Zappi on Carbon Credits

[Ned Clampett]

_ Agreed. The problem is....who will sponsor this endeavor? You cannot count on the big oil companies to do this. You cannot count on the government to do this either. The problem here is too many Market Bulls trying to bumrush the next great oil play for short term money...and not enough T Boone Pickens trying to stay ahead of the curve. I see little to no chance of a common sense approach happening here. Its the equivalent of having a car with no brakes....but the brick wall is 100 miles away. No one is slowing down, instead they are pushing the pedal to the floor. Going forward with a "we will take care of that later" attitude is going to turn the Earth into Mad Max times. _

Hawk, I dont know how old you are. What I mean is: People that sing the praises of Boone Pickens are usually not old enough to remember the "real" Boone Pickens. T Boone Pickens never, and I mean never had an idea or pushed an agenda that wasnt going to make him a TON of money. This wind/nat gas thing (depending on what day you catch him) is just another of his many schemes. He is a corporate raider, nothing more.

[cajunhawk]

_ Hawk, I dont know how old you are. What I mean is: People that sing the praises of Boone Pickens are usually not old enough to remember the "real" Boone Pickens. T Boone Pickens never, and I mean never had an idea or pushed an agenda that wasnt going to make him a TON of money. This wind/nat gas thing (depending on what day you catch him) is just another of his many schemes. He is a corporate raider, nothing more. _

Corporate raider or not the man gets it. There is money to be made in energy that isn't from crude. All it takes is a little paradigm breaking. Outside the box. You don't get to be as rich as he is by failing. It's going to take enough greedy oil men to realize their is money outside of oil. You have to break some eggs to make an omelet.

[Turbine]

I want a wind "Turbine' that turns an oil drilling bit, runs the worlds largest generator and captures the sun on its blades, with each blade reflecting the bounced rays on to the next blade over and over for exponential efficiency while boosting the pressure charged carbon grabbers on the seafloor that are also absorbing excess BP oil, which is used to lubricate the wind drill mill.

While it’s drilling it pumps up water to cool the nuclear plant where the hydrogen is being extracted from the seawater. It functions its best during a hurricane, so instead of oil workers evacuating the Gulf they take shelter and go straight to work at the new Omnibine plant.

Is there a game on tonight?
igeaux.mobi

[Just1More]

As for Dr. Zappi, I too read this the other day and was about to explode over the carbon credit BS. Glad to know he did not say it.

CajunNation is correct... but natural gas is a huge overlooked source of energy in the US. Nuclear plants take a long time to permit, construct and go online, but they too need to be in full throttle. We have a massive amount of coal, and clean coal technology ought to be as high or higher on the list than all of these magical, ridiculous "green energy" notions. I call them "notions" because as long as an "alternative" energy source is anything other than a fossil fuel... the left party thinks it is clean, harmless, non-capitalistic, government-sponsored, union-required and fantastic. It is all BS.

Our national energy policy mandate should be to work, without all of this left party agenda BS blurring the issue, and become as foreign energy independent as possible. It will require the mass use of every current source of energy and all that we can practically and intelligently invest in and realize benefits. It is also an immediate "real" (not the BS you hear a bunch of left party fools talking about in job creation) job creator. We can crank up what we have natural resource-wise, technology-wise, and get back on our feet while dramatically trimming our dependence on foreign oil (and imported gasoline).

The BS notion that our federal government needs to sponsor a fossil fuel battle (and tax our fragile economy with it even greater than they already do) and sponsor the development of an alternative fuel is nonsense. We don't have any "easy alternatives". Left party idiots keep acting like something out of a Star Wars movie is at our disposal, if only the big oil companies wouldn't block it's development. BS There is ample and massive reasons for worldwide private sector groups to invest in and race for this magical alternative fuel source. If you are so stupid that you don't know the massive, massive, massive science that has gone on for the last 40 years in every single battery design, you know nothing. Not to mention the tremendous products that most apparently don't realize are created by the hydrocarbon chain... far beyond gasoline and diesel.

