Who will apply for work at Tesla in Tulsa?

[stroker-c10]

I figured I Would share one of my best friends opinions. He was a driller for Halliburton and Devon. Food for thought.

"I find it very comical how people are getting offended about the driller's Tesla decorations. Yet nobody said anything when nearly all the oil and gas producers shut the doors and abandoned Tulsa operations moving them to Houston. And meanwhile Tesla is knocking on the door with 10,000 jobs. That driller doesn't represent anything but Tulsa's past, not its future.

Just an ex-drillers $.02."

I am fourth generation 'oil field trash' and the support for this industry seems to be dwindling. I continue to support this industry but am not confident that Tulsa is embracing it any more.

 

[dennishoddy]

Couldn't say it better myself. The problem with most people is the mindset of accepting change. Sure, G&O is at a fever pitch of technology now. It's cleaner and more efficient than ever. It's been the status quo for so long, people forget the development process it took to get here. They forget oil produced only 30hp once. And oil change was only good for 3k miles once. Coal used to churn out black smokey smog. Even the drool-worthy muscle cars of their heyday couldn't hold candles to some bottom tier vehicles nowadays. They forget in this time of clean and efficient fossil energy what it took to get here, and are comfortable ditching alternative resources in their practical infancy because the technology that will allow it to replace comfortable fossil energy is still being developed.

These are the same people that complain about the lack of engineering and manufacturing in our country, then turn around and insist we stop manufacturing so-called "liberal energy." It's like the american spirit has been broken among them. They forget that there is absolutely no obstacle America can't overcome.

If we don't have forward thinking technology we won't progress as a nation. There are a lot of thinkers in this country that will make it happen just as the thinkers have done in the past.
Unfortunately, politics and paybacks to political donors have became commonplace in the name of technology that was never designed to succeed. Solyndra is a prime example.
Spent my time in the technology sector since the 70's watching and participating in its change to today. It's been a wild ride. The next 20 years until your a fudd for the generations coming up behind you will be an amazing time. LOL.

 

[crrcboatz]

Exactly. When my dad was in college at OSU in the 40's the last known oil reserve would peter out in the 70's.
It's a fact that wind power would fold in a heartbeat without the government backing it with tax dollars.
For those that don't think so, jump on your congress folks to force that "energy" source to spin on its own to live or die.
It will die shortly and there will be thousands of monuments to this boondoggle left for the landowners to take care of.

Los Angeles entrepreneur Elon Musk has built a multibillion-dollar fortune running companies that make electric cars, sell solar panels and launch rockets into space.

And he’s built those companies with the help of billions in government subsidies.

Tesla Motors Inc., SolarCity Corp. and Space Exploration Technologies Corp., known as SpaceX, together have benefited from an estimated $4.9 billion in government support, according to data compiled by The Times. The figure underscores a common theme running through his emerging empire: a public-private financing model underpinning long-shot start-ups.

He definitely goes where there is government money,” said Dan Dolev, an analyst at Jefferies Equity Research. “That’s a great strategy, but the government will cut you off one day.”

The figure compiled by The Times comprises a variety of government incentives, including grants, tax breaks, factory construction, discounted loans and environmental credits that Tesla can sell. It also includes tax credits and rebates to buyers of solar panels and electric cars.

A looming question is whether the companies are moving toward self-sufficiency — as Dolev believes — and whether they can slash development costs before the public largesse ends.

Tesla and SolarCity continue to report net losses after a decade in business, but the stocks of both companies have soared on their potential; Musk’s stake in the firms alone is worth about $10 billion. (SpaceX, a private company, does not publicly report financial performance.)

Musk and his companies’ investors enjoy most of the financial upside of the government support, while taxpayers shoulder the cost.

Musk might have started PayPal but the board of directors threw him out of his own company.

Musk was also thrown out as CEO of zip2.
His rockets continue to explode as late as February of this year. I have posted pics of that failure. We drove by it on the way to the Boca Chica gun range.

