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By inviting its
readers to take a closer look at the oil industry, Energies
is asking them to consider an issue that has been very
much in the news: the sharp rise in oil prices. This might
seem to be a rather limited subject, but it opens the
door to a number of broader issues. The sharp rise in
crude-oil prices guides us, like Ariadne's thread, through
a labyrinthine problem whose complexity lies in the fact
that oil prices fluctuate for many different reasons.
Several key factors – such as strong growth in world
demand, available resources, pricing arbitrage by OPEC
and the geopolitical situation in the Middle East –
interact with each other, highlighting the importance
of what is at stake. For, at the end of the day, the real
question is whether we will be able to provide the energy
required for humanity's well-being and economic development
without compromising its future. Our use of oil, which
made industrial development |
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possible, unquestionably
affects the environment. Even more seriously, it has an
impact on climate change. We must act now to manage our
hydrocarbon resources, changing the way we use them in
order to extend their lifetime and slow the process of
global warming. Paradoxically, this means that men and
women who have worked for years to understand, explore
and exploit underground resources must now turn their
gaze to the atmosphere and even the stratosphere. Following
in the footsteps of the scientists, they must limit the
impact of fossil fuels and industrial activities on the
environment and on climate change. This journey into a
new dimension requires us all to look at the ‘big
picture’, to consider the future prospects for human
development, which is driven by energy and requires the
oil industry to be inventive in every field. It is clear
that our future depends on today’s decisions and
energy policies. |
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Total is very
much aware of this; we are convinced that the challenges
facing us today offer us an opportunity to demonstrate
our ability to innovate. We are sure that oil still
has a great future.
The editorial team |
