By Henry Robertson
The energy follies keep getting stranger and more desperate. Only wishful thinking could insist that vast supplies of cheap oil still lie waiting beneath the tapped-out U.S., but our oil-addicted society, egged on by political demagoguery, goes madly searching for a new fix.
In August, Republican gubernatorial candidate Kenny Hulshof ratcheted up the insanity level when he announced his energy plan. He too wants to drill for oil — in Missouri. And he wants to build the state’s first oil refinery.
Just what we need, another reeking hydrocarbon facility spewing chemical pollutants into the air and water, spilling oil and pumping out greenhouse gases. But oil in Missouri?
There are indeed small deposits of sluggish, high-sulfur “heavy oil” in the far western part of the state, concentrated in Vernon County. Estimates of reserves vary widely, but Hulshof uses a 2007 MDNR estimate of 1.4–1.9 billion barrels of recoverable oil. That’s enough to supply the U.S. for 70–95 days; 1.4 billion barrels would last Missouri alone for more than 10 years. In 2005 Missouri ranked 29th out of the 31 states that produced any oil at all.
The heavy oil deposits are extremely shallow, lying just 160 feet below the surface on average. That might seem like an advantage, but it isn’t. In deeper geological formations there’s enough pressure to force oil up a well.
Oil production in Missouri requires steam injection. It takes fossil fuel (natural gas or oil) to heat steam to 400º, so the drillers have to spend energy to get energy. Because of its low quality, the heavy oil only fetches 80–85% of the price of light crude. Still, it’s profitable as long as the price of oil remains high.
What a brilliant future for Missouri — as a marginal, last-gasp oil producer! Hulshof wants to invest money in oil exploration and recovery technologies. I’ve got a better idea. Let’s invest in energy efficient buildings. Let’s get in the game of making wind turbine components and solar panels. Let’s figure out how to get around without oil.
An addict may sincerely want to break his habit, but he’ll never do it as long as he keeps a supply of his drug on hand.