And most importantly... as the US government (that entity that sucks more than anything any group of people can possibly ever get together and claim they accomplished something) diverts our country on these ridiculous unscientifically hypothesized alternative energy options... the rest of the world will ramp up their economies... supported by the use of existing energy sources... and will plow us over when the inevitable chance arrives.

All of the talk you hear today sponsored by the current administration and the wide variety of supporters that have something to personally gain from this administration... directly involving our energy policy... or lack thereof... are FOS. Private people have been in far more effective think tanks on the correct path of US energy policy... with much clearer, intelligent minds... for a very long time. And they have some of the solutions well planned out. It just doesn't align with the current administration's agenda so you aren't hearing about it. Rant off.

[Hammer58]

_ Agreed. The problem is....who will sponsor this endeavor? You cannot count on the big oil companies to do this. You cannot count on the government to do this either. The problem here is too many Market Bulls trying to bumrush the next great oil play for short term money...and not enough T Boone Pickens trying to stay ahead of the curve. I see little to no chance of a common sense approach happening here. Its the equivalent of having a car with no brakes....but the brick wall is 100 miles away. No one is slowing down, instead they are pushing the pedal to the floor. Going forward with a "we will take care of that later" attitude is going to turn the Earth into Mad Max times. _

Shows how little you actually know about "big oil". Every one of of the major oil companies is investing in alternative energy research from biofuels, synthetic fuels, wind, solar, etc. Every one of them wants to be at the forefront of developing and marketing viable alternative energy sources. the key word there is "viable". And so far none of those alternative sources have proved viable or profitable. But rest assured "big oil" (should I have prefaced that with the descriptive "evil"?) will keep at it because its good business sense. Its called capitalism.

[Hammer58]

_ .... Left party idiots keep acting like something out of a Star Wars movie is at our disposal, if only the big oil companies wouldn't block it's development. BS There is ample and massive reasons for worldwide private sector groups to invest in and race for this magical alternative fuel source. If you are so stupid that you don't know the massive, massive, massive science that has gone on for the last 40 years in every single battery design, you know nothing. Not to mention the tremendous products that most apparently don't realize are created by the hydrocarbon chain... far beyond gasoline and diesel. ...

Speaking of batteries, can't you just envision 50 years down the road when the lefties come out screeching to high heaven about the evils of all these spent batteries pollution the goddess earth and rail against the evil corporations that heartlessly manufacture them with no concern for how their product is harming their fellow man?

[Just1More]

_ Shows how little you actually know about "big oil". Every one of of the major oil companies is investing in alternative energy research from biofuels, synthetic fuels, wind, solar, etc. Every one of them wants to be at the forefront of developing and marketing viable alternative energy sources. the key word there is "viable". And so far none of those alternative sources have proved viable or profitable. But rest assured "big oil" (should I have prefaced that with the descriptive "evil"?) will keep at it because its good business sense. Its called capitalism. _

But you don't understand Hammer... we can't have the capitalists solve our energy issues. How will that broaden the socialist agenda? Isn't that what it's all about? It isn't about driving toward a true solution to our energy independence. It is about who is in charge of it as it "changes". You do realize that... don't you?

If someone is stupid enough to believe the world's current greatest elixir salesman that said "we all need to work together to solve these issues" thought that meant that the capitalists will be invited to the table... are incompetent. This is about power shifting. It is not about "energy policy". The stage performances leading up to all of this were "climate change"... with respect to "green energy". Now, it is about "energy independence". BS. It is about power shifting. Pure and simple.

[cajunhawk]

_ Shows how little you actually know about "big oil". Every one of of the major oil companies is investing in alternative energy research from biofuels, synthetic fuels, wind, solar, etc. Every one of them wants to be at the forefront of developing and marketing viable alternative energy sources. the key word there is "viable". And so far none of those alternative sources have proved viable or profitable. But rest assured "big oil" (should I have prefaced that with the descriptive "evil"?) will keep at it because its good business sense. Its called capitalism. _

