James Van Blaricum - Scientists say accu...

jamesvanblaricum — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 15:49:14 +0200

James Van Blaricum - Scientists say accumulation of greenhouse gases accelerating

WASHINGTON - Major greenhouse gases in the air are accumulating faster than in the past despite efforts to curtail their growth. James Van Blaricum

Carbon dioxide concentration in the air increased by 2.4 parts per million last year, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration reported Wednesday, and methane concentrations also rose rapidly.

Concern has grown in recent years about these gases, with most atmospheric scientists concerned that the increasing accumulation is causing the earth's temperature to rise, potentially disrupting climate and changing patterns of rainfall, drought and other storms. Signal Oil and Gas

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has worked to detail the scientific bases of this problem and the Kyoto agreement sought to encourage countries to take steps to reduce their greenhouse emissions. Some countries, particularly in Europe, have taken steps to reduce emissions. Jim Van Blaricum

But carbon dioxide emissions, primarily from burning fossil fuels such as coal, oil and gas have continued to increase.

Since 2000, annual increases of two parts per million or more have been common, compared with 1.5 ppm per year in the 1980s and less than one ppm per year during the 1960s, NOAA's Earth System Research Laboratory said.

Global concentration of carbon dioxide is now nearly 385 parts per million. Preindustrial carbon dioxide levels hovered around 280 ppm until 1850. Human activities pushed those levels up to 380 ppm by early 2006. James Van Blaricum

Rapidly growing industrialization in Asia and rising wetland emissions in the Arctic and tropics are the most likely causes of the recent methane increase, said Ed Dlugokencky from NOAA's Earth System Research Laboratory.

Methane in the atmosphere rose by 27 million tons last year after nearly a decade with little or no increase, he said.

Methane is 25 times more potent as a greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide, but there's far less of it in the atmosphere. When related climate affects are taken into account, methane's overall climate impact is nearly half that of carbon dioxide.

About James Van Blaricum

jamesvanblaricum — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 20:20:12 +0200

James Van Blaricum

James Van Blaricum, CEO of Signal Oil and Gas, has been an entrepreneur in several industries. After becoming a medical doctor in the early seventies, Van Blaricum found that his passions were more towards pioneering and running businesses. Signal OIl and Gas

In 1981, the bottom fell out of the oil and gas industry. In the United States, there were over 5000 rigs in operation at the beginning of the year. By the end of the year, there were approximately 800 remaining. Van Blaricum sold his rigs for pennies on the dollar and maintained some small wells that were easy to operate and weathered the downturn in the market. By the late eighties, Van Blaricum had built up another four rig drilling company and sold it to investors in 1989, effectively doubling his money. Van Blaricum’s operations were centered in the San Antonio area. With the buyout and changing business interests, Van Blaricum moved to Las Vegas in 1992. In 1996, Van Blaricum moved back to Texas, but this time in the Dallas area and opened Epic Oil and Gas with a partner in the winter of 1996/1997. In 2000, he began the process of selling his interest over to his partner and created Signal Oil and Gas, which continues to operate today. James Van Blaricum

PRICE VOLATILITY

U.S. crude oil futures set a record high over $119 a barrel this week, boosted by supply worries, rising demand in China and weakness in the value of the U.S. dollar.

Such high prices are reminiscent of the 1970s and early 80s, when unrest in the Middle East curtailed oil shipments to the United States and drove prices as high as $102 a barrel by early 1980, on an inflation-adjusted basis. By 1986 prices were in decline, and by 1998, oil prices had dropped to less than $20 a barrel. Jim Van Blaricum

Fred Lawrence, spokesman for the Independent Petroleum Association of America, a national trade association headquartered in Washington, said price volatility remains a big risk, and he cautioned that the oil drilling boom could turn into a bust. Signal Oil and Gas

"There are a lot of attractive factors right now but I think a lot of the old school wildcatters might say you have to be very careful," said Lawrence. "Time and time again... it crashes."

Back in Missouri, such concerns are distant. As 40 sky-blue pumpjacks pound away at oil trapped 225 feet below the surface, Stapleton and his mixed crew of Canadian engineers and Midwestern farmhands make plans to dig more wells on 110,000 acres across southwestern Missouri, Kansas, Kentucky, Texas, and Montana. James Van Blaricum

Stapleton said MegaWest can generate profits with prices as low as about $50 a barrel, and he has little patience for naysayers.

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James Van Blaricum - Scientists say accu...

About James Van Blaricum