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The Curse of Oil

Rich and Poor:

Three-part series that goes on a revealing journey through the world’s oil-producing regions, beyond the familiar territory of the Middle East. Now that the oil price appears to be rising inexorably at the pumps, newspapers are full of gloomy predictions related to our increasing addiction to perishable reserves of oil. Bill Cran’s series takes a somewhat different approach.

We are in fact still amply supplied with oil on planet earth. The problem is that most of it lies in what we cosseted addicts regard as the wrong places. Getting enough oil to fill George Bush’s SUV requires dealing with nasty governments or destroying the wilderness. But the relationship between oil companies, consumers and those who live where the oil is extracted is changing very rapidly. It is becoming possible for native populations to obstruct oil companies.

Cran’s series leaves one with the feeling that there are no easy answers – but that, given the hysteria surrounding the subject, is no bad thing. It’s also ravishingly shot.

The Pipeline:

Three-part series that goes on a revealing journey through the world’s oil-producing regions, beyond the familiar territory of the Middle East. Now that the oil price appears to be rising inexorably at the pumps, newspapers are full of gloomy predictions related to our increasing addiction to perishable reserves of oil. Bill Cran’s series takes a somewhat different approach.

We are in fact still amply supplied with oil on planet earth. The problem is that most of it lies in what we cosseted addicts regard as the wrong places. Getting enough oil to fill George Bush’s SUV requires dealing with nasty governments or destroying the wilderness. But the relationship between oil companies, consumers and those who live where the oil is extracted is changing very rapidly. It is becoming possible for native populations to obstruct oil companies.

Cran’s series leaves one with the feeling that there are no easy answers – but that, given the hysteria surrounding the subject, is no bad thing. It’s also ravishingly shot.

The Wilderness:

Three-part series that goes on a revealing journey through the world’s oil-producing regions, beyond the familiar territory of the Middle East. Now that the oil price appears to be rising inexorably at the pumps, newspapers are full of gloomy predictions related to our increasing addiction to perishable reserves of oil. Bill Cran’s series takes a somewhat different approach.

We are in fact still amply supplied with oil on planet earth. The problem is that most of it lies in what we cosseted addicts regard as the wrong places. Getting enough oil to fill George Bush’s SUV requires dealing with nasty governments or destroying the wilderness. But the relationship between oil companies, consumers and those who live where the oil is extracted is changing very rapidly. It is becoming possible for native populations to obstruct oil companies.

Cran’s series leaves one with the feeling that there are no easy answers – but that, given the hysteria surrounding the subject, is no bad thing. It’s also ravishingly shot.

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  1. Wow, I was shocked to see that it had been removed by the owners, or whoever made this documentary. I worked on the Trans Alaska Pipeline Project in 1976 and I have a deep love for the beautiful land up there. A lot of money, time and effort was spent on preserveing the beauty, the animals and the land. In order to protect the permafrost and the animals, more than 55%% of it was built above the ground, in many locations, well above ground so that caribou and big grizzlies could pass under it and not interupt the migration routes. It was an incredible project through incredible country and in many instances, utilised some pretty new engineering procedures. They should have been proud of their work and that a documentary was made about it and not pulled it off.

  2. “I couldn’t watch the whole thing. The extreme left-wing bias in this piece of propaganda makes it unwatchable. No mention of how oil has lifted us out of the pre-industrial age and made our high standard of living and modern society possible.”

    What is it on?

    Zork should be Dork!

    The whole point is the planet is FINITE, if we continue the way we are going then it all ends!

    All it takes for Evil to prevail, is for good men to do nothing!

  3. I couldn’t watch the whole thing. The extreme left-wing bias in this piece of propaganda makes it unwatchable. No mention of how oil has lifted us out of the pre-industrial age and made our high standard of living and modern society possible.

    • “No mention of how oil has lifted us out of the pre-industrial age and made our high standard of living and modern society possible”. Narrator says it about 2 minutes into the docu. The point is the cost of this high standard of living is passed on to somebody else. Open your eyes

    • Modern or our current throw away society is the problem, therefore you are the problem. Obviously, you have not been paying attention to the reality that makes our world currently. The oil regimes which we all live under now are the same as bankers, government lobbyists, and all other forms of authoritarian establishments. It is the same establishments that lies to you, keeping you ignorant and unaware of what is going on. They sell you every product they can, along with freedom, democracy, and all the wars needed to preserve it. War, there is a fundamental and essential part of oil. War is the most profitable business for wealthy elites and it is purely because of oil. Oil makes the weapons, bullets, jets, tanks, power, manufacturing machines. Then in the time of war, more products will need to be made, costing taxpayers tons of money for their security. Let us not forget all the new police needed to be paid to protect corporate interests by arresting dissenters. But what can you do when all of the food production is controlled by oil? Nothing, but put yourself to sleep. What a great “modern” way of living, it sounds so much better than a simpler way of life with an earthly & spiritual connection. You sir, are an unconscious soul spewing uncritical thoughts made of pure sludge.

  4. Down with Petrocrats and Oiligarchs!
    Citizens unite against the oil curse!
    It is not right they keep us down with our own oil!
    http://bit.ly/P4m
    Per Kurowski
    Just another oil cursed citizens