Potential developments
The cost of extracting and treating non conventional hydrocarbons is about 10-20$ per barrel more than for conventional hydrocarbons: of these costs, approximately half are for improving the quality of the hydrocarbons (upgrading). Therefore this is not an economically profitable source, and its utilization will not make the price of oil drop. However there are abundant reserves that will guarantee a constant production of hydrocarbons in the near future, together with other sources that are also not very “conventional”, such as the production of liquid hydrocarbons from coal liquefaction, from conversion of gas into liquid fuels (Gas To Liquid or GTL technology) and from the biomass, besides the possible exploitation of methane hydrates in the sediments of the ocean floors. While it is believed that the production of conventional hydrocarbons will reach its peak in the next 10 years, and will then inexorably decrease, it is estimated that the production of non conventional hydrocarbons should continue to increase for the next 50 years, and will reach 10% approximately of our energy requirements. Naturally the possibility of disposing of new unexpected reserves of fossil fuels, for a few more decades, must not lead us to forget that however it is necessary to reconvert our energy consumption and our production of energy, diversifying the sources, and favouring technologies that allow a production of energy that is as clean as possible and that respects the environment. For this reason non conventional hydrocarbons must not be considered a remedy for the oil crisis but a valid aid, and in the near future, these will become an increasingly important part of the so-called “Energy Mix” (together with clean coal, conventional oil, gas, nuclear power and alternative renewable sources): no more contrasts between the different sources of energy, but “team work” to develop technologies that are increasingly eco-compatible and sustainable.
Special reports
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13 May 2018
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30 April 2022
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5 September 2021
Faraday, an electrifying biography
"The important thing is to know how to take all things quietly". Michael Faraday...
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Italy’s renewable sources
Renewable energy sources in Italy The Energy Services Operator (GSE) periodically publishes data and statistics on the renewable energy sources…
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18 February 2021
Is lithium the new petroleum?
Today petroleum vies for the title of “contemporary gold” with several competitors, one of those is certainly lithium...
17 March 2020
Energy and renewable sources: what is the current status?
The unstoppable growth of renewable sources continues…
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13 May 2018
Small steps, great footprints
Have you ever wondered how much space is taken up by an apple or a steak?...
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30 April 2022
Solar energy in Italy: where do we stand?
The Sun is the main source of energy on our planet, from which we derive almost all the forms of…
-
5 September 2021
Faraday, an electrifying biography
"The important thing is to know how to take all things quietly". Michael Faraday...
14 July 2021
Italy’s renewable sources
Renewable energy sources in Italy The Energy Services Operator (GSE) periodically publishes data and statistics on the renewable energy sources…
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13 May 2018
Small steps, great footprints
Have you ever wondered how much space is taken up by an apple or a steak?...
From the Multimedia section
Facts
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Orimulsion
In order to improve supply security, and therefore the diversification of sources to produce electric energy...
Cracking operations
At the end of the fractional distillation, long hydrocarbon molecules can be transformed into lighter molecules by means of more…
Where does energy come from?
Every day the Earth receives enough solar energy to satisfy the global energy need...
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Electricity and electrons
In all electric plants, excluding photovoltaic solar plants, mechanic energy is transformed into electric energy through the same basic procedure...
Peat and peat-bogs
The age of coal starts towards the mid 1600s, stimulated by the need for finding an alternative energy source to…
Geographical distribution of energy
Every day the Earth receives enough solar energy to satisfy the global energy need. Unfortunately we cannot exploit all this…
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Some curiosities about methane hydrates
The melting of the ice cells, not only brings about the release of methane gas, but it also produces another…
Hydrogen from the sugar cane
The Centro di Ricerca Interuniversitario per lo Sviluppo Sostenibile (CIRPS) carried out a study in Peru...
Hydrogen from biomass
Hydrogen is an energy carrier that allows to generate energy in an environmentally sustainable way...
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2 March 2011
Orimulsion
In order to improve supply security, and therefore the diversification of sources to produce electric energy...
Cracking operations
At the end of the fractional distillation, long hydrocarbon molecules can be transformed into lighter molecules by means of more…
-
Where does energy come from?
Every day the Earth receives enough solar energy to satisfy the global energy need...
Electricity and electrons
In all electric plants, excluding photovoltaic solar plants, mechanic energy is transformed into electric energy through the same basic procedure...
-
Peat and peat-bogs
The age of coal starts towards the mid 1600s, stimulated by the need for finding an alternative energy source to…
Geographical distribution of energy
Every day the Earth receives enough solar energy to satisfy the global energy need. Unfortunately we cannot exploit all this…
-
Orimulsion
In order to improve supply security, and therefore the diversification of sources to produce electric energy...
-
Cracking operations
At the end of the fractional distillation, long hydrocarbon molecules can be transformed into lighter molecules by means of more…
-
Where does energy come from?
Every day the Earth receives enough solar energy to satisfy the global energy need...