Re: Nothing like oil?

On Feb 16, 11:36 pm, David Tate <dt...@xxxxxxx> wrote:
Is there any SF, especially recent SF, set in a mid-future (200-500
years out or so) in which the fossil fuels have been used up, and no
really satisfactory substitute[1] was found to replace them?  I
suppose that would be post-apocalyptic steampunk of a sort...

David Tate

[1] A satisfactory substitute would have an EROI of at least 10 to 1,
a portable high-energy-density form usable for things like high-speed
air transport, no catastrophic environmental side-effects, and an
availability and economic cost to produce that would make most or all
of the current economy still feasible.

Frank Herberts Dragon in the Sea
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Dragon_in_the_Sea
oil is running low so we send submarines to steal it from underwater
wells.
which was his first published novel and had his major themes.
Of course he got it wrong, instead of subs, we just invade and take
over
the country under the pretext of fighting terrorism.

but this does bring up a point that isn't covered very well in SF.
Oil is essential in an industrial society for many things,
lubrication,
fuel, plastics etc.
but I doubt we are gonna find fossil fuels on the Moon, Mars,
Asteroids,
Ringworlds or anyplace else we are likely to colonize or terraform.
No fossils to make fuel.
Oil may be rarer and more valuable than water on Arakkis.
we will need a serious synthetic substitute

tphile
what about RAH Friday, they are using either flying cars or horse and
buggys
did they run out of gas for cars?
.

Relevant Pages

  • Re: Nothing like oil?
    ... A satisfactory substitute would have an EROI of at least 10 to 1, ... Oil is essential in an industrial society for many things, ... but I doubt we are gonna find fossil fuels on the Moon, Mars, ... they are using either flying cars or horse and ...
    (rec.arts.sf.written)
  • Re: Nothing like oil?
    ... David Tate wrote: ... years out or so) in which the fossil fuels have been used up, ... really satisfactory substitutewas found to replace them? ... from alcohol to synfuel. ...
    (rec.arts.sf.written)
  • Re: Nothing like oil?
    ... years out or so) in which the fossil fuels have been used up, ... Since the Nazi's solvedthis problem, at least for crude oil supply, it seems unlikely that "no really satisfactory substitute" was available. ... What books address the fall of our currrent civilization and the difficulties successor inteligences have re-establishing a technical civilization when all the easily accessible fossil energy sources are consumed. ...
    (rec.arts.sf.written)
  • Re: Nothing like oil?
    ... David Tate wrote: ... years out or so) in which the fossil fuels have been used up, ... really satisfactory substitutewas found to replace them? ... from alcohol to synfuel. ...
    (rec.arts.sf.written)
  • Re: Enlightenment
    ... when fossil fuels run out, ... Various other times of better conservation post the '73 oil shock ... Economies in the shitter didn't lower demand from what it could have ... "The late 90s started with a recession in the Asian economies as they ...
    (rec.arts.sf.fandom)