Supporters of Kevin Rudd’s return to the Labor leadership could make their move this week, the Nine Network has reported.
Nine’s political editor Laurie Oakes reported on Tuesday that Rudd backers had raised the prospect of a leadership move with caucus colleagues.
The move could come within days, possibly Friday, it was reported.
Parliament rises on Thursday and won’t sit again until the federal budget on May 14.
« Forward Thinking In The 21st Century | Main | Remedy du Jour — March 16, 2013 »
03/15/2013
C
In its continuing effort to burn every flammable thing on this planet to meet the energy demands of industrial civilization, Homo sapiens has successfully extracted natural gas from deep-sea methane hydrates in the Sea of Japan. The New York Times reported the good news in An Energy Coup For Japan: ‘Flammable Ice’ (March 12, 2013).
TOKYO — Japan said Tuesday that it had extracted gas from offshore deposits of methane hydrate — sometimes called “flammable ice” — a breakthrough that officials and experts said could be a step toward tapping a promising but still little-understood energy source.
The gas, whose extraction from the undersea hydrate reservoir was thought to be a world first, could provide an alternative source of energy to known oil and gas reserves. That could be crucial especially for Japan, which is the world’s biggest importer of liquefied natural gas and is engaged in a public debate about whether to resume the country’s heavy reliance on nuclear power.
Experts estimate that the carbon found in gas hydrates worldwide totals at least twice the amount of carbon in all of the earth’s other fossil fuels, making it a potential game-changer for energy-poor countries like Japan. Researchers had already successfully extracted gas from onshore methane hydrate reservoirs, but not from beneath the seabed, where much of the world’s deposits are thought to lie.
As I’ve often pointed out on this blog, the typical Environmentalist is anti-nuclear and anti-fossil fuels, but pro-industrial civilization and pro-economic growth.
Have Cake, and Eat It Too
This point became even clearer this week. We need to understand why Japan felt compelled to exploit deep-sea methane resources.
The exact properties of undersea hydrates and how they might affect the environment are still poorly understood, given that methane is a greenhouse gas. Japan has invested hundreds of millions of dollars since the early 2000s to explore offshore methane hydrate reserves in both the Pacific and the Sea of Japan.
That task has become all the more pressing after the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear crisis, which has all but halted Japan’s nuclear energy program and caused a sharp increase in the country’s fossil fuel imports. Japan’s rising energy bill has weighed heavily on its economy, helping to push it to a trade deficit and reducing the benefits of the recently weaker yen to Japanese exporters.
Technological cleverness über alles.
“Japan could finally have an energy source to call its own,” said Takami Kawamoto, a spokesman for the Japan Oil, Gas and Metals National Corporation, or Jogmec, the state-run company leading the trial extraction.
The team will continue the trial extraction for about two weeks before analyzing how much gas has been produced, Jogmec said. Japan hopes to make the extraction technology commercially viable in about five years.
“This is the world’s first trial production of gas from oceanic methane hydrates, and I hope we will be able to confirm stable gas production,” Toshimitsu Motegi, the Japanese trade minister, said at a news conference in Tokyo. He acknowledged that the extraction process would still face technical hurdles and other problems.
The next paragraph in the Times story should stand alone.
Still, “shale gas was considered technologically difficult to extract but is now produced on a large scale,” he said. “By tackling these challenges one by one, we could soon start tapping the resources that surround Japan.”
I used to laugh about humans exploiting deep-sea methane hydrates because I thought that possibility extremely unlikely. Well, I don’t laugh anymore. Here’s what I said about my past error in judgment in U.S. Oil Production Tops 7 Million Barrels Per Day.
They say confession is good for the soul, so let’s try it out. What was my mistake?
In this case, I completely underestimated just effective humans can be in extracting a natural resource (crude oil) they desperately need. I confess—I missed the boat here. Mea culpa. It’s a mistake I won’t make twice.
And as I look back on my mistake, I see just how foolish I was to underestimate humans in the one type of behavior where they excel—technological cleverness.
No, I won’t make that mistake twice. I was not surprised by this methane hydrates story, and won’t be surprised by future developments along those lines. In that post, I reasserted my view that there are real constraints on future crude oil production.
However, as far as I can see, these constraints do not apply to natural gas, which is mostly methane, which is a powerful greenhouse gas when released directly into the atmosphere (and not burned, as with almost all commercial gas). At least, there are no such constraints in any timeframe which matters.
Natural gas has long been viewed as a “bridge fuel” linking the fossil fuel world of the past (coal & oil) with the clean, renewables world of the future (solar, wind, batteries).
