A new author has appeared on the Westergaard site, John F. Mauldin (read his Bio in the article). He offers his analysis of the coming oil crunch and why there is probable danger for us there. This is a well written essay with good references and data. It is scheduled to appear tomorrow, but is available right now, for those interested:

www.y2ktimebomb.com/Industry/Utilities/jmau9933.htm

-- Gordon (gpconnolly@aol.com), August 17, 1999

Answers

I recommend purchasing fuel stabilizers now and treating fuel for storage.

But be very careful how and where you store your fuel.

-- Randolph (dinosaur@williams-net.com), August 17, 1999.

Link

-- Mike Lang (webflier@erols.com), August 17, 1999.

Excellent point Randolph. You wouldn't want the local Boy Scouts demanding you bury your cars and burn down your garage........they might place your children in foster care and insist you sell your home.

-- Will continue (farming@home.com), August 17, 1999.

This needs to stay at the top of new answers. A truly great read!!!

-- BiGG (supersite@acronet.net), August 17, 1999.

It's well worth reading. To the top.

-- Linkmeister (link@librarian.edu), August 17, 1999.

Is it not inconsistent that the ratings of the US are quoted and then effectively contradicted by the article, in terms of overall impact in the US? Or does the ratings scheme screen out effects due to foreign countries and f.c. linkages (eg communications)?

Ann

-- Ann Y Body (annybody@nowhere.com), August 18, 1999.

I not only think a fuel shortage is possible, I think it's inevitable.

Yeah, lots of potential stopgaps in petroleum drilling, piping, shipping, refining, and trucking...all of those likely to suffer some sort of y2k problem. Since the industry has adopted JIT practicces, this situation will not be pretty. I expect y2k to hit the petroluem industry early and hard, although it is possible that it will gradually wear down from internal/external friction and decay over a period of months.

Even if there are no big technical problems (I doubt it, but hey, why not at least pay the possibility lip service), we already see evidience that oil and oil products are being hoarded (scuse me, stockpiled) by big industries and governments. This hoarding will only increase in the coming months. The rising demand will create acute, severe shortages (eg., an unanticipated hit to JIT) and resultant price hikes. The price hikes will be exaggerated by unscrupulous vendors who will resort to gauging (sp?).

Now it's time to read the article.

-- coprolith (coprolith@rocketship.com), August 18, 1999.