February 22, 2012
Houston University Professor Economides Calls US Energy Standoff An Economic Civil War
By Morris R. Beschloss
Celebrated, globally published and world-renowned energy expert, Michael J. Economides, accused the Obama Administration of igniting a worldwide energy development civil war which, he believes, the U.S. leadership is destined to lose in confrontation with China.
Speaking before an all-time record attendance of the Houston-based Pipe-Valve-Fitting Roundtable, which meets quarter-annually, the much published and sought-after exponent of the current global energy crisis, based his contention on the "misguided" U.S. Energy Department's direction. He elaborated this charge by rejecting the false premise of emphasis on 'renewables' and suppression of fossil fuels (oil, natural gas, coal ) which he believes are the 87 percent solution of the world's energy needs.
He furthered this indictment by rejecting the current emphasis on the "taxpayer" subsidized emphasis on alternative energy, i.e. solar power, wind, geothermal, bio-mass and ethanol, and even electric-powered cars as cost-ineffective, and eventually comprising less than five percent of the growing global energy needs, well into the next century. Current government-supported bankruptcies of 'alternative energy' producers added substance to his warnings.
Economides dramatized the 'destructive' role of the unrestrained Environmental Protection Agency, and its fanatical leadership in attempting to crush America's revolutionary hydraulic expansion of shale oil and natural gas production which, he claims, could provide North American energy independence by 2030. He alluded to the President's cancellation of the Trans-Canada XL oil pipeline as a major symptom in the civil war being waged against fossil fuels.
Economides further claimed that the stupendous expansion of the Chinese 1.4 billion strong population, now 50 percent urbanized, has driven that nation's increasingly intense global efforts to dominate the world's energy sources to requite domestic demand. In his contacts with leading Chinese government officials, Economides has been impressed with their acquisition of oil and natural gas availability through contracts and outright business purchases of energy production companies worldwide.
He cited China's most recent contract with Canada, increasingly directing their oil-sand conversion to Beijing, even at prices substantially higher than that paid by the U.S., as only the latest in the energy wars being won by China, and even its equally populous neighbor, India. This energy obsession is further fueled by the fact that their combined energy usage is, for the first time, handily eclipsing that of the U.S., with this gap being expected to widen geometrically in the second half of this century.
With the China/India combine anticipating the accelerating urbanization of their once dominant agricultural base, Economides believes that China, especially, is winning the global war of energy sourcing. He claims that Chinese experts are particularly puzzled why the U.S., with its fossil fuels energy source potential eclipsing that of the rest of the world, is literally handing the global energy victory to China, which has long ago exhausted the limited resource potential available to its land mass.
While the U.S. and Europe are increasingly mired down by the growing Mideast conflicts, China will continue to do business with every regime, good or bad, as long as it serves their world economic interests, opines Economides.
This emphasizes, he commented, their indifference to UN crackdowns on Iran's nuclear ambitions, or joining global disciplinary action against Syria.
In conclusion, Economides manifests that, while amoral, China's long-term interests are being served in winning the energy wars which, he believes, will force Europe, Japan, and the U.S. to become increasingly dependent on China's largesse in the future.
He dramatizes his belief that only "a total reversal of America's headlong collapse into the abyss of its war against oil, natural gas, coal, the 87 percent solution" will save the U.S. from eventual energy bondage.
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Tuesday, May 15th "Hall of Fame" PVF Roundtable Meeting
The focus of our May 15th roundtable session will be the annual Wholesaler Hall Of Fame presentation, welcoming a new PVF distribution inductee.
Joining us will be council members of the American Supply Association (ASA) Industrial Piping Division (IPD)
If anyone is interested in sponsoring the May meeting, please let me know.
We greatly appreciate your prompt registration (click here to register).
Regards,
Sheryl Michalak
Secretary/Treasurer
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PVF Roundtable Announces New Slate of Officers, Directors
At a special meeting of the full PVF Roundtable Board of Directors, held in Houston on January 10, 2011, the following officers and directors were elected:
President: Danny Westbrook, Westbrook Manufacturing
Vice President: Harold Armstrong, Armstrong/Weatherly
Secretary-Treasurer: Sheryl Michalak, Welding Outlets, Inc.
New Directors:
Danny Westbrook - Westbrook Manufacturing
Bob Hunter - Ta Chen
Cindy Craig - McJunkin Redman
Dennis Fikes - Warren Alloys
Margie Dalton - IFC, Inc
Ginger Restovic - IDS Tag Tech
Greg Johnson - United Valve
Harold Armstrong - Armstrong-Weatherly Assoc.
Jim Owsley - Wilson
Joe Pro - Penn Machine
John Cates - WFI/Bonney Forge
Kelly Kelsheimer - Neway Valve
Max Casada - Conocophillips
Ray Bojarczuk - Exxonmobil
Ron Merrick - Fluor
Sheryl Michalak - Welding Outlets, Inc (WOI)
Stephen Letko - Weldbend
Also honored by the Board for their service to the PVF industry and the PVF Roundtable were long-term Roundtable President Ron Merrick and industry icon Morris R. Beschloss, an outgoing director. Both were awarded emeritus status.
In addition to the Board's monthly meetings, the PVF Roundtable holds quarter-annual networking meetings featuring outstanding speakers.
