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I’ve had the fortune of working in industries that most people don’t see the back end of… Like it or not; we will use every drop of oil there is, one way or an

I’ve had the fortune of working in industries that most people don’t see the back end of… Like it or not; we will use every drop of oil there is, one way or another. I wouldn’t bet against oil companies even if all cars were electric by means of a genie.

Gare 4y ago
It seems only 4% of the World oil/gas production is used for plastics. https://www.bpf.co.uk/press/Oil_Consumption.aspx https://www.bpf.co.uk/press/Oil_Consumption.aspx
- blamazon 4y ago
  Good lord, all the plastic in the world being four percent of oil and gas production is terrifying. Implying the rest basically ends up combusted into the atmosphere? The fact that increasing the percentage of oil and gas used for plastic looks like a good option by comparison turns my stomach.
  - SV_BubbleTime 4y ago
    The wonder composites that make electric cars possible are all oil. Carbon fiber is hilariously not-green to produce. Make a tube out of oil and burn it over and over. Now make a car out of it with zero chance to recycle and talk about how green it is. Two things to your post though. Yes, making things out of oil is probably better than burning it. But don’t mistake how much oil is used in the side-processes. We will burn the oil one way or another. Until there is a better source of energy with better safety and density than hydrocarbons, we’ll use it all. If not in cars, in power plants, if not there in military, if not there in 3rd world, etc.
    - omg_ponies 4y ago
      > The wonder composites that make electric cars possible are all oil. I'm sure composites make electric cars better, but I don't think electric cars are impossible without composites.
  - Tao3300 4y ago
    Not sure how much winds up in cosmetics, cleaners, lubricants and stuff.
maxerickson 4y ago
Synthesized replacements (starting from plant stocks or whatever) will probably be cheaper at some point. Like some point in the next several decades, not in the far flung future.
- fbdab103 4y ago
  That feels like it might be possible, but we would have to stop subsidizing corn in favor of plants with markedly better yields (eg switchgrass). That will require significant political capital.
  - maxerickson 4y ago
    It would just require a market for switchgrass.
wizofaus 4y ago
The same was likely said of whale blubber 150 years ago.
- Tao3300 4y ago
  And we almost used all of it then.
  - wizofaus 4y ago
    But still managed to avoid hunting any species to worldwide extinction - so perhaps there's some hope.

Gare 4y ago

It seems only 4% of the World oil/gas production is used for plastics. https://www.bpf.co.uk/press/Oil_Consumption.aspx https://www.bpf.co.uk/press/Oil_Consumption.aspx

blamazon 4y ago
Good lord, all the plastic in the world being four percent of oil and gas production is terrifying. Implying the rest basically ends up combusted into the atmosphere? The fact that increasing the percentage of oil and gas used for plastic looks like a good option by comparison turns my stomach.
- SV_BubbleTime 4y ago
  The wonder composites that make electric cars possible are all oil. Carbon fiber is hilariously not-green to produce. Make a tube out of oil and burn it over and over. Now make a car out of it with zero chance to recycle and talk about how green it is. Two things to your post though. Yes, making things out of oil is probably better than burning it. But don’t mistake how much oil is used in the side-processes. We will burn the oil one way or another. Until there is a better source of energy with better safety and density than hydrocarbons, we’ll use it all. If not in cars, in power plants, if not there in military, if not there in 3rd world, etc.
  - omg_ponies 4y ago
    > The wonder composites that make electric cars possible are all oil. I'm sure composites make electric cars better, but I don't think electric cars are impossible without composites.
- Tao3300 4y ago
  Not sure how much winds up in cosmetics, cleaners, lubricants and stuff.

maxerickson 4y ago

Synthesized replacements (starting from plant stocks or whatever) will probably be cheaper at some point. Like some point in the next several decades, not in the far flung future.

fbdab103 4y ago
That feels like it might be possible, but we would have to stop subsidizing corn in favor of plants with markedly better yields (eg switchgrass). That will require significant political capital.
- maxerickson 4y ago
  It would just require a market for switchgrass.

wizofaus 4y ago

The same was likely said of whale blubber 150 years ago.

Tao3300 4y ago
And we almost used all of it then.
- wizofaus 4y ago
  But still managed to avoid hunting any species to worldwide extinction - so perhaps there's some hope.