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WORLD ENERGY RESOURCES ‐ LIMITS FROM TODAY'S GEOLOGICAL STANDPOINT
Author(s) -
KEHRER PETER
Publication year - 1978
Publication title -
natural resources forum
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.646
H-Index - 49
eISSN - 1477-8947
pISSN - 0165-0203
DOI - 10.1111/j.1477-8947.1978.tb00200.x
Subject(s) - coal , fossil fuel , natural resource economics , geothermal gradient , geothermal energy , uranium , environmental science , energy resources , energy (signal processing) , environmental protection , business , geology , waste management , economics , engineering , materials science , statistics , mathematics , geophysics , metallurgy
World fossil energy resources are estimated at about 12,500 times 10 9 tons of coal equivalent (t.c.e.) of which 900 times 10 9 t.c.e. are classed as presently recoverable reserves. Future exploration will transform a substantial part of the resources into reserves. Coal is by far the dominant fossil energy. Oilshales and tarsands represent a large energy potential, whose utilization depends on a high energy price level and progress in production technologies. Limits in the availability of oil and gas are visible now for the first time. Low‐cost, high‐grade uranium reserves are also limited. However, there are large amounts of low‐grade uranium resources, which might become recoverable in the future. The use of geothermal energy is currently troubled by problems of technology, costs and environment.