Energy on the Oceans Topic

ENERGY ON THE OCEANS TOPICDEBATING AND UNDERSTANDING ENERGY POLICY

OVERVIEW

• Oil & Natural Gas• Offshore Wind• Ocean Energy• OTEC, Tidal Power, etc.

• Methane Hydrates• Additional Offshore Energy

OIL AND NATURAL GAS

OIL & NATURAL GAS: SIMILARITIES

• Hydrocarbon: a substance that contains only carbon and hydrogen• Oil & Natural Gas are often found together in underground

reservoirs• Reservoirs: rock formations that hold oil, natural gas or both

within their pores.

OIL BASICS

• What is oil used for?• Transportation fuels (gasoline,

diesel, etc.)• Plastics• Asphalt• Fertilizer• Heat• Some electricity

• Who produces oil? (Top 5)• Russia• Saudi Arabia• United States• Iran• China

OIL ECONOMICS

• Supply: the total amount of a specific good or service that is available to consumers

• Demand: how much (quantity) of a product or service is desired by buyers

OIL GEOPOLITICS

• Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC)• Members: Iraq, Kuwait, Iran,

Saudi Arabia, Venezuela, Libya, United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Algeria, Nigeria, Ecuador, Angola

OIL ADVANTAGES

• Oil Independence• Oil Prices• Economic Growth

NATURAL GAS BASICS

• What is natural gas used for?• Heating• Cooking• Electricity• Chemical Feedstocks

• Who produces natural gas? (Top 5)• United States• Russia• European Union• Iran• Canada

NATURAL GAS MARKETS

NATURAL GAS PRICES• Prices differ regionally• Natural gas is exchanged in

regional markets

OIL PRICES• Sold at one price, all over

the world• Exchanged in a global

market

NATURAL GAS GEOPOLITICS

• There is no “OPEC” of natural gas• However, the EU is highly

dependent on Russia for natural gas• Creates foreign policy

constraints

NATURAL GAS ADVANTAGES

• Warming• Natural Gas Exports• Natural Gas Prices

OIL & NATURAL GAS: NEGATIVE POSITIONS• Environment DA• Oil Prices DA• Natural Gas Prices DA

• Military DA• Politics DA• Onshore CP

OFFSHORE WIND

CURRENT STATE OF OFFSHORE WIND

• Widespread development in Europe• Investment beginning in the

United States, but lack of incentives/regulatory certainty• Coastal Zone Management

Act (CZMA)

OFFSHORE WIND: ADVANTAGES

• Warming• Economy• Federalism

OFFSHORE WIND: NEGATIVE POSITIONS

• Case Turn: Wind Increases CO2• Politics DA• Budget DA• Environment DA

• Electricity Prices DA• Onshore CP• Free Market CP

MARINE ENERGY

OCEAN THERMAL ENERGY CONVERSION (OTEC)• https://

www.youtube.com/watch?v=qGwsvuxuK7g• Works best in areas with

large difference in ocean temperatures, such as Hawaii

CURRENT STATE OF OTEC DEVELOPMENT

• Fully operational OTEC plant opened in Japan in 2013• Technical and cost challenges remain

OTEC: ADVANTAGES

• Warming• Economy• Desalination• Hydrogen Production

• Chill-Soil Agriculture• Aquaculture• Mineral Extraction

OTEC: NEGATIVE POSITIONS

• Budget DA• Politics DA• Electricity Prices DA• Environment DA

• Land-Based CP• EIS CP

WAVE POWER

• Uses waves to generate electricity• Projects in Portugal and

Oregon• Environmental issues

TIDAL POWER

• Uses the power of the tide to create electricity• May not be topical,

depending on the type of tidal power• Environmental issues

OCEAN CURRENT POWER

• Uses ocean currents to generate electricity• Least developed type of

ocean energy

METHANE HYDRATES

WHAT ARE METHANE HYDRATES?

• Methane hydrate: a large amount of methane is trapped within a crystal structure of water, forming a solid similar to ice• Found in sea-floor sediments

and arctic permafrost

CURRENT STATE OF METHANE HYDRATE PRODUCTION• Test drillings in Canada and

Japan• Becoming cost-effective• Seen as a potential

breakthrough source of energy

METHANE HYDRATES: ADVANTAGES

• Warming• Economy• Energy Leadership• Arctic/Russia

METHANE HYDRATES: NEGATIVE ARGUMENTS• Warming DA• Technical/Solvency Issues

ADDITIONAL ENERGY TYPES

FLOATING NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS (FNPP)• Russia has invested in FNPPs• New 2014 solvency

advocates• Potential advantages

include: Warming, Desalination, Hegemony• Environment DA

UNDERSEA COAL GASIFICATION

• Coal gasification• Syngas: fuel gas mixture

consisting of hydrogen and natural gas• Warming Advantage?• Pollution DA

OFFSHORE SOLAR

• Currently being developed in Japan• Technology is not very

advanced, not a likely affirmative

MARINE ALGAE BIOFUELS

• Algae biofuels are typically freshwater• Marine algae biofuels are

possible but underdeveloped