[cardguy]

I remember stumbling across this awhile ago and not paying it much attention.

The idea is that everything you think you know about fossil fuels and the origin of oil is completely wrong.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abiogenic_petroleum_origin

I am sceptical about this subject. But I have just come across a book on Amazon by a professor at Cornell who supports the theory:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Deep-Hot-Biosphe...673&sr=1-1

As such I am tempted to check out the book to read up on the issues around this theory. I find it interestigng learning about areas even if they turn out to be totally obsolete.

Still -it is something I have never heard anyone mention before. So - I thought I would share it out with you guys to see if anyone was familiar with this area?

[Pete]

Thanks for the read. It looks very interesting.

[cardguy]

As part of a longer lecture on heretical ideas - world famous scientist Freeman Dyson touches on the work of Tommy Gold (the Cronell professor mentioned above), and his work in favour of the abiogenic theory of oil:

The whole lecture looks good. And I look forward to checking the rest of it out.

[K Galt]

Ever seen the movie "Blood Diamond?" Just like Diamonds, Big Oil is a global cartel. Promoting "fossil fuel" and "peak oil" are the perfect scams to produce artificial scarcity to maintain the profitability of their Oligopoly.

[cardguy]

That seems to be the view of F. William Engdahl in the following book:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Myths-Lies-Wars-...893&sr=1-2

Anyway - I am still new to this theory. Just uncovering stuff that I might look into more later...

[vinman]

The Russians are getting oil from places that conventional wisdom says there should be none. Extremely deep drilling, and re-drilling wells that were tapped out, but by some process that I don't understand enough to adequately explain, getting a consistent flow of oil. .

[RichieP]

wow. thats cooooool

[speakeasy]

This theory has no acceptability in the mainstream scientific community.

[cardguy]

Yeah - everyone dismisses this as a crank theory.

Still - this Thomas Gold chap was a fascinating guy. A real iconoclast and polymath. The wikipedia page on him is interesting.

As is this newspaper profile of his life's work: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/sty...110199.htm

On a more mainstream note. Here are some genetically modified bugs that shit out oil:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/06/18...07730.html