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2012: US Military Assessment of Peak Oil

Apr. 14, 2010 1:48 PM ET
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The Joint Forces Command (all US military services) recently released the Joint Operating Environment 2010 with the following sobering assessment:

"By 2012, surplus oil production capacity could entirely disappear, and as early as 2015, the shortfall in output could reach nearly 10 million barrels per day.

A severe energy crunch is inevitable without a massive expansion of production and refining capacity. While it is difficult to predict precisely what economic, political, and strategic effects such a shortfall might produce, it surely would reduce the prospects for growth in both the developing and developed worlds. Such an economic slowdown would exacerbate other unresolved tensions, push fragile and failing states further down the path toward collapse, and perhaps have serious economic impact on both China and India. At best, it would lead to periods of harsh economic adjustment. To what extent conservation measures, investments in alternative energy production, and efforts to expand petroleum production from tar sands and shale would mitigate such a period of adjustment is difficult to predict. One should not forget that the Great Depression spawned a number of totalitarian regimes that sought economic prosperity for their nations by ruthless conquest.

Energy production and distribution infrastructure must see significant new investment if energy demand is to be satisfied at a cost compatible with economic growth and prosperity."

The discovery rate for new petroleum and gas fields over the past two decades (with the possible exception of Brazil) provides little reason for optimism that future efforts will find major new fields.


Foward by General James N Mattis

The need to re-tool transportation is immediate and possible. At JPods, Inc. we will deploy the first solar powered mobility networks this summer at the Mall of America and Kunming China. Attached is a note from Chairman Oberstar on the Mall of America project:

Oberstar, Mall of America, MOA, JPods



Disclosure: Author is the founder of JPods, Inc.

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