Natural gas is indeed a bridge fuel — it forms the superstructure of the bridge to climate Hell.
Have a nice weekend.
Posted at 09:22 AM | Permalink
Reblog (0) Digg This Save to del.icio.us
Comments
You can follow this conversation by subscribing to the comment feed for this post.
suffering resources bottleneck will be postponed, climate hell here we come
Posted by: Ben | 03/15/2013 at 09:45 AM
“…the bridge to climate Hell”
be seeing you…
Posted by: Diogenes | 03/15/2013 at 10:05 AM
We humans are brilliantly and determinedly bent on destroying ourselves and everything around us. There seems to be no end to the ways we are capable of accelerating the process.
Posted by: Fran Joseph | 03/15/2013 at 10:35 AM
Just like people believe that it our destiny to have perpetual economic growth, it is also ok to continue to burn fossil fuels (‘temporarily’ of course) as it is our destiny to eventually convert to some clean energy source and live happily ever after.
Posted by: John D | 03/15/2013 at 10:42 AM
oh my goodness, check this out fellas: peter joseph on tytinterviews speaking about the zeitgeist movement http://youtu.be/mhZSxeiziMg
Posted by: Ben | 03/15/2013 at 11:17 AM
Link to the press release in Japan here:
http://www.jogmec.go.jp/english/information/news_release/docs/2012/newsrelease_130312.pdf
From this site:
http://www.mh21japan.gr.jp/english/
Posted by: Jim | 03/15/2013 at 11:52 AM
Pretty soon they will be able to suck it up with a big straw from the surface per Russian reports of giant methane gas bubbles coming up in the Arctic area.
Posted by: Bill McDonald | 03/15/2013 at 12:12 PM
Related, a very informative page from that site is here:
http://www.mh21japan.gr.jp/english/mh21-1/4-2/
It goes over the technical process and has a rough cost of production analysis in Yen terms. Cost doesn’t seem to be a limiting factor in their analysis (but this is an early analysis, and it’s highly likely they left a lot of other costs out), but it’s very clear by the production process that only a fraction of the reserve could actually be recovered. What’s not mentioned is the amount of methane that would be released into the ocean and atmosphere and not captured from disturbing each site. It seems like it would be significant, because the hydrates are basically in sand much closer to the ocean floor than conventional NG – any uncaptured methane release would be another ‘free’ externality that eventually would have to be paid.
Posted by: Jim | 03/15/2013 at 12:33 PM
Human beings are basically all convenience and energy junkies. Once exposed, for any significant time frame, to the conveniences resulting from the surplus energy provided by fossil fuels, they cannot and will not cut back.
Like any junkie, if they are threatened with a reduction in their addiction, they will become increasingly creative, destructive and dangerous.
As humans are threatened with fossil fuel energy reductions, I fully expect them to burn every last burnable substance they can lay their incredibly creative and destructive hands on. That probability should pretty much tell you all you need to know about the medium to long-term future on planet earth.
Posted by: Brian | 03/15/2013 at 12:40 PM
Whenever I hear about methane hydrates I immediately think of ice-9 in Vonnegut’s Cat’s Cradle.
Posted by: Ian Fraser | 03/16/2013 at 03:10 AM
this is a classic paint yourself into the corner. the stakes are much higher.
Posted by: elvinator | 03/16/2013 at 02:32 PM
Post a comment
Comment below or sign in with TypePad Facebook Twitter and more…
Projected Atlantic hurricane surge threat from rising temperatures
Aslak Grinsteda,b,1,
John C. Moorea,c,d,1, and
Svetlana Jevrejevaa,e
Author Affiliations
Edited by Kerry A. Emanuel, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, and approved February 11, 2013 (received for review June 12, 2012)
Abstract
Detection and attribution of past changes in cyclone activity are hampered by biased cyclone records due to changes in observational capabilities. Here, we relate a homogeneous record of Atlantic tropical cyclone activity based on storm surge statistics from tide gauges to changes in global temperature patterns. We examine 10 competing hypotheses using nonstationary generalized extreme value analysis with different predictors (North Atlantic Oscillation, Southern Oscillation, Pacific Decadal Oscillation, Sahel rainfall, Quasi-Biennial Oscillation, radiative forcing, Main Development Region temperatures and its anomaly, global temperatures, and gridded temperatures). We find that gridded temperatures, Main Development Region, and global average temperature explain the observations best. The most extreme events are especially sensitive to temperature changes, and we estimate a doubling of Katrina magnitude events associated with the warming over the 20th century. The increased risk depends on the spatial distribution of the temperature rise with highest sensitivity from tropical Atlantic, Central America, and the Indian Ocean. Statistically downscaling 21st century warming patterns from six climate models results in a twofold to sevenfold increase in the frequency of Katrina magnitude events for a 1 °C rise in global temperature (using BNU-ESM, BCC-CSM-1.1, CanESM2, HadGEM2-ES, INM-CM4, and NorESM1-M).