Tisk tisk.....I know what Big oil is all about. I've talked to guys at Goldman Sachs who invest for most of big oil. The problem that most big oil companies have is that none of them are very original. Last year at the Goldman Sachs conference the word on everyone's lips was NATURAL GAS!!!! Prices drop and the word this year was OIL!!!! Each big oil company stood up and talked about their plays and how they were on the cutting edge. Problem was, they all said the exact same thing. No one was doing anything ground breaking. They all chase whats hot. They have to. Viable is a funny word in such a volatile market. What's viable one year, may not be economically feasible the next. They have shareholders to please and a Board of Directors to answer to. They chase the big plays. They don't have time to look at alternative energy sources. In their minds if they aren't doing what Billy, Joe, and Steve are doing, then they better damn well start. Cutting edge isn't cutting edge when everyone is doing it. And I guarantee you at next year's conference it will be something different....yet at the same time...all the same.

[Hammer58]

_ Tisk tisk.....I know what Big oil is all about. I've talked to guys at Goldman Sachs who invest for most of big oil. The problem that most big oil companies have is that none of them are very original. Last year at the Goldman Sachs conference the word on everyone's lips was NATURAL GAS!!!! Prices drop and the word this year was OIL!!!! Each big oil company stood up and talked about their plays and how they were on the cutting edge. Problem was, they all said the exact same thing. No one was doing anything ground breaking. They all chase whats hot. They have to. Viable is a funny word in such a volatile market. What's viable one year, may not be economically feasible the next. They have shareholders to please and a Board of Directors to answer to. They chase the big plays. They don't have time to look at alternative energy sources. In their minds if they aren't doing what Billy, Joe, and Steve are doing, then they better damn well start. Cutting edge isn't cutting edge when everyone is doing it. And I guarantee you at next year's conference it will be something different....yet at the same time...all the same. _

Ah well there it is, you talked to some guys at Goldman Sachs so you know more what is going in in alternative energy research by "big oil" than those of us that actually work in "big oil".

[CajunRed]

Btw...the owners of "big oil"? Your pension!

Oh...and how's that electric car you're evidently driving around working for you?

Tisk tisk.....I know what Big oil is all about. I've talked to guys at Goldman Sachs who invest for most of big oil. The problem that most big oil companies have is that none of them are very original. Last year at the Goldman Sachs conference the word on everyone's lips was NATURAL GAS!!!! Prices drop and the word this year was OIL!!!! Each big oil company stood up and talked about their plays and how they were on the cutting edge. Problem was, they all said the exact same thing. No one was doing anything ground breaking. They all chase whats hot. They have to. Viable is a funny word in such a volatile market. What's viable one year, may not be economically feasible the next. They have shareholders to please and a Board of Directors to answer to. They chase the big plays. They don't have time to look at alternative energy sources. In their minds if they aren't doing what Billy, Joe, and Steve are doing, then they better damn well start. Cutting edge isn't cutting edge when everyone is doing it. And I guarantee you at next year's conference it will be something different....yet at the same time...all the same.

igeaux.mobi

[Cajunsmike]

_ Tisk tisk.....I know what Big oil is all about. I've talked to guys at Goldman Sachs who invest for most of big oil. The problem that most big oil companies have is that none of them are very original. Last year at the Goldman Sachs conference the word on everyone's lips was NATURAL GAS!!!! Prices drop and the word this year was OIL!!!! Each big oil company stood up and talked about their plays and how they were on the cutting edge. Problem was, they all said the exact same thing. No one was doing anything ground breaking. They all chase whats hot. They have to. Viable is a funny word in such a volatile market. What's viable one year, may not be economically feasible the next. They have shareholders to please and a Board of Directors to answer to. They chase the big plays. They don't have time to look at alternative energy sources. In their minds if they aren't doing what Billy, Joe, and Steve are doing, then they better damn well start. Cutting edge isn't cutting edge when everyone is doing it. And I guarantee you at next year's conference it will be something different....yet at the same time...all the same. _

