Oil Companies Expand Offshore Drilling, Pointing to Energy Needs
www.nytimes.com
Shell and others say they plan to drill for oil and gas in the Gulf of Mexico in part because doing so releases fewer greenhouse gases than drilling on land.

cross-posted from: https://slrpnk.net/post/9196136

What’s absolutely messed up here is the idea that people will burn the same amount no matter what. In a world where it’s cheaper to decarbonize, leaving a deposit in the ground will result in people finding ways to avoiding the need for oil int he first place, rather than drilling elsewhere.

  • @[email protected]OP
    1•6 months ago

    Here’s the thing: you can (and people do) borrow money for these things, and end up with the cost plus the interest being below the cost of burning fossil fuels. That’s how they’re getting done.

    • @Eheran
      1•6 months ago

      It all starts with getting non-trivial amount of cash. That is not an option for most people on this planet. Not even for everyone in first world countries. Hence the claimed “people just love to burn fossiles” is plain wrong.

      • @[email protected]OP
        1•6 months ago

        So make the choice to avoid fossil fuels with every new appliance, car, power plant, and piece of equipment. You’re spending the money anyways.

        • @Eheran
          1•6 months ago

          I think you do not understand. If you have no money, you don’t buy new stuff. Especially not a new car. You buy whatever is affordable.

          • @[email protected]OP
            1•6 months ago

            Yes, but a chunk of plant and equipment is replaced every year. If less oil is available, the people making that set of decisions change what they do.