Is Oil the Lifeblood of Civilization?
Mark Nelson, managing director of Radiant Energy Group, joins Decouple host Chris Keefer for another installation of the Masterclass series: this time on the slippery subject of oil. We zoom from ancient plankton to modern empires to see how a mysterious black liquid birthed from prehistoric seas now powers our civilization, touching on the complex chemistry, geology and history of oil.
Episode name on podcast apps: "Oil: A Masterclass"
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Website: https://www.decouple.media
Chapters:
00:00 Introduction – Welcoming Mark Nelson back for an oil masterclass.
02:10 Oil’s Strange Beginnings – The plankton story and how ancient seas became trapped carbon.
04:34 Transition to Oil Ships – How navies pivoted from coal to oil for faster vessels.
09:33 Drilling Basics – The tricone drill bit, pumping mud, and early gusher myths.
17:45 From Reservoir to Refinery – Separating light and heavy fractions, sulfur concerns.
25:28 Fracking Boom – Horizontal wells, fracturing shale, and the U.S. oil boom.
40:15 OPEC vs. Shale – Geopolitics, swing producers, and controlling prices.
49:53 Boom-Bust Cycles – Negative prices, COVID’s impact, and risky shutdowns.
58:54 Enhanced Recovery – Pump jacks, CO₂ injection, and reservoir pressure.
1:14:54 The Big Picture – Proven reserves, peak oil confusions, and the carbon cycle.