The Oil Drum

I do not see an argument on why it can't be that the UK has used other sources of energy (Oil and NG) when these have been cheap and now will return to coal? What is cheap coal?
I guess the world economy would not like a trippling in the price of coal, but if that will double the coal reserves of the world, we are going to burn more coal, simply because other alternatives are even dearer. A worse eroei is not a problem as long as the kwh is cheeper than the alternatives.

A negavtive eroei would of cource stop exploration, but how do you know that a little bit deeper coal seams would give us that?

Comrade Bob, I thinks its time you started posting you're eroei data comparing UK deep coal with surface mined S African and Australian coal, including transportation costs to the UK but ignoring the differnt sulphur contents.

I have no problem accepting that the eroei for surface mined coal may be higher - but is this deterministic? I'm equally sure that the eroei of ME oil is much higher than N Sea oil - and yet we still produce N Sea oil - strange isn't it?

I think one of the main reasons UK coal is not favoured is high sulphur content. And so, like Safaniyah crude, it is unpopular with the market for so long as alternatives exist. But it sure as hell still exists and will be burned one day - that is UK coal and Safaniyah crude.

Why do you keep repeating this nonsense? Please refer me to any study prior to 1984 that mentions the energy required to extract and transport coal in the UK. Informed opinion in the UK coal industry was aware of « Peak Oil » in the early 1960s. I quote Dr Schumacher again, Economic Advisor the National Coal Board from his article « European Coal in the year 2000 » from the German revue « Schlågel und Eisen » February 1963

« According to all the conclusions of a careful investigation of the future, one must accept that the world is approaching a period of energy shortage that will be tied to lasting price increases for all imported fuels. This will not occur immediately…The need for a careful, responsible policy of conservation of the European coal industry should no longer be in doubt. It is clear that that not only the position in the world but the very existence of Western Europe would be seriously endangered if she were faced with an unfillable energy gap. Such a situation does not need to last long before it shakes the political and economic institutions to their foundations. »

Despite the now obvious correctness of Schumacher’s argument, the Thatcher Government sterilised some 6000 million tons of easily extracted, concentrated carbon. If it were true that UK reserves are down to 200 million tons, this must rank as one of the largest acts of vandalism ever by a Government. Fortunately, I suspect it is not true: that there is a lot more coal still down there. It will require a minimum of 10 years to construct new collieries and I was told this morning that Meridian Television (a UK digital channel ) had a program about a month ago about an feasibility study that a private company was undertaking to reopen Betteshanger colliery. I will try to get a video. BTW the private company is Chinese.