Author Archives: Gail Tverberg

About Gail Tverberg

My name is Gail Tverberg. I am an actuary interested in finite world issues - oil depletion, natural gas depletion, water shortages, and climate change. Oil limits look very different from what most expect, with high prices leading to recession, and low prices leading to financial problems for oil producers and for oil exporting countries. We are really dealing with a physics problem that affects many parts of the economy at once, including wages and the financial system. I try to look at the overall problem.

Financial Issues Affecting Energy Security

Posted on November 6, 2012 by Gail Tverberg

Last week, I gave a talk called Financial Issues Affecting Energy Security at the Advances in Energy Studies conference in Mumbai, India. The general topic of the conference was, “Energy Security and Development-The Changing Global Context.” As I look at … Continue reading →

Posted in Financial Implications, Introductory Post | Tagged , , , , , | 45 Comments

An Economic Theory of Limited Oil Supply

Posted on October 25, 2012 by Gail Tverberg

We seem to hear two versions of the story of limited oil supply: 1. The economists’ view, saying that the issue is a simple problem of supply and demand. Substitution, higher prices, demand destruction, greater efficiency, and increased production of … Continue reading →

Posted in Financial Implications, Oil and Its Future | Tagged , , , , | 156 Comments

Why Natural Gas isn’t Likely to be the World’s Energy Savior

Posted on October 17, 2012 by Gail Tverberg

We keep hearing about the many benefits of natural gas–how burning it releases less CO2 than oil or coal, and how it burns with few impurities, so does not have the pollution problems of coal. We also hear about the … Continue reading →

Posted in Alternatives to Oil | Tagged , , , , | 91 Comments

Renewables Are Overrated, We Need Cheap Oil – Interview with Gail Tverberg

Posted on October 9, 2012 by Gail Tverberg

This article originally appeared at Oilprice.com. What does our world’s energy future look like? Does renewable energy feature as much in the energy production mix as many hope it will? Will natural gas and fracking help reduce our dependence upon … Continue reading →

Posted in Energy policy, Financial Implications, Oil and Its Future | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 137 Comments

Can an Economy Learn to Live with Increasingly High Oil Prices?

Posted on October 2, 2012 by Gail Tverberg

Prof. James Hamilton of University of California recently wrote a post called Thresholds in the economic effects of oil prices. In it, he concludes As U.S. retail gasoline prices once again near $4.00 a gallon, does this pose a threat … Continue reading →

Posted in Financial Implications, News Related Post | Tagged , , , , | 111 Comments