Thread: More tripe to explain the cost of fuel

Originally Posted by jtktread

I recall reading not that long ago that Australia was actually self sufficent in oil production but then we send it off shore for refining and that is where we get caned with price increases

From memory Australia is self-sufficient only in light crude (for petrol) but import pretty much all of our heavy crude (diesel and other stuff). But as I said in my previous post, we are tied to world parity pricing (through Singapore) so we pay a set amount. If our local producers get rich in the process then yee-hah for them.

Whilst I'm on my high horse - does anybody else find it strange that we can map the human genome, manipulate sub-atomic particles, yet we can't make a commercially viable hydrogen combustion engine fuelled by water?

When discoveries in the fields of genetics and atomic-physics are in the interest of business they can't hit the market soon enough. By the same token, if a discovery is AGAINST the interest of business, it is killed off or stifled.

A friend of mine today commented how his dad had seen a story in the 80s about a guy in Tasmania (I think) who had made a hydrogen engine. I wonder whose shelf that idea is sitting on now. Since there is obviously mega-bucks still to be made from conventional oil-derived fuelled vehicles, big oil and motown would, I presume, have the means to prevent any alternative from cutting their lunch.

So my theory is that just as computers never double in power - they always increase in speed bit by bit so the marketing machines can squeeze every cent out of people, likewise we will continue to use oil-based fuelled motive power until the powers that be deem that there is more money to be made from a change.

We shall find out about the hydrogen-powered car on a "need to know" basis and, friends, big oil and GM probably don't think we need to know yet.

In short - at what price per litre would you consider stopping driving? $2/l, $5/l?

For me it may be somewhere in-between - so the oil economy will continue as long as demand is not squashed by the price increase. Only then will we see any alternatives emerge. I don't think, as ABC's Four Corners suggested, that we will run-out of oil stone cold. It will be controlled by big oil and the other key stakeholders and we will be stretched as far as we can go then, when more money is to be made, we will suddenly find out that the H(for hydrogen)V6 Discovery5 is the "must have" 4x4 for 2015.

the engine you speak of that runs on water was built way before the 80s....
when it was finished and running.....it dissapeared.....along with with the blueprints....plans......and the guy who developed it......



allegedly he was paid off by the oil companies to dissappear and keep quiet......
probably in another country with a new identity....

Clearly it's a very complex thing fuel pricing. However the underlying cause remains... we really are running out. The alarm bells are ringing

Did anyone see the Four Corners on peak oil this week?

Four Courners coverage of Peak Oil

Very interesting.

Originally Posted by solmanic

Whilst I'm on my high horse - does anybody else find it strange that we can map the human genome, manipulate sub-atomic particles, yet we can't make a commercially viable hydrogen combustion engine fuelled by water?

When discoveries in the fields of genetics and atomic-physics are in the interest of business they can't hit the market soon enough. By the same token, if a discovery is AGAINST the interest of business, it is killed off or stifled.

A friend of mine today commented how his dad had seen a story in the 80s about a guy in Tasmania (I think) who had made a hydrogen engine. I wonder whose shelf that idea is sitting on now. Since there is obviously mega-bucks still to be made from conventional oil-derived fuelled vehicles, big oil and motown would, I presume, have the means to prevent any alternative from cutting their lunch.

So my theory is that just as computers never double in power - they always increase in speed bit by bit so the marketing machines can squeeze every cent out of people, likewise we will continue to use oil-based fuelled motive power until the powers that be deem that there is more money to be made from a change.

We shall find out about the hydrogen-powered car on a "need to know" basis and, friends, big oil and GM probably don't think we need to know yet.

In short - at what price per litre would you consider stopping driving? $2/l, $5/l?

For me it may be somewhere in-between - so the oil economy will continue as long as demand is not squashed by the price increase. Only then will we see any alternatives emerge. I don't think, as ABC's Four Corners suggested, that we will run-out of oil stone cold. It will be controlled by big oil and the other key stakeholders and we will be stretched as far as we can go then, when more money is to be made, we will suddenly find out that the H(for hydrogen)V6 Discovery5 is the "must have" 4x4 for 2015.

I don't think there are really any issues with hydrogen powered engines. Hydrogen fuel cell vehicles are currently being tested in many locations. I believe Perth is running a couple of busses using this technology. They just spit water out the back.

Problem is it uses a heap of power to make the hydrogen. This is usually done by burning Dino Juice.

Watched it the othr night. I was also impressed that they tried to present the facts and not take a view point.

Originally Posted by jtktread

I recall reading not that long ago that Australia was actually self sufficent in oil production but then we send it off shore for refining and that is where we get caned with price increases - theoretically we could be like the saudis, 20cents a gallon/litre (can't remember). This is of course ignoring the fact that the oil companies want to make a profit..

John

That is not quite right! Australia imports very little crude oil, that which we do is use mainly for speciality oils. Most of the oil that goes into making petrol and diesel is produced and refined here. Diesel by the way is a by product, and used to be dumped.

Where the off shore comes into it is in the priceing of the Australian refined and produced fuels and known as the Singapore Price.

That is if the local stuff was produced overseas and refined in Singapore and then shipped to Australia as ready refined fuel., what would that cost?, this priceing is then applied to the Australian refined fuel even though it has never left our shores.

Makes you wonder does'nt it.

Try a Google search using "fuel priceing australia"

I guess i am just ****ed because i reckon there is more that can be done about the cost of fuel and no one is willing to grow the balls and stand up to do it. Matt