The Oil Drum

39 comments on Help Prioritize the Questions for the API

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Aniya on April 18, 2007 - 1:34am

Hi InJapan and Thanks again, Robert,

re: 33. I had a similar thought - could a "too easy" answer be "alternatives"? Or "more research"? We'll see.

Robert, I really appreciate your including "33" here. I was also trying to get at something else - maybe you could let me know how you see this?

Perhaps my trying (back under your original post) to talk in terms of ethics sounded accusatory or moralistic, which is actually not at all how I meant it.

I see it as a challenge in general (IMHO) to figure out how to be responsible/act responsibly for what one sees and knows, what one is involved in, or even observes.

It is not "merely" the impending shortfalls I'm asking about.

It's the knowledge of 1) what those shortfalls mean, taken together with 2) the fact that, in the US, it's been what, 30 years? - an entire generation has grown up without firsthand experience of shortfalls, and 3) theoretical understanding (basics of the role of energy in history, and in the present economy) is also lacking, so that 4) industry leaders know something relatively few people know.

I.e., They not only know what's ahead, they will be among the first to know when "the future" arrives.

Meanwhile, they are aware of this knowledge and the fact few others possess awareness of the implications.

How can they best deal with the *knowledge of* impending shortfalls? (How to deal with knowing something now that will effect people's lives in such a major way in the future?)

Also, Robert, it brings a smile to my face to see you ask us for suggestions and then also involve us in the selection process. I take it as an example of an inclusive and open way to do things.

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InJapan on April 18, 2007 - 2:16am

Your questioning is about valid topics, or should I say topic - ethics. In this case ethics and a specific industry group. However, dealing with ethics in the corporate world is as difficult as with any other area of life, as there are seemingly endless streams of related issues that can be raised once you open Pandora's box.

What you are wanting to ask, as I understand it, is "How responsible are the API members in informing their customers of limited future availability of key products?" and the corollary "How will the industry deal with the effects of not meeting their customers needs?".

Please remember that the API is an industry interest group and solely exists for the benefit of its members, not to solve the world's problems. However, as part of this world they cannot escape their surroundings and at least from their published material it appears they are at least open to discussing these issues.

Given that this API conference call appears to be at least somewhat open to the ethical issues (or else why would they even want to discuss the environment in the first place?) neverthless it would probably be nonproductive to try and paint the API into a corner from the outset.

Hopefully someone (RR?) will be able to get the leaders of the API to acknowledge that issues of energy availability do indeed exist and will get worse in the coming decade, not as some undeterminable far future event.

And indeed the environmental impacts of decreased oil and gas are large as coal, and poor quality coal at that, will be used as substitutes wherever possible.

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Aniya on April 18, 2007 - 9:13pm

Hi InJ,

Thanks.

re: "What you are wanting to ask, as I understand it, is "How responsible are the API members in informing their customers of limited future availability of key products?" and the corollary "How will the industry deal with the effects of not meeting their customers needs?".

This is a more specific wording of my thoughts.