42 Comments

1. 

   Flippr on March 19, 2026 at 9:37 am

   “My language would be even more apocalyptic today.”

   – Paul Ehrlich

   Paul died last week at 93. The quote above is from 2015.

   https://www.nytimes.com/2026/03/15/books/paul-r-ehrlich-dead.html?unlocked_article_code=1.UVA.eNNQ.ZRtiOKp02mAW&smid=url-share

   • 

     Panopticon on March 19, 2026 at 5:27 pm

     RIP, Paul Ehrlich. Ehrlich, Malthus et al will have the last laugh, but it will be a very hollow one.

     • 

       Ravi Uppal on March 19, 2026 at 6:51 pm

       When somebody asks me for a solution after my lecture on ” peak oil ” . I have to say ” I have none ” . When all collapses all of us here can only say ” I told you so ” . But we are in good company .😭

       • 

         Panopticon on March 19, 2026 at 7:04 pm

         Ravi, you reminded me of Paul Chefurka’s excellent article, Climbing The Ladder of Awareness.

         On the fifth and final rung, “The very concept of a “Solution” is seen through, and cast aside as a waste of effort.”

         http://www.paulchefurka.ca/LadderOfAwareness.html

       • 

         Flippr on March 19, 2026 at 8:15 pm

         Pano, Ravi, I agree, “I told you so” will be small, cold consolation.

2. 

   Flippr on March 19, 2026 at 9:45 am

   Quark’s latest is titled “The Biggest Crisis In History”

   Direct link: https://tinyurl.com/2zv7837x

   Google translated, copied and pasted, five charts/images missing:

   We had an adjustment pending. We didn’t know when it would begin, but its arrival was absolutely certain. I’m referring to the oil reserves versus oil consumption curves.

   Because?

   Oil demand continues to grow and after the IEA’s latest review in its WEO 2025, it looks like it will continue to grow for a few more years.

   On the other hand, “real” crude oil reserves have been steadily declining for decades, but in the last decade, the rate of decline has accelerated. This is due to the almost complete absence of new discoveries (of both gas and oil).

   I always include these two graphs that represent the two opposing trends.

   Discoveries (the blue bars) and oil production (the red circles).

   Anyone can understand that if the blue bars are well below the red circles, it means we are depleting reserves, and since that trend began in the 1980s, we are in an advanced state of reserve depletion.

   This second chart makes it very clear. The red circles now represent the total amount of conventional oil discovered. The blue circles and their upward trend represent the oil consumed. And therefore, the green circles and their dramatic downward trend represent the remaining reserves.

   The current replacement rate is between 10-20% of consumption each year. This is the point that truly puts us on the brink of disaster, since the best reserves have long since been depleted, and those that remain are much more expensive, difficult, and complex to extract.

   Well, this is just an introduction to the problem at hand.

   Take a look at this graphic showing the oil and gas fields in the Middle East and southern Russia. The fields in black are oil fields, and those in red are gas fields.

   In the center of the image, you can see the enormous gas field (the largest in the world) shared by Qatar and Iran. It’s a behemoth that produces a lot of gas, but also condensates (oil) and, after appropriate processing, helium and fertilizers (urea, sulfur).

   Yesterday, the Iranian side was attacked by Israel with heavy damage (this field produces 75% of Iran’s gas) and the Iranian response destroyed Qatar’s facilities, leaving the field out of service for a good while.

   The consequences of the conflict are incalculable. They affect the production and export of raw materials, but they also impact financial markets.

   a). Raw materials.

   The full consequences of these attacks will take a long time to be felt, perhaps more than a year. But even now, we already know that putting these vast quantities of valuable raw materials out of the world’s reach will come at a price we cannot afford.

   1) 20% of global LNG exports have been cut off. And it no longer matters whether the Strait of Hormuz reopens or not. It will take some time to know how long it will take them to restart LNG processing plants, but this has affected not only current production but also Qatar’s planned expansion .

   “ In Qatar, we are implementing projects to expand LNG production from the North Field, the world’s largest non-associated gas field. Our North East Field (NFE) project will increase Qatar’s LNG production capacity from its current 77 million metric tons per annum (MTPA) to 110 MTPA. NFE represents the first phase of expansion; the second phase, the North South Field (NFS) project, will further increase Qatar’s LNG production capacity to 126 MTPA. A third phase, the North West Field (NFW) project, will boost Qatar’s LNG production to 142 MTPA by the end of 2030. ”

   The IEA has been boasting about an LNG surplus , not only because of the current situation (before the conflict, obviously), but also because of the expansion of Qatar’s gas project (in addition to US projects). As we can see, we have not only lost 20% of global LNG exports, but the expansion that would have doubled Qatar’s production capacity has also been delayed (we don’t know for how long), wiping out the surplus in one fell swoop and creating a considerable deficit.

