Wringing out the earth

The increase in global energy consumption urges the exploitation of known energy resources in the most efficient way. The oil and gas industry seems well capable, but politics may hamper optimum recovery, even though politicians advocate that the laws and regulations laid upon the industry are meant to promote a sustainable society and to diminish environmental pollution. Lack of geological insight sometimes plays a role, which implies that an attitude of effectively wringing out the Earth is not sufficient: more attention for earth-scientific education may turn out to be even more important. This does not affect, however, the need for ever more effective technologies for wringing out the Earth.