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Monday, March 20, 2006

Oil, Abiotic or Boitic in origin?




Thanks to XM Radio, I can listen to John Batchelor again without wrestling with an unruly Ionosphere to pick up WABC radio AM770 out of New York City. I can hear it crystal clear.

Here is an article referenced on the show this weekend. Another article concerned "Oil Gleaning", which mentioned the discovery of a supposedly vast reservoir of oil 6 miles below the bottom of the ocean and below 3500 feet of water.
Mr. Helman said that conventional steel drill bits and their sensors did not work, and new technologies employing glass and fiber optics to survive the heat and pressures at that depth.

This article concerns a similar pocket of oil called Tahiti in the Gulf of Mexico.

To me, deep oil conflicts with the Biogenic theory of the origin of oil, and the Abiotic theory seems to make more sense to me. I can point to Titan and say, "Hydrocarbons are there," and to vast interstellar clouds of the same type of stuff.

Commentary

I believe that both theories are true, that oil is formed both ways, and some, if not most of the abiotic oil has become contaminated with biomarkers that lead scientists astray. I will make an accusation here: A lot of people use the biotic theory to support their own political views, as do the abiotic people. Both sides have become vested in their beliefs, and aren't willing to step back, take a deep breath, and do a little research with an open mind.

Both sides need to realize that right now, our civilization is very dependent on petroleum. And the odd thing is, most of the places it is currently found in great quantities are controlled by barbarians. That means we are subject to the influences of hydraulic despotism. Not a good place to be. In the vein of the Dune reference in the last hyperlink,


"The first step in avoiding a trap, is knowing of it's existence."

--Thufir Hawat, Mentat to House Atreides



We best be about the business of finding economically viable alternatives to oil, lest we find ourselves held hostage by barbarians who seek to destroy our civilization, while we debate the origins of oil.

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