   2nd). Qatar produces 33% of the world’s helium .

   It’s now out of the market for a long time and can’t be replaced overnight.

   Helium is essential in the production of advanced chips .

   “ Helium is an essential component in semiconductor manufacturing , used in the chip fabrication process. It helps maintain optimal conditions during production. In the lithography process, it is used to establish a stable vacuum environment and ensure the precise alignment and exposure of the photomasks. It also contributes to the cooling of semiconductor materials, thus reducing thermal stress that could negatively affect chip functionality. Unlike other industrial gases, there is no effective substitute for helium in chip production. ”

   Major plants in South Korea and Taiwan rely on helium imports from Qatar and will now be unable to access that helium quota for months, which will slow down semiconductor production when their existing inventories run out.

   3) Qatar is also a major global producer of urea, sulfur, and ammonia . Since we are no longer talking about a minimal disruption (weeks), but likely many months, it means we are facing a major disruption to the fertilizer sector.

   4th). The aluminum market has been disrupted by the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.

   “ The closure of ports and plants will likely cause significant turbulence in the aluminum market. In February, we projected a global market deficit of 200,000 tons in 2026, widening to 800,000 tons by 2028. The loss of metal exports from the GCC will significantly adjust the market balance over the next 6-12 months. There are no viable ways to offset the loss resulting from disruptions to shipping or prolonged closures .”

   5th). Exports of oil and derivative products amounted to almost 21 million b/d, which passed through the strait daily.

   Now, barely 1 million barrels per day (b/d) from Iran and a few LPG shipments bound for India and China pass through. The diversion of the UAE pipeline to Fujairah is disabled due to continuous attacks, leaving only the pipeline to Yanbu in Saudi Arabia ( currently transporting 4 million b/d ) and the small connection through Iraqi Kurdistan (250,000 b/d).

   That is, around 15 million b/d of crude oil and derivatives are out of service after three weeks of war.

   They tell us it’s not important because 400 million barrels have been released from strategic reserves, but the truth is that the only thing that has prevented a supply shortage so far has been oil in transit. Those ships will finish unloading soon, and at that point we’ll know the real situation.

   However, in certain places in the first world (I’m not talking about Africa, where scarcity is common), there are already scenes of scarcity.

   Japan , Sri Lanka , India’s LPG , Thailand and Australia are some examples.

   In the next two weeks, shortages and rationing will begin to proliferate, and as usual, none of this has resonated with Western public opinion.

   As Novak says in Russia , we are facing the biggest energy crisis in the last 40 years. I would add, for now, because everything is going to get worse when the contagion spreads to the financial markets.

   b) Financial markets.

   Yesterday I was talking about the disconnect. The stock and bond markets have barely been affected by the conflict.

   From the beginning, the focus has been on a passing episode that would not affect the global financial health, ignoring the effects of the first, second, and third rounds.

   1st). Inflation.

   Yesterday we learned the US PPI figures for February (that is, before the start of the war). They were truly disastrous and already foreshadow a rising and almost uncontrolled inflation.

   The US has been lowering interest rates in 2025, while PPI inflation (remember producer price inflation, which precedes the CPI in its movements) was soaring, as can be seen in the chart.

   After the sharp increases in energy, fertilizers and aluminum, the CPI is going to start its new upward trend, with a high probability of exceeding the peak of 2022.

   b) The bond market.

   As I’ve already mentioned, several countries are facing a precipice in their bond markets. Just a small push and the crisis will be unstoppable (debt is a crushing weight on public finances due to the financial costs associated with it).

   But the problem is global, because indebtedness is widespread throughout the world.

   The combination of rising debt (investments in defense, energy transition, AI, increasing pensions and now automatic stabilizers resulting from the incipient crisis), with a sharp rise in interest rates to curb inflation, will create the necessary breeding ground for a crisis unparalleled in history (due to its depth and extent in the number of countries) to develop.

   We are already approaching the point of no return, and the rise in commodity prices will eventually push us past that point, with the well-known consequences, when positions begin to be executed to settle debts.

