Can Petroleum Engineering Survive the Space Age?
Authors: Coffer H.F. , Bray B.G. 
Published: December 2007

Upon how well we cajole the nuclear giant in the earth to do our bidding; upon how we avail ourselves of the advances that other technologies have made; responsibly we cope with the problems of energy supply, mineral resources, and the environment depend our survival and growth in a new age.

Introduction

Like it or not, we are in the Space Age. Man is moving ever faster with knowledge in all fields advancing geometrically. Likewise, the adequacy of resources for the future has been the subject of concern. The National Academy of Sciences and National Research Council have made a study to identify some of the potential problem areas.' potential problem areas.'As engineers in the petroleum industry, we may be asking ourselves if our technology has application in the brave, but threatening, new world. We know we need oil for lubricating the fantastic new equipment and possibly we will even use fossil-based fuel into the future. But can our engineering disciplines be of use in some of the emerging glamour fields? Contrariwise, can we use new technology in our own petroleum framework?

If we look into the crystal ball we see that progress toward a better world depends upon three major factors --- energy supply, mineral resources, and the environment. Let us examine each briefly and see how petroleum engineering can be of value. petroleum engineering can be of value. Energy Supply

For the next few decades mankind will be dependent on his old standbys for energy - coal, oil and gas. Fig. 1 gives the history and predictions of energy sources through 1980. It shows that for at least that long our careers are safe just doing a good job of producing more oil, gas and coal. If we are correct in producing more oil, gas and coal. If we are correct in our estimates of decreasing reserves of oil and gas, we shall soon need methods of converting coal and oil shale and producing oil from tar sands. It appears that this will be necessary before nuclear power will make much of an inroad into the energy picture.

When nuclear power comes of age its major impact will be on the generation of electric power. Fossil fuels then may divert into mobile power, home heating (if we have enough gas available), lubricating, raw materials for plastics and possibly even food. Thus, nuclear power is not to be feared by the oil industry; instead, we should use our technology to hasten its development. The ever more demanding world is chewing up energy faster than we are developing it. Anything we can do to hasten breeder reactors, develop adequate sources of uranium and thorium, or harness the fusion process would help protect our dwindling supply of fossil fuels. And, as protect our dwindling supply of fossil fuels. And, as we shall see later, petroleum engineering can play a vital role in solving some of the nuclear industry problems. problems. Mineral Resources

The world is demanding more and more consumer goods, and as the emerging nations drive toward a better life, the problem becomes more acute. But more goods require more minerals, more iron, copper, aluminum, vanadium, nickel, cement, gravel; in fact, more raw materials of every kind. We should examine how our technology can be useful in supplying these resources.

JPT

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