4.13/5
Author: Matthew R. Simmons
Publication Date: Jun 10, 2005
Formats: PDF,Hardcover,Paperback,Kindle,Digital
Rating: 4.13/5 out of 734
Publisher: John Wiley
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Oct 03, 2014
The "peak oil" theory holds that the world is running out of oil resources, production soon will begin a precipitous decline, and terrible consequences will result. This theory has been advanced every few years since at least the early 1950s. However, the predicted catastrophe never comes to pass.Apr 16, 2012
As a petroleum geologist, I have long known that oilfields have finite lives. They perform very well in their youth, then limp along for years and years of middle and old age. I also knew how the number of very large fields was small, while modest ones were more common.Oct 29, 2008
This is an interesting read...but in my opinion it is far too long, and laden with technical information. The sense I get is that (and Simmons admits as much) the technical pieces are over the average person's head, but not informed enough to bring value to the technical audience. To me, that begs the question, who benefits from all of it?Feb 05, 2015
Very interesting book, 4 stars and not 5 because i needed more than speculations. The books is full of astonishing facts regarding saudi oil - and the world reserve by relation- but for some unfathomable reasons the saudis are keeping silence or worse they exaggerate the figures, just to secure the easy digested myth about almost infinte oil!?Jul 22, 2010
the peak oil theorist's bible. simmons presents hard-to-refute historical, statistical and geological evidence arguing that oil production cannot expand indefinitely to meet the demands of a growing world, and that the largest producer of oil (Saudi) has dramatically overstated their reserves, and that their production may already be in decline. the theory is compelling but he lays it out in the first 50 pages, the rest is a relatively dry supporting evidence.Aug 21, 2016
A great non-technical book combining the technical & economical aspects, giving important insights into the Saudi Oil Kingdom, which has been an clandestine affair. The book highlights a very comprehensive research done by Matthew R.Simmons, bringing out the Facts & Figure pertaining to saudi gaint & supergaint Oil fields whilst uncovering the underlying problems that have for long put the kingdom's dominant position & future in the global oil market at stake.Feb 25, 2008
Whoa. Talk about shedding some light on a murky energy situation. This is a must read to understand the global oil supply/demand. This will shift your thinking about what is really out there and what the long term energy solution for the US/World is. The book can be very technical at times. Some knowledge of oil and gas terminology is recommended. Good article on Simmons and his theories in February 2008 Texas Monthly.Feb 05, 2008
Reading this book in public made me feel slightly like a conspiracy theorist, but it truly is the easiest way to understand what is going on in Saudi Arabia as well as right here in our little town of Farmington. I have no knowledge of how the oil industry works, but after reading this book, I feel like I can now make educated and informed decisions regarding where I buy my gasoline, and where it comes from.Jan 09, 2009
Maybe the central work dealing with the idea of peak oil being reached in the global liquid fuels market.Oct 06, 2011
A very well researched argument that manages to stay impartial in presentation. A lot of research has gone into this book, including hundreds of papers approved by ARAMCO representatives. Simmons has managed to communicate the facts at both a dumbed down level, and in a more descriptive manner for those who are familiar with oil reservoir work, ensuring that this is readable at any level. A definite recommendation for anyone concerned about the current state of the economy and the heightened A very well researched argument that manages to stay impartial in presentation. A lot of research has gone into this book, including hundreds of papers approved by ARAMCO representatives. Simmons has managed to communicate the facts at both a dumbed down level, and in a more descriptive manner for those who are familiar with oil reservoir work, ensuring that this is readable at any level. A definite recommendation for anyone concerned about the current state of the economy and the heightened focus on the environment in recent decades ...moreJul 28, 2011
This book gives a good insider perspective about what the oilfields and related processing plants are like in Saudi. As one who has worked with ARAMCO in some commodities trades, this is an accurate insight for the most part. Overall a pretty good book but Simmons seems to overlook the upcoming technologies and their impact in extracting the abandoned oil from the ground and rock. Purely from the aspect of what is conventional, this book works, but from the aspect of what is out of the box, this This book gives a good insider perspective about what the oilfields and related processing plants are like in Saudi. As one who has worked with ARAMCO in some commodities trades, this is an accurate insight for the most part. Overall a pretty good book but Simmons seems to overlook the upcoming technologies and their impact in extracting the abandoned oil from the ground and rock. Purely from the aspect of what is conventional, this book works, but from the aspect of what is out of the box, this book falls short. ...moreJun 25, 2009
This book is a wakeup call. The thesis is that the era of cheap oil in which we have grown up is about to end. The chief culprits are the Saudis who are lying about their capacity to maintain their production of oil and exaggerating their proven reserves. The result will be a profound shock to the world economy unless we take immediate steps to reduce demand for oil. Most of the book is a field by field analysis of oil production in Saudi Arabia. A glossary and acronym list would have been This book is a wakeup call. The thesis is that the era of cheap oil in which we have grown up is about to end. The chief culprits are the Saudis who are lying about their capacity to maintain their production of oil and exaggerating their proven reserves. The result will be a profound shock to the world economy unless we take immediate steps to reduce demand for oil. Most of the book is a field by field analysis of oil production in Saudi Arabia. A glossary and acronym list would have been helpful for non-experts like me. Also, another chapter or two on what the coming shortfall in oil supply will mean to the world economy would have been helpful. Perhaps a sequel is indicated. ...moreNov 14, 2007
