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Fracking. Before fracking people were worried about "peak oil", and being dependent on unfriendly governments for our basic energy needs. Then with fracking w

by bertjk 8mo ago

Fracking. Before fracking people were worried about "peak oil", and being dependent on unfriendly governments for our basic energy needs. Then with fracking we realized we are actually sitting on huge available oil reserves, and peak oil quickly became a quaint outdated concept.

rob74 8mo ago
That may be part of it, but as your parent comment mentioned, the Republicans weren't only worried about peak oil and being dependent on unfriendly governments, but also about climate change. Of course, none of these three problems went away, the point where fossil fuels will be exhausted just got pushed further into the future, and the fact that it will take more and more effort and environmental damage to get to the remaining resources is also undeniable. But yeah, I guess your answer still applies indirectly: Fracking -> stronger interests by US oil companies -> money to the Republican party -> fossil fuel friendly regulations.
blindriver 8mo ago
The US is now the largest exporter of oil in the world.
casey2 8mo ago
Fracking has nothing to do with energy. When you look at EROI oil from a gusher is around ~100:1. For solar 10-25:1, wind 20-50:1, Fracking is 10:1 and most of that doesn't end up as diesel It's useful for the plastics and petrochemical industry, but it's not going to make the country energy independent, even including battery costs wind still trounces.
- jtbaker 8mo ago
  Isn't LNG a byproduct of the fracking process - and natural gas has taken over a good chunk of coal's role in our electricity generation?
  - defrost 8mo ago
    Extracting LNG may or may not be via fracking, and may come from conventional or unconvential fields. The largest LNG gas fields currently producing are not being "fracked", eg: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Pars/North_Dome_Gas-Condensate_field https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Pars/North_Dome_Gas-Cond...
CGMthrowaway 8mo ago
Speaking to the grandparent comment, fracking is precisely what earned US "energy independence" for the first time ever, in 2011.
- maest 8mo ago
  > earned US "energy independence" In a very myopic way.
  - CGMthrowaway 8mo ago
    With the benefit of hindsight, yes. A lot of money was lost in the fracking boom after the price of oil crashed
kneelesh48 8mo ago
[dead]
zingar 8mo ago
Not that it changes your point, but the other day I met a republican who said he doesn’t think climate change is a thing but peak oil, now that’s something to worry about. The longevity of this plus the “no anthropogenic climate change” nonsense is astounding. Armchair climate sceptics are happy to seriously stick to talking points that are so out of date that even the oil industry doesn’t use them anymore.
- mlrtime 8mo ago
  So you met a person, they told you their Party Affiliation, then went to tell you how it isn't "real". Sorry I don't believe your paraphrasing of this person's real thoughts and ideas. I'm sure these people exist, but it doesn't mean anything. I could equally go find someone crazy saying the world is going to end this year.
  - tzs 8mo ago
    > I'm sure these people exist, but it doesn't mean anything. One of those people is the current President of the United States.
    - miguelazo 8mo ago
      Along with most of the people who voted for him.
  - taskforcegemini 8mo ago
    >I could equally go find someone crazy saying the world is going to end this year. Given current events, one doesn't have to be crazy to believe this

by bertjk 8mo ago

rob74 8mo ago

That may be part of it, but as your parent comment mentioned, the Republicans weren't only worried about peak oil and being dependent on unfriendly governments, but also about climate change. Of course, none of these three problems went away, the point where fossil fuels will be exhausted just got pushed further into the future, and the fact that it will take more and more effort and environmental damage to get to the remaining resources is also undeniable. But yeah, I guess your answer still applies indirectly: Fracking -> stronger interests by US oil companies -> money to the Republican party -> fossil fuel friendly regulations.

blindriver 8mo ago

The US is now the largest exporter of oil in the world.

casey2 8mo ago

Fracking has nothing to do with energy. When you look at EROI oil from a gusher is around ~100:1. For solar 10-25:1, wind 20-50:1, Fracking is 10:1 and most of that doesn't end up as diesel It's useful for the plastics and petrochemical industry, but it's not going to make the country energy independent, even including battery costs wind still trounces.

jtbaker 8mo ago
Isn't LNG a byproduct of the fracking process - and natural gas has taken over a good chunk of coal's role in our electricity generation?
- defrost 8mo ago
  Extracting LNG may or may not be via fracking, and may come from conventional or unconvential fields. The largest LNG gas fields currently producing are not being "fracked", eg: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Pars/North_Dome_Gas-Condensate_field https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Pars/North_Dome_Gas-Cond...

CGMthrowaway 8mo ago

Speaking to the grandparent comment, fracking is precisely what earned US "energy independence" for the first time ever, in 2011.

maest 8mo ago
> earned US "energy independence" In a very myopic way.
- CGMthrowaway 8mo ago
  With the benefit of hindsight, yes. A lot of money was lost in the fracking boom after the price of oil crashed

kneelesh48 8mo ago

[dead]

zingar 8mo ago

Not that it changes your point, but the other day I met a republican who said he doesn’t think climate change is a thing but peak oil, now that’s something to worry about. The longevity of this plus the “no anthropogenic climate change” nonsense is astounding. Armchair climate sceptics are happy to seriously stick to talking points that are so out of date that even the oil industry doesn’t use them anymore.

mlrtime 8mo ago
So you met a person, they told you their Party Affiliation, then went to tell you how it isn't "real". Sorry I don't believe your paraphrasing of this person's real thoughts and ideas. I'm sure these people exist, but it doesn't mean anything. I could equally go find someone crazy saying the world is going to end this year.
- tzs 8mo ago
  > I'm sure these people exist, but it doesn't mean anything. One of those people is the current President of the United States.
  - miguelazo 8mo ago
    Along with most of the people who voted for him.
- taskforcegemini 8mo ago
  >I could equally go find someone crazy saying the world is going to end this year. Given current events, one doesn't have to be crazy to believe this