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"If we
do not change our direction,
we are likely to end up where we are going."
Chinese Proverb
Fossil Fuel Background
The world relies on fossil fuels. Fossil fuels run our cars, heat our
houses, provide the electricity to light up a dark area. Fossil fuels are
made up of oil, natural gas, and coal. They provide about 85% of all
commercial energy in the world (see below), which is more than ten times the amount we
use biomass fuels (wood, peat, charcoal, and manure) and other renewable
resources, such as wind, geothermal, hydroelectricity and solar combined.
Fossil fuels have an effect on the global environment. The major
effects are as follows:
~Global Warming
~Health Problems
~Pollution
~Acid Rain
~Environmental Destruction
-Oil Spills
Fossil Fuels and the Caspian Sea
The Caspian Sea may be one of the richest reserves of oil and natural
gas in the world. Oil deposits around the Caspian Sea are thought to
hold up to 200 billion barrels of oil. This could make up as much as
25% of all the world's oil. If the Caspian Sea does hold as much oil
as thought, it could be worth about $4 trillion at today's oil prices.
There are two important benefits of oil, which is the largest
commercial fuel. First of all, it is the second cheapest form of
energy, just behind coal. Second, it is an efficient energy source
being that it only loses 10% of it's energy when being drilled.
Oil has several negative aspects though too. When oil is first
extracted, it comes out easily. But, oil requires increasing effort
as more and more oil is extracted. All of the oil is never
recovered, but about 30 to 40 percent is extracted on average. A
second disadvantage to oil is that half of the oil is thought to be
non-recoverable. The total amount of oil in the world is estimated
to be at about 4 trillion barrels, and only half of this is thought to be
recoverable. With the current consumption rate of oil, it is thought
that there is only 45 years to go before the oil supply will run dry.
In addition to the abundance of oil that is thought to be present, it
is also thought that the countries neighboring the Caspian Sea may have
enormous resources of natural gas. Russia and the Middle East have
as much as 72% of the proven natural gas reserves. This shows their
domination with the third largest commercial fuel, natural gas.
Natural gas is convenient, cheap, and clean burning. Natural gas
uses have as much carbon dioxide as coal. It is an efficient form of
energy in that only 10% of it's energy is lost during the extracting
process. And, at the current rate of consumption, there is enough to
last another 60 years. Natural gas is difficult to transport though,
and it can pollute when it is being extracted. It can also be
dangerous when extracting it from the bedrock.
Controversy
While the Caspian Sea region is known for these two key
natural resources, there is controversy over both oil and natural gas as
seen in the following picture from the Environmental and Societal Impacts
Group:
There has also been controversy over the recent rise of the Caspian Sea.
Reasons for the rise in sea level can vary from tectonic movement to the
management of water resources to the highly debated issue of climate
change. Climate change takes on two different views. One can
think that it is occurring because of natural variability of the climate
system. Or, one can take the side that it is human-induced, mainly from
the burning of fossil fuels. Regardless of which view is taken, one thing
is for certain: climate change is present, as seen in:
global pict.jpg
The Caspian Sea's sea level change has affected it's surrounding
countries. This can be seen in the following picture:
 (enlarge
pictureFig6.gif)
Source: Earth Sciences and Image Analysis, NASA-Johnson Space Center. 31.
Jul. 2002
<http://eol.jsc.nasa.gov/newsletter/DynamicEarth/Chapter15/Fig6.htm>
There have been disastrous results from the flooding of the Caspian Sea.
According to Azerbaijan's Meteorology Committee, "there has already been
inundation of several petroleum deposits, 600 km of coastline with a loss
of 20,000 ha of agricultural fields, 50 small cities and settlements, 250
industrial buildings and railways and highways."
Pollution
In addition to the man-made pollution that has
adversely affected the Caspian, the sea has exhibited a curious natural
variation in its water level that has created more environmental problems.
"Since 1978, the sea level has risen almost 7.5 feet--flooding in coastal zones
has inundated residential areas, transport, telecommunications and energy
infrastructure, chemical and petrochemical industries, croplands and hatcheries,
forcing thousands of residents to be evacuated from flooded homes." (www.greennature.com/article572.html)
Oil
and Gas production have been the source of severe air, water, and soil pollution
in the Caspian region. "Systematic water sampling in different parts of the
Caspian Basin show contamination from phenols, oil products, and other sources.
Mineral deposit exploration, particularly oil extraction and pipeline
construction, have contributed to the pollution of about 30,000 hectares of
land." (http://www.eia.doe.gov/emeu/cabs/caspenv.html)
In order to get the oil this has
to be transported via pipeline and this increase the risk of environmental
pollution and inconsequence increment in the world temperature . Thus Oil and
Gas production are major sources on pollution. We are creating really a huge
problem in the Caspian Region because it is a serious environmental danger for
the world.
Global Warming
Grinnell Glacier, located in Glacier National Park in Montana, is one
example of how fossil fuels may effect the environment. Pictured below is
Grinnell Glacier in 1996 and the same glacier in 2002.
Glaciers are impacted from climate
change. With an increase in temperature, glaciers, many of which have
been around for thousands of years, will melt. With an increase in
temperature, the Caucasus mountain range located in Azerbaijan, Russia,
and Georgia, may also be affected.
1996
2002
The
State of the Environment Azerbaijan says how the air is being polluted
from oil refineries, oil
chemistry, energy, metallurgy, and construction enterprises. A big portion
of air contamination is also due to motor transport. These are the same
theories to what also contributes to the increase in global warming. Caspian Sea Region Is
the largest inland body of water on earth, the Caspian Sea, which is surrounded
by
Azerbaijan,
Iran,
Kazakstan,
Russia, and
Turkmenistan. Along
with the discovery of more new oil and gas reserves in the Caspian sea they
bring also environmental issues. For example The Caspian Sea has been polluted
by oil leakages and the dumping of raw or inadequately treated sewage, reducing
the yield of caviar and fish.
(www.greennature.com/article572.html)
Like the Chinese Proverb says at the beginning of the
page, "If we do not change our direction, we are likely to end up where we are
going," if the serious effects of fossil fuels are not researched fully,
problems are just going to continue to escalate. There will be more
pollution, more health effects, a continuing increase in the
global temperature, and an increasing
destruction to the environment. While fossil fuels help power the world,
they are a serious issue that are not always taken as serious as they should be.
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