People at Goldman Sachs may know about financing, however they know little about what is TECHNICALLY required to safely explore and produce oil and gas. Can any of those guys calculate the mud weight needed to overcome the pore pressure caused at 10000 feet by rapid shale deposition? I doubt it. For that matter do any of them even know what I mean by the term mud weight, the density it represents, or the what the untits it is calculated in. Again, likely not. Despite that there is alternative energy research going on in the traditional energy companies. It is not at the scale dollar wise of the traditional business. Reason is that is the way of research. You have to have an indication something has potential economically before you can study it further. Traditional business has to be a focus at the current time due to the need to please the stockholder. CajunHawk is right about that as stockholders are the owners of the company. If managers don't concern themselves with that, the company ceases to exist and of course that results in damage to the economy. I do agree that natural gas is underutilzed. It is one of the cleanest burning fuels there is (especially compared to coal) and we should move more of our energy usage towards it. Many people forget that you get natural gas the same way you get oil, you drill for it. The current low prices for it are hurting Louisiana as much of our potential on land and in the Gulf is natural gas related. The current concerns in the Northeast over fracking gas wells may actually slow that drilling activity down. That may stablilize gas prices which is good for us in Louisiana. Although literally over a million wells have been fracked in Louisiana, Texas, and the Gulf with no impact on water supplies, the folks in the Northeast may have a right to be somewhat skeptical of what is going on. This is not necessarily due to the procedure but to the type of companies operating there. Several of them are new to the game and may not be as diligent in regards to environmental issues as the southern operators.

[Just1More]

_ Tisk tisk.....I know what Big oil is all about. I've talked to guys at Goldman Sachs who invest for most of big oil. The problem that most big oil companies have is that none of them are very original. Last year at the Goldman Sachs conference the word on everyone's lips was NATURAL GAS!!!! Prices drop and the word this year was OIL!!!! Each big oil company stood up and talked about their plays and how they were on the cutting edge. Problem was, they all said the exact same thing. No one was doing anything ground breaking. They all chase whats hot. They have to. Viable is a funny word in such a volatile market. What's viable one year, may not be economically feasible the next. They have shareholders to please and a Board of Directors to answer to. They chase the big plays. They don't have time to look at alternative energy sources. In their minds if they aren't doing what Billy, Joe, and Steve are doing, then they better damn well start. Cutting edge isn't cutting edge when everyone is doing it. And I guarantee you at next year's conference it will be something different....yet at the same time...all the same. _

"Big Oil" as you describe is going to supply the market what they demand. If someone has a widget that runs on one of these mythological fuel sources... and it is more cost effective... and is the wave of the future... "Big Oil" cannot stand in their way. "That" is the mythological conspiracy theory nonsense that has circulated through the non-capitalist minds for decades. Socialists have to have an enemy to be effective. They will create one if they have to. And they have.

What the US is missing is an "energy policy". If our government intends to play a role in the US and global energy policy (and the latter is a seriously tricky matter) then the political objectives of those in office need to be eliminated from the picture. When we figure out how to approach this subject without that component, we'll be well on our way to leading ourselves and the world into the correct next phases of effective, beneficial, healthy energy utilization.

Private industry would love to shape the world to fit its objectives. That is much less the case than everyone believes. "Big Oil" is not dictating what the US or the world do next. The general public doesn't know enough about science, invention, innovation, engineering, the finite elements on our planet, etc to do anything other than polarize along the lines of politics. The huge unfortunate in all of this is not the politicians. They have forever been untrustworthy in any and every capacity. They are both ignorant of science and engineering, and they are mentally and morally corrupt. The huge unfortunate is our science and academic community. They can no longer be trusted as sources of pure science and information. They align themselves with political causes and personal financial and power objectives that blind them to the purity of their mission.

I have absolutely no problem with substantial incentives for private industry and research institutions to work together to find solutions... even though my trust of all involved has eroded over the years. But, without exception, I will not and others of my like will not allow our government to press a plan of action that is nothing more than elixir political sales for the purpose of shifting the might of power currently in the private sector into the hands of the public sector. Just trust me... that is NOT going to happen. That "chicken in every pot" mentality was fun for too many while it lasted. The party is over. I don't blame the ignorant public employees that are addicted to the crack cocaine of the modern era... unaccounted for benefits. I blame politicians.