June 2021 SPE-SA Technical Luncheon Tony Lake

Abstract:

The energy mix is the percentage of energy consumed that comes from various energy sources including fossil fuels, nuclear and renewables. On a global basis the energy mix has been relatively constant over the last 30+ years with fossil fuels comprising 84 to 87% of the total energy consumed on an annual basis. Concerns about climate change combined with recent rapid technological advances in how energy can be produced, stored and used has led to a perception that the energy mix will change dramatically. But how fast will this change be and who will be the winners and losers? What percentage of the world’s growing energy demand can be met from alternate sources? What are the challenges and opportunities? The talk will discuss the major factors on both the supply and demand side that will determine the future energy mix. On a lighter note, the talk will also look at what lessons can be learned from two kings, as well as Spock and the Daleks, on predicting the future energy mix.

Biography:

Peter McCabe is a geologist who had a 45-year career in academia, industry, and government research organizations including Exxon Production Research Co., the Alberta Research Council, the US Geological Survey, and CSIRO. His research interests are in sedimentology, sequence stratigraphy and resource assessment. Peter moved to the University of Adelaide in 2014 as the State Chair of Petroleum Geology at the Australian School of Petroleum and was also Head of School for three years. He retired at the end of 2020 but remains active in research as an Emeritus Professor. Peter has been giving talks on the global energy mix for 25 years. He gained some notoriety in 1998 by suggesting that the world may have more oil than it will ever need – a statement that literally made headline news and a claim he still stands by.