Master in Photovoltaic Solar Energy

TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY OF MADRID

ENERGY AND SOCIETY

Exercises for Unit II.3

Students: ___________Otto Hernán Velarde Barrantes

__________________________________________

Time estimated to complete this task is 2.5 hours

Time needed to complete this assignment: ____________ hours

E&S * Assignments II.2 1

 EXERCISE II.3.a
COMMENTED READING ON THE END OF OIL

Choose one of these suggested readings for this Unit

The End of Cheap Oil: Current Status And Prospects

Miltos Tsoskounoglou, George Ayerides, Efi Tritopoulou
(2008)

Peak oil: The four stages of a new idea

Ugo Bardi (2009)

and write a commentary emphasizing connections and/or

controversies with the topics covered in the class.

Comment:

It is true that the world economic development from 1970 to the present day is mainly
thanks to the use of oil, not necessarily cheap, but it has become a very accessible
product in terms of its offer, high energy efficiency, especially available globally, what
it means is that its distribution and logistics is worldwide; Transportation and electricity
generation have been the major sectors where it generated demand to the point of

E&S * Assignments II.3 2

becoming a product of basic necessity, a fuel that allows supplying basic supplies to the
world population, thus becoming a factor in the economic development of all countries.

According to the researchers of the publication, we are rapidly approaching the point
where the depletion of oil fields, however, the demand has not changed, rather it
increases with each new decade, and with population growth and the improvement of
the style of life in the cities.

I strongly agree with this, economic prosperity in the 21st century calls for ensuring
enough new energy sources to be developed. However, it is in the first place,
technological development that makes it possible to replace gray technologies, resulting
in a permanent withdrawal of dependence on fuel. Oil shortages will always make the
resource more expensive in a supply and demand curve, as long as its demand exists,
new oil fields will be discovered.

E&S * Assignments II.3 3

 EXERCISE II.3.b
ON THE ABIOGENIC ORIGIN OF OIL

Conduct a research on the theories for the abiogenic origin of oil

To do so, take as a starting point the paper

Peak Oil in the Light of Oil Formation Theories
Alexander Tsatskin, Oded Balaban

and search for additional sources of information.

Summarize your findings in a brief comment emphasizing the strong

(if any) and weak points of the theory for the abiogenic origin of oil.

Please, include your sources for information

https://www.intechopen.com/chapters/41889

According to the article, the potential of the abiogenic theory of oil formation is
underestimated, some research shows that oil is a thermodynamic understanding of
hydrocarbon formation. Now emotionally charged and controversial, the debate will
supposedly develop a balanced and realistic scenario on the gradual oil transition and a
secure global energy supply.

It is mentioned that some geologists postulate that the facts that contradict the biotic
concept are the existence of liquid and / or gaseous hydrocarbons in hydrothermal vents

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in the ocean, what can be said is that the extent of abiotic processes in the hydrocarbon
production, science still has a lot to discover.

E&S * Assignments II.3 5