Basic industrial geological principles of world energy supply

The author illustrates the development of the demand for energy since 1965 and summarizes the probable development up to the year 2000. He then goes on to investigate the reserves and the distribution of energy sources, dealing individually with mineral oil, natural gas, oil sand and oil shale, hard coal, brown coal and uranium. If the world oil consumption continues to rise a crisis in the energy supply can be expected between 1985 and 1990. The reasons for this are rooted in the following factors: In the late eighties the North Sea production can be expected to exceed its production maximum of approx. 200 to 250 x 106 tons per year, from this time producing at a decreasing rate beyond the year 2000. Gas is likely to rapidly increase in importance in Europe in the late eighties and be generally employed about twice as much as today. After that time, however, it may be expected to increase slowly over many years or remain at a constant level. Several OPEC countries will have to further limit their mineral oil export due to the declining reserves and their own growing need. Restrictive measures are also necessary for economical exploitation. The oil import of the USA continues to rise rigorously because the deficiency in natural gas in this country is particularly apparent and the gas can be most rapidly substitued by oil. Nuclear energy, with a world-wide energy demand growth rate of 3 to 4%, is not in a position to fill the gap alone, especially since the present delay in the erection of nuclear power plants will become apparent in about 10 years. (orig./HP)