On Energy Management - Research Proposal Example

So, one sees US invading Iran and Middle East to get its hands on the oil reservoirs, Pakistan shifting from natural gas to coal and other countries following the same pattern (Fawkes, 2007). Another reason energy management has gained so much importance in the past few decades is because the world as a whole has undergone industrialization largely (Beggs, 34, 1999). From industrial revolution to the internet boom of 90s, there are very few economies left, which have not adapted to the change and these economies are either isolated or agrarian.

All the rest of the economies have adapted to the change that the industrial revolution brought, and therefore are heavily reliant on industries, machineries, factories, and technology for their very subsistence and sustenance. More, these industrial economies need magnanimous amount of energy resources to run their respective economies without crashing (Moss, 28, 1994). Thus, energy management and optimal usage of this energy turns out to be the most pressing concerns of the economic systems around the world (AEE, 89, 1991).

Out of all the energy resources, oil and gas serve to be the most widely used and thus the most significant ones of all. With their easy accessibility and efficiency of usage, economies have strived to never run out of these two energy resources. However, in the light of recent economic recession, many economists and observers think that the production of oil and gas is falling short of their respective requirements. This paper is an attempt to propose some guidelines for oil and gas industries to come at par with the growing demand of sustainable energy round the world and to highlight its importance.

As the proposal suggests, the exploration and production of oil and gas needs acceleration in order to come at par with the current demands. Literature Review As one seeks to understand the mechanisms of energy management, two very important terms come up. Energy Intensity: It is a measure of energy required per unit output. Thus, using less energy to derive a product reduces energy intensity. Energy Efficiency: Inverse of energy intensity, energy efficiency increases when the given units of output results from diminished levels of energy input or a given level of energy is followed by an improved level of output or the service intended.

Thus, energy intensity increases when energy efficiency is reduced and vice versa. As one compares different industries that produces materials for energy production, one finds that all industries are subjected to change. The changes can be structural like a shift in the product ranges from higher energy-intensive to lower energy-intensive or behavioral depending on the target market and their fluctuating inclinations. It is now important to turn to the issue at hand: how can oil and gas industry learn from other industries with regard to efficient energy usage and production efficiency?

As a template, it is ideal to juxtapose China’s flourishing coal industry to America’s oil and gas industry; and bridge connections and comparisons between the two. One of the main features of China’s coal industry is that it is a home industry and China manufactures all the coal by itself. This reduces its imports by a great margin. On the other hand, US economy imports coal from gulf regions and is therefore highly dependent on other countries for its economy (Petrecca, 45, 1993). Another important factor to consider when