The Rising Influence of Rising Affluence

[semi_infinite]

IMO there have been inherent biases in favor of established energy production that we are so used to that we don't recognize that inherent biases exist. Using the Bloomberg article as an example, the one the looked at total system energy efficiency, there a major part of the efficiency calculation that is missing. But it has always been missing because people just don't think about it. ie the efficiency of energy production. The efficiency for refining is probably captured in the "industrial" portion of the calc. However, there is a lot of energy intensive things that are not accounted for by getting the crude from the layers of rock miles beneath the surface up to the pipes in a sufficiently homogeneous form for shipping or piping. A lot the that energy and associated emissions are not even accounted for especially in areas with little infrastructure to NOT waste things.

Just think about how many millions of barrels of water has to be lifted and separated/treated at Ghawar as an example to produce a million barrels of oil. We think of that as being close to free because NG is worthless in SA.