His rockets exploded on his first attempt in 2006, second in 2007, on the second launch attempt, third in 2008 with NASA satellites aboard costing taxpayers additional millions.
2013 1st failure landing in the ocean
2014, Tesla’s were burning up with spontaneous combustion from battery issues.
2015 4th rocket explosion at launch. 2nd and third explosions when landing on a drone ship.
2016, Tesla vehicles delayed 18 months.
2016, 5th rocket exploded with Facebook satellites worth $300 million.
2016, 4th, 5th, and 6th critical failures while landing on a drone ship.
Musk says UFO’s could have been the problem.
WTF??
His failures and government bailouts just continue.

I'll concede that failure for some leads to success by learning from failures, but most successes haven't been on the wing of the taxpayer for so long for so much as Elon Musk.
His accomplishments have been as a thinker. He hired the expertise that has made him successful and caused him to fail.

The guy is a monstrous taker plain and simple

 

[Rez Exelon]

...That driller doesn't represent anything but Tulsa's past, not its future.

This leads to another interesting point of view about the subject. Let's say peak oil is now 2040 (I'm guessing) but we can extend it to 2080, or even 2200. It doesn't matter --- it's still going to happen at some point right. Wouldn't it be better for all of out futures, or our children's futures to be prepared in advance for it?

Even from a pure national security point of view, how much better would we be position strategically on the world stage if we lead renewables and got totally off fossil fuels? We'd be sitting on the largest strategic stockpile of fossil fuels, could let everyone else run out and then have a monopoly on setting prices. In the short term nothing OPEC, Russia or the like could really have influence on us by adjusting prices. There are lots of benefits to forward thinking on the issue.

Hell, I'm surprised that a lot of people aren't looking at "them damn liberal countries" developing the tech and not wanting to do it even better just from the pure sense of American Superiority that many folks have.

 

[dennishoddy]

The guy is a monstrous taker plain and simple

Don't get me wrong, he is a great visionary that has brought progress, but not on my tax money to an individual. He had billions when he started, why not risk his own capitol?

 

[dennishoddy]

This leads to another interesting point of view about the subject. Let's say peak oil is now 2040 (I'm guessing) but we can extend it to 2080, or even 2200. It doesn't matter --- it's still going to happen at some point right. Wouldn't it be better for all of out futures, or our children's futures to be prepared in advance for it?

Even from a pure national security point of view, how much better would we be position strategically on the world stage if we lead renewables and got totally off fossil fuels? We'd be sitting on the largest strategic stockpile of fossil fuels, could let everyone else run out and then have a monopoly on setting prices. In the short term nothing OPEC, Russia or the like could really have influence on us by adjusting prices. There are lots of benefits to forward thinking on the issue.

Hell, I'm surprised that a lot of people aren't looking at "them damn liberal countries" developing the tech and not wanting to do it even better just from the pure sense of American Superiority that many folks have.

 

[stroker-c10]

This leads to another interesting point of view about the subject. Let's say peak oil is now 2040 (I'm guessing) but we can extend it to 2080, or even 2200. It doesn't matter --- it's still going to happen at some point right. Wouldn't it be better for all of out futures, or our children's futures to be prepared in advance for it?

Even from a pure national security point of view, how much better would we be position strategically on the world stage if we lead renewables and got totally off fossil fuels? We'd be sitting on the largest strategic stockpile of fossil fuels, could let everyone else run out and then have a monopoly on setting prices. In the short term nothing OPEC, Russia or the like could really have influence on us by adjusting prices. There are lots of benefits to forward thinking on the issue.

Hell, I'm surprised that a lot of people aren't looking at "them damn liberal countries" developing the tech and not wanting to do it even better just from the pure sense of American Superiority that many folks have.

The problem still lies in the fact that not a single type of renewable energy has been mentioned that doesn't rely on fossil fuels. We need to find a MORE efficient form of energy and that seems to be nonexistant..... Whether they want to admit it or not, wind energy and solar still relies on byproducts of the oil industry.

 

[TwoForFlinching]

If we don't have forward thinking technology we won't progress as a nation. There are a lot of thinkers in this country that will make it happen just as the thinkers have done in the past.
Unfortunately, politics and paybacks to political donors have became commonplace in the name of technology that was never designed to succeed. Solyndra is a prime example.

