World energy situation

A rapid growth is expected in sulphur extended asphalt s share of the market The National Asphalt Pavement Association (NAPA) is forecasting sulphur extended asphalt use to reach 58 million tonnes by 1990 in the U.S. alone (5). In light of the world energy situation, this is a very timely and important product which should be in routine use in many parts of North America within the next several years. 

The following contains some interesting ballpark estimates which necessarily arise when discussing the world energy situation, in particular in connection with a future large-scale hydrogen energy economy ... 

I am pleased to have been asked to write the Forward to this book. In light of the world energy situation, it is a necessary and timely addition to the literature that covers the technology of petroleum. 

The Planning Committee and the participants of the 11th International Forum on Energy have discussed at their sessions the present-day energy situation in the world and in individual countries, as well as advanced developments andforecastsfor the future, and note the following in their appeal to the world public. 

Today, the U.S. is the major world energy user. It uses a quarter ofthe total energy used in the world and emits about a quarter of the C02 2 It has nuclear energy problems which are institutional, not technical and these could imperil the solution to the coming world s energy situation... 

Current estimates of the available reserves and further resources of uranium and thorium, and their global distribution, are shown in Figs. 5.44-5.50. The uraruum proven reserves indicated in Fig. 5.44 can be extracted at costs below 130 US /t, as can the probable additional reserves indicated in Fig. 5.45. Figure 5.46 shows new and unconventional resources that may later become reserves. They are inferred on the basis of geological modelling or other indirect information (OECD and IAEA, 1993 World Energy Council, 1995). The thorium resource estimates are from the US Geological Survey (Hedrick, 1998) and are similarly divided into reserves (Eig. 5.47), additional reserves (Fig. 5.48) and more speculative resources (Fig. 5.49). The thorium situation is less well explored than that of uranium the reserves cannot be said to be "economical", as they are presently mined for other purposes (rare earth metals), and thorium is only a byproduct with currently very limited areas of use. The "speculative" Th-resources may well have a similar status to some of the additional U-reserves. 

Historically, in those rural areas where modernization has occurred, petroleum products have provided the necessary energy inputs required for a variety of activities. Kerosene is a widely used illuminant, diesel oil for powering irrigation pumps and other farm equipment, gasoline for transportation and fertilizers are often manufactured from naphtha. However, the world oil situation now makes the "petroleum route" to development an increasingly difficult one for many developing countries to undertake. 

Most of this discussion will concern the processing of petroleum crude oil, the most widely used form of petroleum resources. Natural gas processing will come in briefly at a few points. And since most of the world s petroleum is consumed as energy fuels, it is appropriate to begin with a brief review of the world s total energy situation. 

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