<DrumBeat: June 28, 2007The Oil Drum

52 comments on Another thought on coal supply

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BobCousins on June 30, 2007 - 2:15pm Permalink | Subthread | Parent | Comments top

Whatever. Lap up what the National Coal Board says. Blame the right wing government. Of course, we believe what KSA says about it's oil reserves, why would they lie? Peak Oil? Nah, it's just lack of investment and politics. Why, there are trillions of barrels of oil yet to be produced.

When annual UK coal production shows a year on year increase, get back to me. Otherwise don't bother.

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TheRedBaron on July 2, 2007 - 2:52am Permalink | Subthread | Parent | Comments top

Again, could we have some evidence please rather than a stupid rant.

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BobCousins on July 2, 2007 - 5:36am Permalink | Subthread | Parent | Comments top

It's not up to me to prove the negative. The case for renewed investment is your claim, it's up to you to show some convincing reasons why anyone should put their money into coal mining.

The facts speak for themselves. UK annual coal production has declined since the peak in 1910, and that trend shows no sign of changing. More pits are closing than opening. If this trend reverses, then maybe you have something.

The former Betteshanger colliery has been redeveloped at a cost of £18 million to office, light industrial and leisure use. I guess the Chinese deal fell through.

Instead of looking back to past glories, we need to be investing in less polluting energy sources like wind and solar.

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Pitt the Elder on July 2, 2007 - 11:16am Permalink | Subthread | Parent | Comments top

It's not up to me to prove the negative.
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The facts speak for themselves. UK annual coal production has declined since the peak in 1910

Straw man - nobody's asking you to prove a negative. Nobody's even asking you to prove anything.

What they appear to be asking is that you provide evidence for your apparent claim that UK coal production's decline is irreversible; i.e., that UK coal production is low for geological and EROEI reasons rather than for political or economic reasons. Large coal deposits are known and located in the UK; you are asserting that they are not being mined due to physical constraints. That is a positive assertion, and requires evidence to back it up.

In response, you've provided only semi-coherent rants. Those aren't evidence, no matter how strongly you believe them.

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BobCousins on July 2, 2007 - 7:07pm Permalink | Subthread | Parent | Comments top

you are asserting that they are not being mined due to physical constraints. That is a positive assertion,

WTF does "not" mean? Hey, is that a negative? "irreversible" is also a negative. You ARE asking me to prove a negative, so don't lie.

Anyway, I am not arguing there is no longer coal down there, nor am asserting there are physical limits. Those are YOUR strawmen, so another lie.

[you claim] that UK coal production is low for geological and EROEI reasons rather than for political or economic reasons.

I agree! It is for economic reasons. The "political" decision that was made was to stop subsidising a loss-making industry. QED.

If you think that the economic or political stance will change in the future, it is up to you to provide evidence for that.

Thanks for poking your nose in, but your objections are not even semi-coherent!

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Rethin on July 3, 2007 - 12:42am Permalink | Subthread | Parent | Comments top

You'll have to excuse Pitt. He often confuses posters on this board for the demons in his head.

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