oil on Mars?

**Da Skinna** · March 11, 2009, 07:02 PM

What about natural resources out there? Do we have any? Maybe not oil, but other stuff as well...?

**Dodge** · March 11, 2009, 07:19 PM

No-one knows yet, but George Bush's views on the matter are certainly interesting, he once said, "We may discover resources on the moon or Mars that will boggle the imagination, that will test our limits to dream."

**CtrlAltDe1337** · March 12, 2009, 12:33 AM

The moon has some resources on it, I know that. I don't know about Mars though.

**Ishoss** · March 12, 2009, 01:53 AM

I would guess so, because oil are made of compressed bio-mass or something like that? So long as there's been life there a few million years ago wouldn't our chances be quite high?

**Larry Blackmon's Codpiece** · March 12, 2009, 08:41 AM

Originally Posted by Ishoss

I would guess so, because oil are made of compressed bio-mass or something like that? So long as there's been life there a few million years ago wouldn't our chances be quite high?

If there was enough oil to be worth getting then there would have to be some sizable evidence of lifeforms on Mars, and we still haven't found that yet, so I doubt oil is on Mars.

If there was, would it be worth the effort to try and obtain it?

**Chaigidel** · March 12, 2009, 07:18 AM

resources are everywhere, I dont know about oil because I think a living planetary core is necessary for that , but if it is organic it would still require a large ocean to accumulate any real amount of organic mass to turn into oil( oil theoretically being dead single celled critters)

but by the time we are building on mars we will be able to synthesize most of what we need in whatever enviroment.

**~~Ummon~~** · March 12, 2009, 07:49 AM

Fossil lifeforms are needed for oil.

**Blau&Gruen** · March 12, 2009, 08:00 AM

If there were fossile hydrocarbonates on Mars, it would not necessarily follow that a combustion engine could work there. Oxygen is not that common in the Mars athmosphere and it is rather cold.

**Valiant Champion** · March 12, 2009, 05:46 PM

Originally Posted by Ummon

Fossil lifeforms are needed for oil.

That's not true.

**~~Ummon~~** · March 13, 2009, 07:02 AM

Originally Posted by Valiant Champion

That's not true.

Nope, it is. Methane is another matter, but oil requires life.

**Hobbes** · March 13, 2009, 09:25 AM

Originally Posted by Ummon

Fossil lifeforms are needed for oil.

Precisely. So unless something organic is discovered on Mars or proof that it used to exist is found the theory cannot be supported.

**Romios** · March 13, 2009, 11:39 AM

Originally Posted by Julius2

Precisely. So unless something organic is discovered on Mars or proof that it used exist is found the theory cannot be supported.

That's not entirely true.
The fact that we haven't any signs of life on Mars' surface doesn't necessarily mean that oil theories cannot be supported simply because we have no clues on what is going on deep underneath.
Proof that organic life existed is not required to find the oil, but if oil was found, then we would definately have proof that there was organic life on the planet.

**Hobbes** · March 13, 2009, 03:40 PM

Originally Posted by Romios

That's not entirely true.
The fact that we haven't any signs of life on Mars' surface doesn't necessarily mean that oil theories cannot be supported simply because we have no clues on what is going on deep underneath.
Proof that organic life existed is not required to find the oil, but if oil was found, then we would definately have proof that there was organic life on the planet.

Read my post again, please.

**Romios** · March 13, 2009, 04:24 PM

Originally Posted by Julius2

Read my post again, please.

Sure.

Originally Posted by Julius2

Precisely. So unless something organic is discovered on Mars or proof that it used to exist is found the theory cannot be supported.

You mean that evidence that organic life existed is required to back up the oil-on-mars theory. Or am i missing the point?:hmmm:

**Arkhan** · March 12, 2009, 08:48 AM

Only if it was there in amounts sufficent for long term drilling.

**Larry Blackmon's Codpiece** · March 12, 2009, 09:09 AM

But would the benefits outweigh the fuel costs of getting there and back? I know we're working on new space propulsion systems but it's still obscene to get around in space.

**Chaigidel** · March 12, 2009, 09:16 AM

we would need to restart the tectonics of mars by impact in order to manifest a living world.

**DisgruntledGoat** · March 12, 2009, 10:45 AM

The VAST amounts of methane on Titan, if we are capable of collecting it and bring it back to earth, would be a HUGE boon for energy on earth.

**~~Ummon~~** · March 12, 2009, 11:27 AM

It costs too much to go there for it to be an even remotely viable idea. Orbital transition costs are a fundamental consideration in any space economy.

**Chlodwig I.** · March 12, 2009, 11:54 AM

I guess when we reach the technology level to travel to Mars, Build a Colony and send the resources back to Earth......well if you consider the cost then it must be a ressource that isn't available on earth. And I guess if we reach that technology level we don't use combustion engines anymore