What would you do if oil hit $400/barrel?

[Capt Worley PE]

I read an interesting book where a terrorist group, through the auspices of being an environmental group, injected an anaerobi oil eating bacteria into the oil reserves of the world. In the end, the heroes stopped further spread, but the damage was done. Oil production slumped to 40% of what it is today, and gas went to $12 a gallon.

Completely fictional, but it made me think...what changes would you make? What changes would society as a whole make? What changes would be made in the US and locally?

 

[NCcarguy]

I would probably start to work from home....sell my place at the beach, and let my yard go to shit. That sounds like the life EVERYONE wants!

 

[Supe]

Buy a crotch rocket!

 

[Capt Worley PE]

When gas went nuts in 2008, I did see a LOT more scooters than I ever did. I supposed there would be another boom in sales of those.

I think locally produced goods would have a huge price advantage over stuff that had to be shipped in.

 

[Master slacker]

Sure as hell fix the ole beater car immediately instead of just leaving it on the Rhino ramps and cruising around in the land yacht. Other than that, I'd restart brewing my own beer instead of buying it.

 

[Kephart P.E.]

Only one problem with that, they only run on premium and if you twist the throttle like I like to you are getting about 30 mpg.

Buy a crotch rocket!

 

[wilheldp_PE]

Use less oil.

 

[goodal]

i would cower in my basement hiding from the rioters in the streets angry over having nothing to eat because the suppliers cant afford to get there food to the stores. other than that and keeping up my garden probably not much because everything would basically shut down.

 

[Slugger926]

Capt Worley - You should watch The Spy Next Door with Jackie Chan. The bad guys had that same bacteria.

 

[Slugger926]

I would start a gasification ethanol production plant, and a methane/turkey baster oil production plant to produce fuel for the world. At $50 a barrel, the business justification is not there, but at $150 a barrel, the business plan for both of these looks really attractive. Of course our ecosystem will need managed, or we would wind up like a larger example of Haiti or Easter Island.

I did some research on peak oil, peak food production, and population capacity when I did a business plan for an ethanol plant. If peak oil is true, then $400 a barrel and major population issues will be a reality without technology leaps.

 

[Road Guy]

I would be glad I have a 8 mile commute, I wouldnt spend as much time running the boat as I would sitting on it, and probably a whole lot of other things that would go up as a result

was this the book where all the environmental terrorist ended up getting wiped out at some island by special op's folks? I think there was a similar Tom Clancey book like that..

 

[Capt Worley PE]

No, it was Darkness Falls, by Kyle Mills.

 

[snickerd3]

i would have to quit my job and become SAHM.

 

[EM_PS]

i'd outfit a musclecar as below - I'd have a dog named "Dog". I'd wear a knee brace and battered old leathers. Ultimately, I'd have to challenge 'The Humungus' for control of what oil supplies remain

 

[roadwreck]

i'd outfit a musclecar as below - I'd have a dog named "Dog". I'd wear a knee brace and battered old leathers. Ultimately, I'd have to challenge 'The Humungus' for control of what oil supplies remain

:Locolaugh:

 

[Bean PE]

I'd continue riding my bike where I need to go, and only drive when I have to. I'd have to move to the mountains to ski as much as I'd like to, which of course would be difficult since the economy would be worse off than it is now. Eh, I'd make it work.

 

[summit550]

outfit my delorean with a mr. fusion unit

 

[Santiagj]

I would buy several guns. I would like a .40 cal handgun and maybe a 12 guage. I would also get another bullmastiff and only socialize him with family members and my other pets. Hmm I would then have to prepare for the epic inflation that $400 dollars a barrel would create. Maybe dump all my cash into unimproved properties like raw land.

 

[Beefcake882]

Perhaps a trip to the Gulf to scoop up some free BP oil would be a profitable endeavor. Otherwise I like the Mr. Fusion idea, I like the idea of me and my car running on the same fuel, miller high life.