http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QP2GejkLdwA
This is an interesting method of extracting oil that at on time was uneconomical to extract or to hard to get to. By heating the ground, the oil becomes less dense which allows it to flow more freely when being extracted. This method makes investing in those hard to reach places much more attractive and should see strong positive gains in the near future.
It's hard to believe just how expensive heating the oil is and using only hot steam! "81 trillion BTU's of energy just to warm the ground enough energy to power one large air conditioner for every human being on the planet." That is a lot of power and a lot of money! Companies must debate whether the risk is worth the gain in this situation. While it is extremely expensive to produce, when it does work it is extremely profitable for the company.
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