Energy, Economy And
Environment Linked Together
By SCOTT W. TINKER
In my August column I discussed the bridge
between energy and the economy. Another key
bridge for AAPG, and one more difficult to construct intellectually, is the link between energy
and the environment.
I consider myself an environmentalist. Many
geologists are.
Tinker
To me that means I am awed by the beauty
of nature – from the tenacity of the desert to the majesty of the
mountains to the magnitude of the sea. I spend time out-of-doors,
tread as lightly as I can and try to leave places better than I find
them. I contribute financially to certain environmental concerns. I
attempt to minimize my environmental footprint given the available technological options
(such as installing fluorescent bulbs throughout the house; my seven-year-old daughter
concluded correctly, “Gee Dad, this won’t pay
out!” And yet we all felt better!) and to the extent I can afford.
To the extent I can afford? What does that
mean?
The energy-environment bridge is built on
an economic foundation. Energy is required
for a healthy economy, and a healthy economy is requisite to a clean environment. Said
differently, in a global or national recession,
not much is invested in the environment; we have other issues and
concerns to deal with that are more pressing. The economy-environment link, however, may not be widely understood.
Today’s energy debate is often framed as a choice between fossil fuels and non-fossil fuels, or between fossil fuels and the environment. These are red herrings.
In fact, a healthy U.S. and global economy allows for substantial
investment in our environment. And a healthy economy requires
energy.
A stable and continuous supply of fossil fuels is needed while
we develop and expand alternative fuels – for our economy and for
the environment.
✓ Pipelines and gas-gathering systems are automated and efficient so that liquid and atmospheric releases are more readily detected and more rapidly mitigated.
✓ Marine production and transportation systems of liquid and
natural gas fuels are designed to react to natural disasters such as
hurricanes and even earthquakes.
✓ Reclamation of coal-mining operations results in land that resembles native conditions much more closely than did the pre-mining landscape.
U.S. Gulf Coast hurricanes Katrina and Rita were devastating
natural disasters. However, the greatest environmental story of the
decade in terms of oil and gas was the one that followed Katrina
and Rita. No major spills or leaks from offshore operations – the environmental disaster that wasn’t! Too bad
major media outlets did not see fit to run that
story.
So here we sit today with oil and natural
gas resources off every U.S. coast – Arctic,
Atlantic, Pacific, Gulf – under drilling moratoria on the false pretense that drilling hurts the
environment.
Yes, there have been accidents – accidents happen whenever humans and largescale technology come together. Those
accidents grow fewer with each passing
decade as technology and knowledge advance. Accidents are part of our world, and
just as they happen with oil and natural gas, they will happen with
wind and solar systems when these are developed and deployed
at the massive production scales needed to make an impact. Accidents are never good, but they are relatively rare.
The greater disaster, and one that is no accident, is continuing
policies that impose drilling moratoria that forbid us to develop our
own fossil energy resources – resources that would allow us to
build a stable economic bridge to an alternate energy future.
The unintended consequence of this misplaced policy is harming our economy and, consequently, reducing the level of investment in our environment.
As an environmentalist, I find this unacceptable.
* * *
* * *
Fossil fuels, alternate energy, the economy and the environment
are not mutually exclusive choices. They are inextricably linked.
They are symbiotic.
But wait, aren’t fossil fuels bad and wrecking the environment?!
There was a time when production of fossil fuels had a major
impact on the surface of the Earth. However, understanding has
advanced and technology has evolved and improved dramatically:
✓ Complex horizontal-well configurations allow thousands of
subsurface acres to be accessed from a 10-acre onshore pad or
offshore platform.
As in August, let me conclude in a similar way this month, but
expand: The next time you meet someone and are asked, “What
do you do?” tell them you are a geologist and an environmentalist
in the oil and gas business.
Let them know what that really means. Put a human face on our
global energy, economic and environmental future!
We are the bridge.
oday’s energy
debate is often
framed as a choice
between fossil fuels
and non-fossil fuels,
or between fossil fuels
and the environment.
These are red herrings.
T
Reprinted from the September 2008 AAPG EXPLORER