   Central banks have been monitoring the situation since 2008, but this time the tsunami is too powerful. It will take some time to see if the central banks’ seemingly inexhaustible resources are enough to stem this collapse. But as we all know, the kryptonite of central banks is inflation, which ties their hands, and that’s why this time, a definitive collapse is extremely dangerous.

   c) The stock market.

   So far, the most resilient. In part, the protective equipment has worked very well, and also the feeling among investors that this war was short-lived.

   But time is passing and the effects are accumulating. We only have to wait a few more weeks for the damage to become irreversible, if it isn’t already.

   Israel’s attack on gas production fields in Iran is irreparable and jeopardizes future production throughout the Middle East. If the fields are damaged (the refineries have already suffered considerable damage), closing the strait will no longer matter, because the effects will be permanent for much longer than a few weeks, and this is certainly not priced in by the markets.

   The stock market crash has the power to destroy the “wealth effect” for investors and contribute to a sharp drop in consumption, as the feeling of losses spreads through stock exchanges around the world.

   Conclusion.

   Yes, all this you’re telling us is very good, but why is it the worst crisis in history?

   The introduction has its importance in this story.

   We were already anticipating a reduction in oil and gas production and, therefore, a significant decrease in energy supply. As we know, economic growth is closely linked to increased energy production, and the accelerated depletion of reserves was also leading to a decline in oil and gas production. But the final stage had not yet begun.

   The Middle East crisis not only brings a massive supply deficit, but also precipitates a financial crisis that combines the bursting of bubbles due to the rampant increase in debt (which has been used to inflate asset prices), the expected collapse of markets, and a new era where investment is virtually nonexistent. If a crisis erupts, it logically unfolds in three phases , and after the last, hyperinflation, a colossal economic depression follows, where investment vanishes because no one will have any money.

   If investment disappears, the trend toward oil and gas production will fall proportionally. The collapse in consumption associated with economic depression typically reduces commodity prices and discourages investment in new fields due to a lack of profitability. If, in addition, there is no money, investment falls to historic lows, and we know that without investment, the decline of fields is far too rapid, causing a sharp decrease in global production. This process, which is reinforced by successive economic downturns, ultimately pushes oil and gas production well below current levels, preventing economic recovery when there is insufficient energy.

   The initial crash represents a steep decline, and the subsequent economic depression generates a prolonged, self-reinforcing decrease, sinking the economy in subsequent years.

   In short, we’ve gone from perpetual economic growth to a self-perpetuating economic contraction. This isn’t a cyclical crisis, but the beginning of a permanent decline.

   In any case, it’s just an opinion on something that’s been brewing for a long time. If I was waiting for a trigger, the closure of Hormuz is the perfect opportunity to start that process.

   We’ll see.

   • 

     Truth Wizard on March 19, 2026 at 10:43 am

     Permanent decline!

   • 

     George Kaplan on March 19, 2026 at 10:53 am

     There are at least four major stories developing (super El Nino and climate change acceleration with a noticeable jump above 1.5 to come, tipping into global food and resource scarcity, geopolitical anarchy and chaos, financial bubbles popping) any one of which would make for numerous books about this year alone, but they are all happening at once, which should be no surprise as they would all be chapters in one book: “Overshoot comes a-knockin'”. Below is a bit to add to the oil story.

     Norway government agency NPD is predicting a 250,000 bpd drop in oil production this year. In recent years GoM has completed four deep water wells per month and two shallow, this year there have been five deep water and no shallow water, and none at all since the first week of February, so I think there will be a similar fall of about 200 to 250,000.

     Kazakhstan will also fall 250,000 as will non-Permian US LTO. Medium-small sized decliners combined will lose 300,000, China maybe 150,000, Mexico 100,000, Nigeria also looks to be falling from a secondary peak now. So that is 1.3 to 1.6 drop. Only Brazil and Guyana have much to add of significance. More unknown are Russia and Permian LTO but I think a fall of around 2 million was always likely even before Hormuz

     Those are December numbers (called annual exit in the industry as I recall). The Gulf countries will lose a lot more over spring and summer but may get some back for an exit number, but the average annual lose could be 5 million or more. After this year the 2 million lost from the named suppliers above will likely get bigger in an accelerating trend, but on top geopolitical upsets are going to be playing greater parts in unpredictable oil supply upsets. Just one guy’s opinion, to quote Cheers I think.

     p.s. Rayo Negro’s pieces are excellent and, on top of the knowledge and insights, he shows amazing stamina and dedication to keep them coming – one thing he might consider to add a bit of clarity would be to show R/P values, now and as a trend, to show how we are rapidly approaching, and probably are now at, a day of significant reckoning (the downward trend for a lot of resources is quite dramatic).