Amy Dale
The Daily Telegraph
February 12, 20133:14PM
Increase Text Size
Decrease Text Size
Print
Email
Share
4
Ian Macdonald arrives at ICAC / Pic: Cameron Richardson Source: The Daily Telegraph
IAN Macdonald says he provided a list of mining company names to Moses Obeid “in good faith” and now feels “a bit swiped from the side” that the family went on to earn millions from the a coal deal.
Mr Macdonald has spent all day under fire in the corruption watchdog’s witness box and told the inquiry that information he gave to the son of former Labor powerbroker Eddie Obeid “turned out in a way I had no idea it was going to go.”
He has admitted he gave Mr Obeid a list of 12 mining companies, with ICAC allege has enabled them to earn at least $30 million from a coal mining venture in the Bylong Valley, where they own three properties.
Geoffrey Watson SC, the counsel assisting the inquiry, asked Mr Macdonald if he felt “duped” by the subsequent Obeid millions.
“(You) provided information that a parliamentary colleague and a friend have been able to make tens of millions of dollars,” Mr Watson said.
Recommended Coverage
.
Links will wipe smirk off Macca’s face»
IAN Macdonald was branded a “liar” over his attempts to explain away the “chances” which saw the family of Eddie Obeid rake in millions.
.
.
A few words in mate’s ear»
IAN Macdonald’s former chief of staff was paid $740,000 by miners to lobby his close friend and admitted yesterday he might have urged his former boss to reopen the tender process on behalf of mining company White Energy.
.
.
Smile could well become a grimace»
HE entered and left with the grin of a Cheshire Cat. But after years to prepare himself for his answer to the reason he put a mining tenement on former Labor powerbroker Eddie Obeid’s farm, the best Ian Macdonald could offer was that he spotted the coal tenement on an atlas in his office – an atlas which he no longer had.
..
Mr Macdonald said he felt “a bit swiped from the side.”
ICAC has been told Mr Macdonald asked senior staff for a list of mining companies which could apply for the licences in the Bylong Valley a day before meeting Moses Obeid at a cafe near Parliament House.
Earlier, Mr Macdonald had begun a fiery second day in ICAC’s witness box, denying he instructed senior staff to create the “Mt Penny tenement” which was later exposed as being “smack bang” over the Obeid family property.
But the former resources minister has been unable to explain how enlarged maps, specifically requested by him, of the Bylong Valley area that was later allocated for an exploration licence was found in the Obeid Corp office.
The inquiry has been told there is no record of the “confidential” maps being kept in Mr Macdonald’s office.
“The same size map, in the same format (that you requested) is in the Obeid possession, can you explain that?”
Geoffrey Watson SC, the counsel assisting the inquiry, asked.
“I can’t,” he replied.
“Did you instruct somebody else to do it?” Mr Watson asked.
“I didn’t,” he said.
The inquiry heard there was a meeting between Mr Macdonald, his former chief of staff Jamie Gibson and departmental officer Brad Mullard about the allocation of mining tenements.
Both Mr Gibson and Mr Mullard have told ICAC Mr Macdonald “instructed” the creation of “the Mt Penny tenement”- but the under fire ex MP has denied this.
“I didn’t instruct- we discussed it and I gave a point of view but I didn’t tell anyone,” Mr Macdonald said.
Mr Macdonald will today be grilled over 40 pieces of evidence which ICAC allege tie him to a corrupt coal deal invoking the Obeids.
He is accused of rigging the tender process for exploration licences in the Bylong Valley to the potential $100 million benefit of “his friends the Obeids.”
inShare.
submit to reddit
Email article
Print
Reprints & permissions
.
.
Macdonald showed ‘real delinquency’: ICAC
The Independent Commission Against Corruption is examining whether former mining minister Ian Macdonald, gave improper benefit to ex-union boss John Maitland and his associates when granting a licence to Doyles Creek Mining in 2008.
