Diesel.
This essay examines the nature of Diesel fuel, its health hazards, the current amount of Diesel fuel distilled and synthesized per year, the present reserves of Diesel Fuel, the amount of Diesel in use around the world and the relationship between global warming and Diesel use.
Conclusions are then drawn.
The Nature of Diesel Fuel.
Diesel is a fractional distillate of petroleum.
Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diesel_fuel
It is a product of processing a fossil fuel.
Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diesel_fuel
Biodiesel can be produced from the reaction of animal or plant fats with an alcohol.
Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biodiesel
Diesel can be created as a synthetic hydrocarbon using a biomass to liquid process.
Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gasification
Methane rich natural gas or hydrocarbons processed as a gas into a liquid can also be used to synthesize diesel.
Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gas_to_liquids
The Health Hazards of Diesel Fuel.
Combustion; including Diesel fuels; causes the output of Nitrous oxides.
These have been linked to respiratory and heart disease.
Activated Diesel fuel; as a producer of sulphur; is linked to acid rain and so environmental damage.
Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diesel_fuel
The Production of Diesel Fuel.
Allowing for 12 gallons of ultra-low sulfur distillate fuel oil (includes diesel fuel and heating oil) from one 42-gallon barrel of crude oil allows for 28% of each barrel of oil to be Diesel.
Source: https://www.eia.gov/tools/faqs/faq.php?id=327&t=9
Allowing for a world production of 80.25 million bbl/day barrels per day (2015 est.)
Source: https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/xx.html
Allows for 28% x 80,250,000. 22,470,000 barrels of diesel fuel produced per day.
Allows for 8,201,550,000 barrels of diesel fuel produced per year.
This production level will need to increase as population levels increase and so push up demand for energy.
Current natural reserves to produce Diesel fuel.
Allowing for Diesel to be a fractional distillate of petroleum.
Allowing for proven crude petroleum; oil; reserves to be 1.662 trillion bbl barrels per day (1 January 2016 est)
Source: https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/xx.html
Allowing for a world production of 80.25 million bbl/day barrels per day (2015 est.)
Source: https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/xx.html
Allows for 1.662 trillion / 80.25 million.
20710 days of oil reserves. Or 57 years of global oil reserves left at current production rates.
This allows for 28 years until peak reserves match peak production.
This gives a time period from currently; 2017; until the year 2045 when the extraction of oil resources becomes uneconomic.
This reserve level will decrease as population levels increase and so push up demand for energy.
The Use of Diesel Fuel Around the World.
Diesel fuels are used in energy generation and transport globally.
The world distillate fuel consumption; including diesel and fuel oils; per day is estimated at 26,219,000 barrels per day. (2012 est)
Source: https://www.indexmundi.com/energy/?product=fuel-oil&graph=consumption
Allowing for a world production of oil of 80,250,000 bbl/day barrels per day (2015 est.)
Source: https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/xx.html
Diesel accounts for 32% of the world crude oil production per day.
The use of Diesel will need to increase as population levels increase and so push up demand for energy.
Global Warming and Fossil Fuels.
Greenhouse gases and fossil fuels including petroleum; oil; are gradually being phased out of use since they contribute to the current increases in global warming.
The total global energy generation dependency on fossil fuels is 65.3% of total installed capacity (2012 est.)
Source: https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/xx.html
Fossil fuel use will be reduced by 34% by 2020 and by 80% by 2050.
Diesel consumption takes in approx. one third of the world crude oil production per day.
Diesel as a product of the distillation of fossil fuels or organics will therefore be phased out to assist in controlling the effects of global warming.
Conclusions
Diesel is a distillate of oil or other organic base.
It is a product from a limited natural resource.
It is a product with a potential health hazard to human beings and the environment.
Diesel will be out of use as a fuel by the year 2045 due to reserve and production issues or by 2050 as part of the methods of assisting in the control of global warming.
There are currently no solutions being proposed to replace the total energy use, including Diesel with renewable energy sources. Therefore the only solution is to reduce the use of fossil fuels and so Diesel by 2050 to almost zero and reform the globally economy and human existence around renewable resources.
Since Renewable resources are currently constructed using high energy fossil fuels the ability to create this new economy and existence will reduce as fossil fuels are excluded as fuel sources.
The loss of Diesel fuel is therefore a component of a larger economic and social change that humans must undergo over the next century to adapt and survive global warming, dwindling resources, reducing energy, reducing environment and increasing populations.
Ian K Whittaker
Websites:
https://sites.google.com/site/architecturearticles
Email: iankwhittaker@gmail.com
29/04/2017
14/10/2020
804 words over 2 pages