     • 

       Cassandra on March 19, 2026 at 12:06 pm

       Thanks as always for your update, George. And your pithy summary: “Overshoot comes a-knockin’”.

       • 

         Panopticon on March 19, 2026 at 5:46 pm

         The Bank of England has paused interest rate cuts.

         Heating gas has gone up from 73p per litre to £1.28 per litre here on Islay (which is actually not bad, comparing it to other places in Scotland).

     • 

       Duke on March 19, 2026 at 12:13 pm

       Thanks George. Great information as always.

     • 

       Panopticon on March 19, 2026 at 5:38 pm

       Agreed. Thank you, George.

       Rayo Negro is describing the jagged, oscillating decline scenario postulated by David Korowicz in his 2010 “Tipping Point; Systemic Implications of a Peak in Global Oil Production” paper.

       He did not at that time see geopolitical friction as a potential trigger for a peaking of global production, though. Complete systemic collapse was another possibility he outlined.

       https://www.feasta.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/Tipping-Point-Nov.pdf

   • 

     Cassandra on March 19, 2026 at 12:04 pm

     Thanks so much for posting that, Flippr. He really lays it out!!! 😱

3. 

   Duke on March 19, 2026 at 11:24 am

   Zero private sector job creation in the last 6 months according to Powell

   https://x.com/atrupar/status/2034343327017918910?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E2034343327017918910%7Ctwgr%5E44e23ad18afb572acfa4ec37e791f344addf5606%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.godlikeproductions.com%2Fforum1%2Fmessage6149085%2Fpg1

   Federal debt just went over 39 Trillion and the Pentagon is asking for an additional 200 Billion because of the Middle East.

   • 

     Panopticon on March 19, 2026 at 6:19 pm

     Military overspend is classic late-stage empire stuff, to the point of cliché. Neighbouring Canada having some issues on the jobs front, too:

     “Canadians have lost more than 100,000 full-time jobs since the beginning of 2026, adding pressure on Prime Minister Mark Carney’s government as it seeks to shield the economy from the impact of US tariffs on Canada.”

     https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c1d6lk1n91xo

4. 

   Leaf on March 19, 2026 at 12:15 pm

   We don’t seem to be running out of new recipes for Gasoline Gumbo, but at least shipping in and out of the Amazon will be more efficient.

   Homo collossus’ tenure needs to end soon and abruptly.

   • 

     Panopticon on March 19, 2026 at 6:35 pm

     “Gasoline Gumbo” refers to the beloved, hearty breakfast gumbo served at local Louisiana gas stations and convenience stores, such as the Satsuma Chevron:

     https://www.facebook.com/satsumachevron/

     I did not know that was a thing, Leaf.

     • 

       Leaf on March 20, 2026 at 1:29 am

       Hi Pan. I thought I made that up as another variation of Prof. Eliot’s “car stew,” but it’s already a thing.

5. 

   Mike B on March 19, 2026 at 12:48 pm

   Good morning!

   We’re fucked!

   • 

     Panopticon on March 19, 2026 at 6:35 pm

     We are a bit, Mike B.

6. 

   Duke on March 19, 2026 at 12:52 pm

   This story doesn’t seem to be getting much attention. It looks like Chinese fishing vessels practicing a blockade of Taiwan. Whatever is going on, as the story says its not about fishing
   Japanese Prime Minister visits Washington today.

   https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20260313-thousands-of-chinese-boats-mass-at-sea-raising-questions

   • 

     Panopticon on March 19, 2026 at 6:37 pm

     FWIW:

     “China not planning to invade Taiwan in 2027, US intelligence agencies say. The report prompted Japan to reassert that it would defend Taiwan if China launched a military invasion, rejecting US claims of a “significant shift” in Tokyo’s stance.”

     https://news.sky.com/story/china-not-planning-to-invade-taiwan-in-2027-us-intelligence-agencies-say-13521682

7. 

   zip on March 19, 2026 at 1:28 pm

   There are currently two narratives unfolding side by side. They do not intersect, they do not acknowledge each other, yet they describe the same reality.

