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 | | From: | Ed Earl Ross | | Subject: | Marine Energy Ranch | | Date: | Fri, 21 Jan 2005 08:11:53 GMT |
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 | If I were CEO X Oil Company, I'd consider building an algae ranch,
with some characteristics of Aquarius, which is described in "The
Millennial Project," by Marshall T. Savage. However, the algae
ranch purpose is to grow algae for oil to make biodiesel, rather
than the Aquarius purpose for habitat and food production.
The actual structure for an industrial algae ranch is much
different than Mr. Savage vision of Aquarius. However, the
equatorial location and algae production are very similar.
Aquarius was designed for villages of people. An algae ranch is
designed for one thing, raising algae that give a lot of oil for
biodiesel. Anyone living on the ranch, will be employed by the oil
company and involved in its operation.
The ranch must be built in equatorial seas, which have a moderate
climate. Temperature does not vary much, and there are no hurricanes.
For this project, a marine algae species is required that will grow
floating in equatorial waters.
Algae shall be corralled floating fences to stop it from being
scattered by wind and wave.
Water from 3000 feet near the bottom will be pumped to the surface
and spread by an irrigation system. This water contains nutrients
to encourage algae blooms. Other nutrients may be carried from
shore by ship and mixed with irrigation water.
Harvesting can be done with a plumbing system similar to the
irrigation system. Sea water and algae would be pumped from the
fenced in areas to a processing barge.
The processing barge presses oil from the algae and dries the algae
solids. They may be used as fertilizer for land plants. There may
be other uses. Everything will be shipped to shore for any required
processing and sale. The oil will be converted into biodiesel. The
solids can be used for fertilizer, as-is. Excess solids, if any,
can be discarded in the ocean depths to sequester CO2.
Mr. Savage lists around 500,000 tons/yr produce grown in one
Aquarius. Some marine algae is about 50% oil. Thus, 250 tons of oil
and a lesser amount of dry solids can be sold. Consequently, there
could be as much as 250,000 tons/yr of algae oil per Aquarius sized
algae ranch.
250K tons = 250K tons * 2000 lbs/ton = 500M lbs
Diesel weighs 7 lbs/gal.
500M lbs / 7 lbs/gal = 71.M gal
There are 42 gal/bbl.
71M gal / 42 gal/bbl = 1.7M bbl
One algae ranch can produce 1.7M bbl/yr
World oil production is in the neighborhood of 75M bbl/da. How many
Algae Ranches will it take to equal current oil production.
75M bbl/da * 356 da/yr = 671.5M bbl/yr
675M bbl/yr / 1.7M bbl/yr = 395 algae ranches.
Current world oil production can be produced with as few as 400
algae ranches, each one about the size of an Aquarius.
Things to do:
1. Double check these figures in several ways.
2. Make a list of research projects.
3. Hopefully, read comments from other NG contributors and
incorporate them into this plan.
4. Estimate the cost of fence.
5. Design an irrigation/harvesting system, and estimate its cost.
6. Estimate the cost of the processing barge, and the number of
people required to run it.
7. Compare algae ranch estimated costs to a big oil production
platform.
8. Estimate dry solids weight and value.
9. Determine if a marine algae species is exists that will grow
floating in equatorial waters.
10. Determine the best characteristics for the fence.
Is there an easy way to demonstrate this plan is not feasible?
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| | From: | Cyril | | Subject: | Re: Marine Energy Ranch | | Date: | Sun, 23 Jan 2005 19:04:16 +0100 |
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| Ed Earl Ross a utilisé son clavier pour dire :
> 75M bbl/da * 356 da/yr = 671.5M bbl/yr
well...
75M * 365 = 27 375 M
--
« Si quelqu’un a une crise de paludisme, il suffit qu’il prenne une
pioche et aille creuser la terre au soleil pour être guéri grâce à
sa conscience politique élevée. »
POL POT
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| | From: | Ed Earl Ross | | Subject: | Re: Marine Energy Ranch | | Date: | Sun, 23 Jan 2005 20:54:05 GMT |
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| Cyril wrote:
> Ed Earl Ross a utilisé son clavier pour dire :
>
>
>> 75M bbl/da * 356 da/yr = 671.5M bbl/yr
>
>
> well...
>
> 75M * 365 = 27 375 M
>
>
>
> --
> « Si quelqu’un a une crise de paludisme, il suffit qu’il prenne une
> pioche et aille creuser la terre au soleil pour être guéri grâce à
> sa conscience politique élevée. »
> POL POT
Thanks, That'll ripple into the number of farms required. I changed
the original and posted it again.
I'm not actually trying to design the thing, is just a high level
concept. I figure someone with funding will eventually consider it,
as oil prices rise and biodiesel becomes a less expensive fuel.
When algae ranches for biodiesel do become economically viable, it
makes no sense to put them in a climate with winter, where they
must either be covered or become dormant in winter. Moreover,
buying the land and digging 1/2 hectare ponds by the thousands is
costly. Building an algae ranch in equatorial waters, may cost more
or less. I'm not a engineer with skills to do the estimates.
Hadn't read of anything quite like it, so put together a quick
email. I'm working on another, similar posting, that I'll publish
soon, about a theme park. Just trying to think outside the box.
Maybe something will come of it, maybe not. There are too many
unknowns at the moment.
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