RS: OPEC

Question 1

What is OPEC?

Answer 1

13 members

40% crude oil production

But control 72% of reserves

Question 2

How has OPEC impacted on global energy supply?

Answer 2

1973 oil shock - in response to US support for Israel during the Yom Kippur war

OPEC stopped oil supply to countries supporting Israel

= oil prices have approx tripled since 70s

Question 3

2 reasons why the effectiveness of OPEC is limited?

Answer 3

• Non OPEC countries (e.g. Russia) have a strong impact on the market
• Growing development of resources outside of OPEC reduces OPEC control of international markets e.g. US = oil prices fall

Question 4

How has the pipeline between Russia and Ukraine affected the politics of the EU?

Answer 4

• Reliance on Russian gas - ability to influence European politics e.g. Russian gas monopoly Gazprom halting supplies to Ukraine and Europe as a whole to encourage political changes
• Increasing dependence on renewables= reduced dependence on Russian

Question 5

Give three technological development which will help improve sustainability of water supply.

Answer 5

Saltwater greenhouse technology

Sand dams

Electrodialysis

Question 6

What is electrodialysis?

Answer 6

Less energy intensive method of desalination

Question 7

What is saltwater greenhouse technology?

Answer 7

• solar radiation to evaporate sea water and collect condensation
• method of desalination (low energy intensive)
• useful for agriculture

Question 8

What are sand dams?

Answer 8

• constructed on seasonal rivers to trap water making it available all year round
• simple, low cost, low maintenance tech.

Question 9

How will economic developments affect water supply and demand?

Answer 9

• increased consumption per person = demand increases
• increased development = more able to afford water efficient tech and infrastructure needed to meet demand = may increase reliability of access.
• increase in water trade = e.g. water shipping, virtual water trade and water diversion.

Question 10

How will environmental changes affect water supply and demand?

Answer 10

• Climate change
• Increased water consumption by humans will impact aquatic ecosystems = may need management.

Question 11

Give three technological advances which will increase energy supply:

Answer 11

• Improvements to renewables (e.g. aeronautic wind turbine designs)
• Development of secondary and tertiary oil extraction methods
• Development of a hydrogen economy

Question 12

Give three economic changes expected to affect energy supplies:

Answer 12

• Declining importance of OPEC - growth of non-OPEC production due to non-conventional resources/ exploitation of LICs. (But decline from Canada, Brazil and USA)
• Growing trade of natural gas - LNG and pipelines = Western Europe increasingly reliant on Russian supplies
• Energy trade flows towards Asian markets will increase (slowdown in China replaced by India and the Middle East).

Question 13

How might environmental futures impact on energy supply?

Answer 13

• Increasing environmental awareness = pressure on governments and TNCs to develop and use more environmentally friendly energy sources - e.g. US Texas vs State.
• Increasing international agreements to limit fossil fuel usage e.g. Paris agreement 2015
• Increasing use of carbon capture and sequestration = decrease the environmental impact of fossil fuel combustion but may increase energy prices

Question 14

How might geopolitics impact on future energy supply?

Answer 14

• Increasing influence of TNCs for the development of resources as monopolise skills - impact LIC politics
• Increasing instability and conflict in areas with conventional supplies > price shocks and unexpected supply shortages
• Increasing political pressure to develop resources in areas of environmental interest e.g. global commons

Question 15

How might technological advances affect mineral ore supplies?

Answer 15

• Deep sea exploration e.g. first deep sea mining in 2020
• Technological advances to improve exploration methods - magnetometry; gravimetry
• Extraction methods for low grade ores e.g. phytomining for copper (more environmentally friendly as less SO2 emissions; can be used on existing spoil heaps to reduce the need for further land take)