Autoplay OnOff
Video feedback
Video settings
Mateship is inherent in Australian culture. It can be a noble sentiment. But when does doing a favour for a mate cross the boundary into corrupt conduct, particularly when one is the mining minister entrusted with state assets worth billions, the other a factional ally?
That question, along with a gastronomic tour of some of Sydney’s fine restaurants, is likely to pre-occupy the Independent Commission Against Corruption as it starts the third leg of its inquiry into allegations of corrupt conduct by former NSW minister Ian Macdonald.
The department was kept in the dark, while the investors were kept in the loop.
Dubbed Sir Lunchalot because of his penchant for fine dining, Mr Macdonald, or Macca, has already starred in the inquiry into whether he was offered the services of a prostitute in return for introductions to government officials.
He was also central to the inquiry into the creation of a mining exploration tenement over land owned by another former minister, Eddie Obeid, at Bylong near Mudgee.
Advertisement
Now, counsel assisting Peter Braham, SC, has outlined the case against Mr Macdonald and his Christmas Eve 2008 grant of an exploration licence for a training mine at Doyles Creek in the Hunter to a company that included his friend and ally John Maitland, the former mining union head.
Mr Braham told ICAC the Doyles Creek training mine ”was essentially gifted” to a group of investors from Newcastle, including Mr Maitland, in a process that he described as involving ”real delinquency on the part of the minister in the discharge of his public office”.
Over magnums of Wantirna Lily pinot noir at Catalina, steaks at Prime at the GPO and oysters at NSW Parliament House, Macca first listened to the investor and then became ”a proponent” for a ”training mine” at Doyles Creek.
Against the explicit and repeated advice of his department, he decided there would be no tender or expressions of interest for the licence and ran the process out of his office, Mr Braham said.
Documents were drafted in Mr Macdonald’s office, the department was kept in the dark, while the investors were kept in the loop over prime cuts and fine wine.
”This was unprecedented,” Mr Braham said. The department only found out about the minister’s decision from the media.
The result was a ”financial disaster for the taxpayers of NSW and a goldmine for the investors”, he said. Mr Maitland’s $166,000 investment became a $15 million profit and others similarly benefited.
The training mine idea could be seen as ”puffery and spin” designed as a cloak for the process because the industry had established a simulated training facility, he said.
Mr Braham said it was open for the commission to inquire into whether Mr Macdonald was influenced to a significant extent by his personal and political relationship with Mr Maitland, and whether Mr Maitland and fellow investors Craig Ransley and Andrew Poole knew and intended for Mr Macdonald to be so influenced.
After all he was a mate.
The inquiry begins hearing evidence from the first of 60 witnesses on Wednesday. It is expected to run until the end of next month.
Queensland’s Liberal National Party is facing more allegations of misconduct, with first-term MP Scott Driscoll accused of using public money to pay his wife’s consultancy firm.
The Member for Redcliffe says he will seek a meeting with the state’s integrity commissioner to discuss allegations against him.
Mr Driscoll has previously denied claims of financial mismanagement in his former role with a retail lobby group.
Now he is accused of controlling a local community group that has paid consulting fees to his wife out of public funding.
Premier Campbell Newman has repeatedly said he has confidence in Mr Driscoll, despite the claims of impropriety.
Opposition Leader Annastacia Palaszczuk has called on Mr Newman to refer allegations against Mr Driscoll to the Crime and Misconduct Commission (CMC).
“About mates being appointed to the board, about public money going to his wife – how his wife came to be employed in the organisation when apparently she had, and I quote, ‘nil qualifications’,” she said.
“There are so many questions here that need to be answered.”
She says the allegations have also been referred to the police commissioner and the auditor-general.
“This is now a scandal engulfing the Premier,” she said.
“We also have a Member for Redcliffe hiding and not answering any questions in relations to this.”
Coordinated campaign
However, Mr Driscoll says the allegations are part of a coordinated campaign against him and his family.
The first-term MP says he will seek a meeting with the integrity commissioner so there can be an unbiased assessment of the matters.
Mr Driscoll says he has complete faith that he will be found to have done nothing wrong.
Meanwhile, the Redcliffe community group at the centre of the claims has rejected claims that consultancy fees were paid out of public money.
Lawyers for the Regional Community Association Moreton Bay have also rejected suggestions the board has not acted independently.
Earlier today senior government minister Mark McArdle said his LNP colleague needed to make a statement.
“I think that Mr Driscoll has to clear the air very quickly,” he said.
“If there’s evidence here of any misconduct, put it to the CMC and have it investigated properly.
“I think we’re now in the position where to let it go on is not in the interest of anybody.”