No argument there. It'll get done, slowly and with many challenges, but it will get done. Just look at solar. In 1955, photovoltaic was introduced with only a 2% efficiency, with an energy cost of $1,785/Watt. In 2020, there's a compact photovoltaic array called Smartflower that is up to 40% efficient in ideal conditions at a cost of about $10/watt. While capturing wind isn't new, I remember having to pull water windmills for maintenance on the farm, giant wind farms are somewhat new in the grand scheme. Looked for an exact date, but somewhere around 1980 for the first big operation on the left coast. Their biggest challenge is the transmissions they use. They build em cheap and they wear out prematurely. It's the capitalist corporate way. It's true, if the gov cut the subsidies, they'd be forced to come up with something to last the long haul. I'm good with that too. I'm not an advocate for tossing my tax dollars at private business, but I'm a big proponent of developing new technologies. If that means giving grants in the legit r&d process, I'm OK with that too. We all win.

I would be nice to be #1 in energy production again instead of consumption.

The next 20 years until your a fudd for the generations coming up behind you will be an amazing time. LOL.

Believe me, I catch myself having fudd moments from time to time when dealing/talking with younger people. I do manage to bite my tongue when wanting to offer solid advice. I remember being the youth that had to experience it first hand myself, the good and the bad. The way I figure, letting a buddy or nephew fall on his ass once in a while is good character building. Lol

 

[dennishoddy]

This leads to another interesting point of view about the subject. Let's say peak oil is now 2040 (I'm guessing) but we can extend it to 2080, or even 2200. It doesn't matter --- it's still going to happen at some point right. Wouldn't it be better for all of out futures, or our children's futures to be prepared in advance for it?

Even from a pure national security point of view, how much better would we be position strategically on the world stage if we lead renewables and got totally off fossil fuels? We'd be sitting on the largest strategic stockpile of fossil fuels, could let everyone else run out and then have a monopoly on setting prices. In the short term nothing OPEC, Russia or the like could really have influence on us by adjusting prices. There are lots of benefits to forward thinking on the issue.

Hell, I'm surprised that a lot of people aren't looking at "them damn liberal countries" developing the tech and not wanting to do it even better just from the pure sense of American Superiority that many folks have.

That theory of letting the others deplete their resources has been the mantra for many administrations but it's not working because technology keeps improving with drilling and refining to make that a mute point. From BP:
"Global reserves could almost double by 2050 despite booming consumption, oil major says. The world is no longer at risk of running out of oil or gas, with existing technology capable of unlocking so much that global reserves would almost double by 2050 despite booming consumption, BP has said."
Oil and gas is the backbone of this country and some wind farms or solar arrays are not going to change that.
Solar and wind are wonderful things when you live in the outback off grid and need some amenities of modern society but CURRENTLY, it will never overcome oil and gas.
Future technology might make it happen but it's not there now.
As far as your thoughts about getting totally off fossil fuels, it can't happen unless there are some batteries that haven't been developed yet. Vehicles and aircraft need to move at night. Military units need a common fuel that allows 100% reliability to operate. They can't stop operations if the sun isn't shining for days at a time and a wind generator isn't possible in the size needed.
The US was the largest net exporter of oil until Saudi and the Ukraine got into a pissing contest, and they both took on the job of bankrupting the other by dumping oil on the market. The side loss was that the shale drillers in the US that have to require $45 per barrel to survive.
Oil and gas is coming back. The economy is starting to flow again. As the oil flows, the economy follows suit.

 

[dennishoddy]

Hell, I'm surprised that a lot of people aren't looking at "them damn liberal countries" developing the tech and not wanting to do it even better just from the pure sense of American Superiority that many folks have.

The US is in the forefront of oil and gas technology. Back in the 70's I was blessed to work with Dick Pelton that was part of the team that built the vibrosize technology that took trucks into the field, shook the ground with hydraulic baseplates and recorded the results with geophones planted into the ground, recording the results of the time it took those vibrations to reach strata in the earths structure, reflect and return them to a recording vehicle to be recorded on a paper graph. Geologist later looked at those graphs to determine if it was possible to drill there.
It was like an Xray of the earth underneath. 5000' or so depending on the make up of the earth was the max we could see reflections.
New technology can see formations in the earth at 12,000'. Areas that have been played out for oil and gas are being re-explored with new reserves being found deeper.
It's very rare now that a driller hits a dry hole.