As early as our young children, we heard talk about oil depletion. Experts have claimed that there is only enough oil on Earth for another ten years, and then changed their narrative to say it will last another twenty years. However, we are now in 2020, and none of those prophecies have come true.
Looking back at history, let's travel through the long river of time. In 1914, the U.S. Bureau of Mines predicted that the country's oil reserves would last only ten years; Twelve years later, in 1926, the federal oil protection agency estimated that the oil supply in the United States would last only another seven years; In 1939, the Ministry of the Interior claimed that the oil would last for thirteen years, but twelve years later they said it would last another thirteen years. Later, President Carter of the United States in the seventies declared: "At the end of the next decade, we will use up all the proven oil reserves in the world." "Actually, those experts' predictions may have been correct, but they were based on oil reserve forecasts at the time."
Now, as time goes on, we continue to discover more oil reserves, and the amount of oil we can use grows. The experts' predictions are based on current usage and proven oil reserves on Earth. According to such projections, there are at least a hundred years of oil reserves at our disposal.
As one of the important energy sources, oil has always provided many conveniences for our lives. It drives our vehicles, warms our rooms on cold winter days, and powers industrial production. Some people are worried about the consumption of this vital energy source, believing that it is getting closer and closer to the day of depletion. However, we should not worry too much about oil depletion. Human civilization and science and technology are changing with each passing day, and with technological breakthroughs and the pursuit of energy, we seem to gradually realize the endless treasures of the earth. More and more oil is being discovered and exploited by our exploration teams, and countries like Venezuela with large oil reserves are frequently being demystined. Today, thanks to these countless exploration efforts, global proven oil reserves at the end of 2018 rose by 235.9 billion barrels from 2008, reaching an untold 1.73 trillion barrels. However, this is only the tip of the iceberg.
In the face of this fact, we cannot help but ask ourselves, what huge oil treasures are hidden deep underground? Faced with this labyrinthic clump, we have to guess, how much oil is still sinking in the ground, waiting for us to excavate and reveal? Maybe hundreds of billions of barrels, or trillions of barrels, or millions of barrels. At the moment, no one can answer this question exactly. After years of research and exploitation, mankind has finally discovered a valuable energy resource - shale oil. According to statistics, the proven shale oil reserves are as high as 11 trillion to 13 trillion tons, far exceeding the reserves of traditional oil. This figure is jaw-dropping, and it also makes us full of expectations and hopes for the future of energy.
The depth of the ocean floor we can reach is amazing. The Jiaolong manned deep submersible is the first operational deep-sea manned submersible independently designed, integrated and developed in mainland China, and its maximum diving depth can reach 7,000 meters. Looking to the world, this deep diving ability is unique. However, the real mysteries of the depths of the ocean are still invisible to most of us. The Mariana Trench is one of the deepest seabeds in the world, reaching a maximum depth of 11,034 meters below sea level. This is a shocking number and reminds us of the immense wealth that may lie beneath the ocean. However, even if our submersible can reach this depth, we still cannot survey and understand how much oil is stored under the deep seabed, which is unknown.
When there are claims that oil will run out in the near future, we can't help but question these statements. Are these people selling anxiety, or are they advocating for the development of new energy? We are in an era full of infinite possibilities, the rapid development of science and technology is changing our lives, and new energy is also rising. Even if oil does dry up a hundred years from now, alternative energy sources will already be on the horizon. The continuous development of alternative energy sources such as electricity, solar energy, wind energy, and water energy will bring unlimited choices and development space for mankind. Now, we have been able to use solar power to change the way energy is used; We have been able to extract geothermal energy to meet the needs of home heating; We have been able to use wind power to reduce environmental pollution. Whether it is the progress of science and technology or the wisdom of mankind, it will inject new impetus into the development of the energy field.
So even if the prediction of oil depletion comes true, we still don't have to worry too much. Because we believe that the power of science and technology is endless, and the wisdom of human beings is boundless. Just as oil was discovered and widely exploited in the past, we believe that there will inevitably be better alternatives to the energy of the future, providing us with cleaner and more efficient energy.
As early as the early 1950s, Soviet scientists discovered a completely new theory of oil sources, the so-called "inorganic oil theory". At secret government bases, they pored over Western literature on the sources of oil and gas and quietly revealed that oil may not be related to what we think of as organic. According to the results of this study, oil is not intrinsically related to buried organisms in the ground, they are primordial materials that gushed out from the depths of the earth. Under certain conditions, oil can be directly formed from carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen, and the geological conditions for storage are not as harsh as we think. The presence of shale gas, in particular, seems to be further proof of this.
We must emphasize that there is no clear conclusion at this time. The question of the regenerative nature of oil involves huge economic interests and political issues, and may even trigger new wars. Therefore, we can only say that whether oil can be regenerated remains an unsolved mystery. From a historical point of view, oil has undoubtedly brought great wealth and progress to mankind. It is the backbone of modern industry, supporting our transportation system, providing electricity and heat. However, the use of oil also brings a series of problems, such as environmental pollution, climate change, etc., which prompts us to constantly look for alternative energy sources.
If oil is truly renewable, it will open a whole new door for us. We no longer need to worry about oil reserves and supplies, or about energy depletion. However, whether this is really true or not, we need more evidence and scientific research to argue. Whether oil is renewable or not, we cannot ignore the importance of reducing our dependence on oil. Although advances in science and technology have enabled us to extract oil more efficiently and use it more efficiently, we cannot ignore its side effects and unsustainability. Throughout human history, we have been constantly looking for alternatives to energy and resources. The development of new energy sources such as solar energy, wind energy, and hydro energy has brought us hope. We should seize the opportunity of this era to actively invest in and research renewable energy technologies, reduce dependence on oil, and promote sustainable development.
In this era of breakthrough technology, we should keep an open mind, constantly exploring and innovating to solve current and future energy and environmental problems. Only in this way can we truly achieve the goal of sustainable development and bring better prospects for the future of mankind. Oil is a great gift from nature to mankind. In recent years, however, as resource consumption and energy demand have grown, voices have spread among people claiming that oil reserves will be depleted by the end of the century. However, one thing is certain: even with the proven reserves so far, oil will not be exhausted without the development of new energy sources. Therefore, the promotion of oil depletion and the sale of anxiety can be stopped.
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