July 13, 2012
Note: LENR = Low Energy Nuclear Reaction (aka Cold Fusion)
Editorial in Oil Industry Trade Magazine Focuses on LENR Threat
Many thanks to reader Steve Jacobs who sent this comment today ( I just got home and approved it — all comments from first time posters are moderated)
“I am from the petroleum industry and LENR is now being watched closely. An article was just published in the July Journal of Petroleum Technology. I authored it. LENR is definitely on the radar.”
I was able to find an online version of the article which is a guest editorial in the JPT entitled “On the Precipice of a New Energy Source” co-authored by Steve Jacobs, COO of Decision Strategies, Patrick Leach, CEO of Decision Strategies, and David J. Nagel, CEO of NUCAT Energy.
Decision Strategies is a Houston, Texas based consulting firm that advises the petroleum, chemicals, and oilfield services industries. NUCAT Energy provides educational and consulting service in the field of LENR.
I thought the introduction was very thought provoking and appropriate. It starts out:
In the late 1850s, the whaling industry was in a veritable boom in the town of Lahaina on the Hawaiian island of Maui. Business was great and many in the whaling industry believed that increased demand would continue for decades to come. But in 1859 oil was discovered in Titusville, Pennsylvania by Edwin Drake. The rest is history.
That was 150 years ago. A small but increasing number of people around the world believe we are on a similar course, except that this time it is the petroleum industry that might be threatened.
The article then goes on to provide an overview of the history and current state of LENR, and discuss its very disruptive nature should it emerge as a useful source of energy.
The authors do not predict that LENR will definitely replace petroleum’s place as a primary energy source, but are willing to countenance that it is a real possibility. They emphasize that the petroleum industry needs to be prepared to deal with the possible disruptions that could come if LENR pans out to be a viable alternative energy source. They state:
If proven to work, what impact would LENR have on the petroleum industry? It is difficult to say for certain, but it would undoubtedly be significant. The vast preponderance of oil is used for transportation and heating which would now be competing with LENR. While there would still be need for petroleum chemicals and other applications, collectively these end uses represent less than about 20% of each barrel. Natural gas would not fare much better; its main applications are heating and electricity. If LENR works the impact on the petroleum industry, power generation and coal industry would be enormous.
It’s quite a significant thing in my opinion, for an article like this to be published in a respected publication in the petroleum industry. The Journal of Petroleum Technology is the official magazine of Society of Petroleum Engineers. I would not be surprised if this starts a conversation among professionals in the oil industies, and leads to more attention being paid to the emerging LENR story.
To read the article you will need to go to this link, http://www.mydigitalpublication.com/publication/?i=116298and choose ‘Contents’ from the menu at the top. The article begins on page 18.
For an html version, go here: http://www.mydigitalpublication.com//display_article.php?id=1104768
