Besides the Roadrunner and our beloved PS3, the Cell processor can now add another task it can do into its repertoire. Repsol, one of the world's ten largest oil companies, is employing the use the of the Cell processor, more specifically the PowerXCell 8i variant on a BladeCenter QS22 computer, to "analyze undersea rock formations in the search for untapped reserves." An analyst commented that 75% of the reserves are in deep water, which are 30,000 feet below and are estimated to hold 56 billion barrels of oil. This amount would meet the entire U.S. demand for oil and gas for about five years. The use of a technique called reverse time migration will allow Repsol to survey regions as much as six times faster and reach areas that were inaccessible before.What do you guys think about this? Will this lower gas prices somewhere far, far away from $5 a gallon? Are you going to mod your PS3 to start drilling for oil in your backyard? Ah, the possibilities...
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
7-01-2008 @ 12:10PM
Mo said...
screw folding!!! Find daddy some gas!!
Reply
7-01-2008 @ 12:13PM
Nate said...
The question is, how much does it cost to find, get to, and bring back a barrel of oil from 30,000 feet under the sea?
Is it just me, or is it really poignant that this HUGE undersea reserve would only last us FIVE YEARS. Then what?
The government needs to pour money and manpower into alternative fuels NOW. That includes nuclear as well as clean power like solar and wind.
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7-01-2008 @ 12:30PM
Popfrogs said...
Yeah, the US is in dire need of energy reform. We need a buttload of new nuclear plants for clean(ish) power, electric cars, and a universal ban on SUVs and other vehicles that get less than 20mpg.
Also I'd like to see more funding going into public systems like trains. There's no excuse for us not to have a high speed rail between all major cities.
7-01-2008 @ 1:05PM
Jerses said...
or... retry "mission irak" but this time take the precious oil :D don let them burn it. Or try to steel it from us mexicans like france did ages ago but this time make an excuse like...war or something.
7-01-2008 @ 1:11PM
Ishimaru said...
It's pronounced nucular.
7-02-2008 @ 8:07AM
Averna said...
"This amount would meet the entire U.S. demand for oil and gas for about five years."
Errr then what? The entire world needs to put more effort into alternate energy sources rather than all of this short sightedness BS thats going on.
7-01-2008 @ 12:14PM
MexicanTerrorist said...
Oil sucks.
Reply
7-01-2008 @ 12:18PM
The Aggie CEO said...
yea I'd love the have the Cell processor they are using put into my PS3.......
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7-01-2008 @ 12:24PM
maxpontiac said...
Tell me how to get my PS3 to do that..
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7-01-2008 @ 12:26PM
Peter Graham said...
They should develop a program like folding, more an more distributed computing projects on the Playstation 3 would be good. Just so the community has a choice. Also regardless if we start developing new greener technologies, we will still need gas and oil for hundreds of years yet, all the cars wont instantly be converted to a greener source and more oil and prospect of finding more pretty much benefits everyone. Also the technology needed could also then be used for applications like geo thermal energy.
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7-01-2008 @ 12:36PM
ben said...
its the car driving, oil finding, cancer curing, server hosting shiny black box
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7-01-2008 @ 12:45PM
TheBaByBLuEdeViL said...
I sure wish gas was $5 a gallon in the UK. Here it's $10 (£5) but that's somehow better than the US :S. People here would kill for £2.50 a gallon and still America complains.
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7-01-2008 @ 12:56PM
Phileoca said...
Put that cell processor in my Mustang! :-)
7-01-2008 @ 1:23PM
Jasper said...
That is the thing. We actually do kill people to keep our gas cheap.
7-01-2008 @ 2:11PM
Popfrogs said...
For the thousandth time, you Euros can't whine about gas because the EU taxes the hell out of it. If you want it cheaper, get the EU to lower the tax. Same goes for the English.
7-01-2008 @ 1:12PM
Barndo111 said...
Yeah, America just stop driving everywhere. Walk your fat a**es to more places. Complain to your government that planned your cities so everyone is required to HAVE a car. Thanks jerks. I wish more people would use the bus in my city..
The Gamestop I go to is just a simple bus ride away.
As an aside, I've always wondered what happens to the cavities in the earth that once contained the oil. Do they just cave in? I apparently need to read up on this..
Reply
7-01-2008 @ 1:38PM
Mo said...
I walk to gamestop, its about 1/2 a mile.
*throws Nose up*
is that bus running on clean fuel?
7-01-2008 @ 1:38PM
Mo said...
oh, and im american as apple pie
7-01-2008 @ 2:05PM
JaseH said...
Petrol has now reached $1.75 a litre here in Aust.
Damn fuel. Sucks when you wanna go out & stuff.
:[
__________________________
JaseH.
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7-01-2008 @ 2:09PM
Mike918 said...
I drink your cell processor!
Reply