Читать книгу Economically and Environmentally Sustainable Enhanced Oil Recovery - M. R. Islam - Страница 25

The role of petroleum products in shaping human energy needs is undeniable. Hydrocarbons and their transformations play major roles in sustaining today’s civilization. Even though petroleum continues to be the world’s most diverse, efficient, and abundant energy source, due to “grim climate concerns”, global initiatives are pointing toward a “go green” mantra. When it comes to defining ‘green’, numerous schemes are being presented as ‘green’ even though all it means is the source of energy is not carbon. This newfound activism against petroleum sources is illogical and defies the fact that petroleum fluids, including natural gas are 100% natural. While there had been no ambiguity in terms what constitutes natural in both material and spiritual senses before modern age, modern age is rife with confusion regarding sustainability of energy as well as mere existence of the human race.

The current practice of petroleum engineering is not sustainable but the source of unsustainability is hardly known by the mainstream scientists, content with the ‘carbon is the enemy mantra’ – the ones called ‘97% consensus group’ by Islam and Khan (2018). The study of sustainability is a complex science as it involves subsurface and surface, natural and artificial materials, with very high ratio of unknowns over known information (Figure 2.1). Any false-step of Figure 2.1 can trigger unsustainability. Both science and mathematics of the process have been deficient at best.

In 2018, Islam and Khan used detailed pathway analysis to identify flaws of various energy production schemes, including petroleum resource development. They pointed out that the sources of unsustainability have eluded modern scientists. Instead, scientists have gone with the most popular theme of any given time and conformed to the path of maximizing benefit to the scientific community, in terms of government funding.

Figure 2.1 Various steps involved in petroleum technology.

In this chapter, a delinearized history of energy developments in relation to petroleum production, particularly as it relates to oil and gas is presented. It is complimented with timelines of unsustainable practices, including those involved in enhanced oil recovery (EOR).