   On one side is the narrative of systemic crisis. This is the perspective of Quark and others. It focuses on long-term trends: depletion of oil fields, declining EROEI, and the gradual disappearance of the energy surplus that made modern prosperity possible. In this view, the crisis is not an event but a process. Not a moment, but a direction. The curves have been diverging for decades, and what we are witnessing now is merely the visible phase of something long underway.

   On the other side is the narrative of shock crisis. This is the language of governments, central banks, and daily news. Reality is framed as a sequence of disruptions: a war, a price spike, a supply chain breakdown. Each problem has a cause and therefore, implicitly, a solution. The vocabulary revolves around measures, buffers, interest rates, and temporary interventions.

   The tension arises because both narratives appear true, yet they are fundamentally incompatible. In the shock narrative, recovery is always possible. In the systemic narrative, recovery is part of the problem, as it accelerates underlying depletion.

   As long as physical limits express themselves through isolated shocks, the shock narrative remains dominant. Everything still appears manageable. But once shocks no longer fade, and instead begin to accumulate and reinforce one another, the interpretation shifts.

   That is the tipping point.

   Not when the crisis begins, but when it is understood that it will not end.

   And that is where the real void emerges.

   Because for that phase, no narrative exists. Not within governments, not within central banks, and not even among those who today interpret every development as a systemic crisis. They describe the direction, but not the form. No one truly knows what a society looks like when it is structurally contracting, when energy does not return, and recovery is no longer an option.

   That is the moment when analysis ends and experience begins.

   We are no longer entering a crisis, but uncharted territory.

   • 

     jupiviv on March 19, 2026 at 1:59 pm

     “We are no longer entering a crisis, but uncharted territory.”

     Agreed but I would add that reality catches us unawares even when we know it will. This war in itself will not be the uncharted territory. That will be this summer, when we shall witness in real time the intersection of AGW and net energy decline, albeit the latter induced “artificially” through war (not really though, war is a feature not a bug!)

   • 

     Panopticon on March 19, 2026 at 6:49 pm

     “That is the tipping point. Not when the crisis begins, but when it is understood that it will not end.”

     We have seen some awareness of this dawning, with new words like “polycrisis” and “permacrisis” conjured up to encapsulate it.

     The real worry is when markets digest the reality that growth is over in major economies no matter how much debt you throw at the problem. Credit markets would freeze up, if something hasn’t caused that already.

8. 

   Martin on March 19, 2026 at 1:43 pm

   Wait, is C&E a covert branch of the UK ECIU mentioned in the link, the Energy and.Climate Intelligence Unit?
   Do you guys in C&E/ECIU get badges?

   • 

     Panopticon on March 19, 2026 at 6:50 pm

     Well spotted, Martin. 😆

     We don’t but I should totally hit them up for some merch.

9. 

   Cassandra on March 19, 2026 at 1:46 pm

   So much in Pan’s thread today could be commented on. I read the story about the abandoned tanker leaking in the Mediterranean. Not one word about what is being done to contain this impending disaster. So I did a search and here’s the short version:

   “No country has yet taken formal action to tow or secure the ship, leaving the situation in legal and diplomatic limbo.”

   Homo (not)sapiens polluting our way to the extinction of most life as currently exists. Way to go!

   Mike B (above) sums it up!

   • 

     Panopticon on March 19, 2026 at 6:54 pm

     Italy is now saying that the tanker is Libya’s responsibility, as it has floated into their territorial waters. I imagine the Libyans are thrilled about this.

     • 

       Flippr on March 19, 2026 at 8:11 pm

       This reminded me of a game we played as kids – tag, you’re it!

       This tanker article pairs well with another from today: Toxic pollution from Iran war will spread and last for decades…

       Meh…

10. 

    Rob on March 19, 2026 at 4:16 pm

    On Wednesday night, the Washington Post reported that “U.S. officials detected unidentified drones above the Washington Army base where Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth live” and that those officials have not yet determined where they came from.

    Both Defense Secretary & Secretary of Hate, and National Security Adviser reside on the same army base, a legitimate target for a country like Iran that has suffered mightily because of these assassins.

    We should remember War has not been declared by either aggressor in this little excursion, so assassination as peacetime foreign policy by both The Board of Peace’s president and its chairman, Little MarcoRubio, playing mini-me to the Furor’s Awesome Powers, have instituted a pax regime in which many of its members’ nations are now ablaze as a direct result of their peacekeeping-through-assassination efforts.

