With a potential oil crisis that is looming ahead we need to make an assessment of our vulnerabilities in each sector on all oil-based products, we need to know the interconnections of oil in the economy on a mass scale, then we will know what will be affected if things worsen. I asked for an assessment of the power grid what runs the power stations and this is what I was given, out of about 7,800 plants which make up the power grid in the US. 65% of the grid uses coal 10% uses natural gas, 5% Use hydro electric power, 3% use oil, 2% solar power and geothermal and 15% use Nuclear power. You have to do this with every major dependency on a mass scale like the above. The same thing has to be done to the trains, how many are run on electric, or oil-fuel based? or other? We need to know what oil if the worst happens will threaten, otherwise it's like walking around without having a map to show any direction. We need to map out the areas oil uses.

-- Brent Nichols (b-nichol@ihug.co.nz), January 24, 2000

Answers

I just posted a few links on oil refining etc. above. Wait for a while before jumping to the conclusion that a major crisis is looming. Remember, most of us expected a y2k crisis as well. There are problems up north where it is REALLY COLD!!!! but down here in NC gas has not gone up nor have any shortages materialised. Charlotte, NC has the largest truck stop in the world, and I hang out on ham and CB radio. If there are serious problems or price rises, truckers will bitch all over 40 channels. But down here, nothing yet.

-- Forrest Covington (theforrest@mindspring.com), January 24, 2000.

Brent: why? What difference does it make? There is nothing we can do about it, except store a few gallons of gasoline in some gas cans. I am all for watching the situation but I don't understand the need for such detailed info. If there is an oil shortage, it will affect us, period. Time to pay of credit cards, set aside a little more emergency cash and hang on to our food.

Forest: Since you are a ham and use CB, Could you tell me the pro's and con's of each? I have a CB but I am considering gettting into ham radio.

-- JoseMiami (caris@prodigy.net), January 24, 2000.

Brent, for the example you gave, I think you need to look at it much more locally. My recollection is that nuclear power accounts for closer to 20% of the national fuel, but 40% east of the Mississippi, and particularly high in states like NJ. My own state of Massachusetts has a fairly even distribution across the board for the different fuel sources, plus commercial trash incinerators. If you want to know how it is more like to affect YOU, I think you need to look at your state and the ability of particular plants to switch between fuels. I'm sorry that I do not recall any of the links for this. I am more hopeful about natural gas, since virtually all of our natural gas is generated in North America (fewer distribution problems).

-- Brooks (brooksbie@hotmail.com), January 24, 2000.