ENERGY ON THE OCEANS TOPIC DEBATING 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) qGwsvuxuK7g 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