    Pax Americana was declared by the GWBush regime as they bombed Afghanistan into the Stone Age and took a cakewalk through a bombed out Iraq.

    Please spare us from the peacekeepers.

    • 

      Panopticon on March 19, 2026 at 6:56 pm

      Spare us indeed, Rob. I see more nations are being roped into this nightmarish misadventure:

      “European nations, Japan to join ‘appropriate efforts’ to open Hormuz Strait. Countries are looking for ways to contain record-high prices as the oil and gas crisis deepens.”

      https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/3/19/european-nations-japan-to-join-appropriate-efforts-to-open-hormuz-strait

11. 

    Duke on March 19, 2026 at 4:59 pm

    Besent floats idea of lifting sanctions on Iranian oil already at sea. WSJ

    Things must be really bad.

    https://www.wsj.com/livecoverage/stock-market-today-dow-sp-500-nasdaq-03-19-2026/card/bessent-floats-lifting-sanctions-on-iranian-oil-at-sea-Ql7qlP6P9pkwJUpQfmtm?gaa_at=eafs&gaa_n=AWEtsqcKWL5aNl7tGQNxD2sXO3JIYCx_agwVoiXORt89MTd8rz19AisBnRspH4fFwG0%3D&gaa_ts=69bc2e32&gaa_sig=AmflczynYPAMMDVBI4ZrVnRV-Rr5W3M6LF4mQH3oFJk5mUZCfNWZKBFG1BVokL5d4dc9SGmqbweO1oEd69ZzSw%3D%3D

    • 

      Panopticon on March 19, 2026 at 6:58 pm

      They went ahead and temporarily repealed the Jones Act, too; not that it will make a huge difference, as I understand it:

      https://www.aljazeera.com/economy/2026/3/19/iran-war-whats-the-jones-act-and-why-has-trump-suspended-it-for-60-days

12. 

    Heather B on March 19, 2026 at 5:16 pm

    Yeah things look so bad we are going back to pre Cambrian times!
    Not sure if anyone will get my bad geology joke!

    • 

      Panopticon on March 19, 2026 at 6:59 pm

      “In the immense time period that is the Precambrian, Scotland as a landmass did not exist.”

      The horror. 😮

      https://www.scottishgeologytrust.org/geology/scotlands-geology/geological-timescale/precambrian-era/

13. 

    Heather B on March 19, 2026 at 5:25 pm

    I remember watching an interview that Dr massa did and he talked about that all of models now were leaning towards fast high temperatures and he said this at least 3-4 years ago. None of models with any of new papers were slow rising. All of them were leaning towards the 5 plus faster temps.

    • 

      Rob on March 19, 2026 at 5:41 pm

      Hi Heather … and that was before we blew up the largest gas facilities on the globe, do you think that perhaps a little methane might be leaking from these bombed out methane factories? If you look at a map, you’ll see Saudi Arabia, Iran, Turkmenistan, and Kazakhstan… the epicenter of global methane emissions even before this imbroglio commenced.

      • 

        Heather B on March 19, 2026 at 5:54 pm

        Rob every thing leaks all the time if i understand things from the fraking stuff. My background is more water resources and stuff. I never could stomach the oil and minerals rape but again water raping is just as bad. I have a civil engineering background so i understand alot of the water infrastructure stuff and how it operates and what bad shape its in.

14. 

    Tim on March 19, 2026 at 6:12 pm

    Hey Panopticon, thanks for the high quality resource. The way you organize the information flows awesomely. I respect your crafted news network. You are doing incredible work!

    • 

      Panopticon on March 19, 2026 at 6:14 pm

      Thank you, Tim – that is very kind of you to say!

15. 

    Rain on March 20, 2026 at 12:53 am

    Fortunately, or unfortunately, I have been busy with my local personal day-to-day life stuff , but seeing the gas fields, refineries etc blowing up & burning, I was thrown back to the 1990s when Iraq was retreating from Kuwait in the first Gulf War. I was shocked by that, Iraq setting gazillions of oil wells alight behind their retreat .. Took months, almost a year as I recall, to put the fires out, and cap the wells, never to be accessible again… The pollution damage was horrendous, creating oil “lakes” on land, sea slicks and a huge no-go toxic zone in Kuwait similar in size to the Chernobyl envelope.

    I decided to look up what has happened around that area in the decades since.
    Still bad…
    https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/dec/11/the-sound-of-roaring-fires-is-still-in-my-memory-30-years-on-from-kuwaits-oil-blazes