drives a diesel Jeep Liberty and averages about 25 mpg with mixed driving. The plan is to make our own biodiesel in the near future.

I might be selfish but I don't do this stuff for the environment or those freakin' tree hugging liberals. I just prefer to be self sufficient and enjoy being comfortable in our own house without having to worry about high monthly bills.

Oh yeah, $150 a barrel sucks!

Craig