Summary

• Easily accessible oil, pumped directly from the ground, is no longer being discovered in quantities that will meet demand.

• Production is peaking or has peaked in all the major oilfields.

• The main debate exists over whether alternative oil sources or hard to extract oil sources will provide a substitute.

• Oil compounds are mainly used for transport, food production (they are a raw material in the production of fertiliser), and plastics.

• If oil becomes scarce, prices will rise significantly.

• New Zealand has non-oil based options that can lessen that blow.

• Most power could be generated locally to reduce Manukau’s vulnerability to external forces.

• However, in planning for the future it is sensible to consider less energy consuming options.