Full disclosure: I spent over a year working with the author to turn his manuscript into a publishable book, so naturally I think it's pretty good. The book is based on a review of some 250 technical papers on Saudi Arabia's oil fields contained in the e-library of the Society of Petroleum Engineers. The papers detail the kinds of challenges the Saudis are having to deal with as they attempt to maintain or increase their oil production. The book takes a skeptical position on Saudi claims to be Full disclosure: I spent over a year working with the author to turn his manuscript into a publishable book, so naturally I think it's pretty good. The book is based on a review of some 250 technical papers on Saudi Arabia's oil fields contained in the e-library of the Society of Petroleum Engineers. The papers detail the kinds of challenges the Saudis are having to deal with as they attempt to maintain or increase their oil production. The book takes a skeptical position on Saudi claims to be able to increase their production by 50% or more and maintain it at high levels for decades. The author sides with the view that world oil production is at or very near its peak and that scarcity in now a permanent condition in oil markets. The implications of this situation are dire. What does it mean for the general U.S. reader? If you don't want to spend an increasing portion of your income on gasoline, buy a fuel-efficient vehicle or get used to public transport.Oct 08, 2008
So far, very interesting. I am currently reading about the formation of Saudi Arabia and never knew that FDR met with King Abdul Aziz who was also in a wheelchair. The photo included is a powerful statement on the strengths of people with movement disabilities. The discussions on the levels of oil in the world has been interesting and with the fluctuations of the price of oil these days, it is crazy to think that a barrel of oil was 10 cents during the great depression...Jun 29, 2015
This book answers everything about oil that you need to know. The Author (Energy adviser to U.S. President George W. Bush, member of the National Petroleum Council and the Council on Foreign Relations, Founder of Simmons & Company International, Founder of the Ocean Energy Institute in Maine) does a great job of presenting information from a subject matter expert’s point of view and makes the discussion on oil easy for the average person to understand. I liked the fact that the book is an This book answers everything about oil that you need to know. The Author (Energy adviser to U.S. President George W. Bush, member of the National Petroleum Council and the Council on Foreign Relations, Founder of Simmons & Company International, Founder of the Ocean Energy Institute in Maine) does a great job of presenting information from a subject matter expert’s point of view and makes the discussion on oil easy for the average person to understand. I liked the fact that the book is an unbiased look at oil from oil in the ground to production refinement to your home. Mr. Simmons shows from his work in this book that he cares about the facts and he does a great job in presenting these facts to his readers. Every claim he mentions he has a source to back up his claims. Mr. Simmons has everything to lose from peak oil (his company Simmons & Company International is one of the largest and most experienced independent investment banks specializing in the energy industry, offering M&A advisory, capital markets execution and investment research.) so for a man of his credentials to come forth and make these facts known is huge. Anyone who has an interest in energy, energy policy, or our future as a society in general should read this book! It’s no longer about oil or energy it’s about our future!Jan 19, 2010
It is abundantly clear from Simmons's book that he has written from years and years of study and experience in the oil industry. The book makes big strides in trying to corroborate that global oil reserves and production, Saudi Arabia in particular, are near an inflection point.May 19, 2009
Matt Simmons is/was an investment banker in the energy industry. He started asking questions about the Saudi Arabia Aramco oil company. When he could get no official information, he turned to the reports published by the Society of Petroleum Engineers.Nov 27, 2007
This is a very well written book that will quicklly get you up to speed on recent Saudi history, including how the House of Saud and Aramco came into being, and how oil wells are found and managed.Jul 13, 2011
I cannot stress how important I think this book is. I am a recent "convert" to the Peak Oil world - somehow, I've managed to bury my head in the sand (ha ha) in regards to this topic until recently. About a month or so ago, I first heard the phrase "Peak oil" and started investigating it. I haven't stopped yet - I am almost overwhelmed by the sheer size and scope of the evidence that backs up the idea of peak oil. Unlike many problems facing society today, it is easy to help people understand I cannot stress how important I think this book is. I am a recent "convert" to the Peak Oil world - somehow, I've managed to bury my head in the sand (ha ha) in regards to this topic until recently. About a month or so ago, I first heard the phrase "Peak oil" and started investigating it. I haven't stopped yet - I am almost overwhelmed by the sheer size and scope of the evidence that backs up the idea of peak oil. Unlike many problems facing society today, it is easy to help people understand that peak oil really will happen. After all, most people understand that A) Oil is a non-renewable resource, and B) We are using more of it every year. At some point, this is going to get ugly.Aug 30, 2007
This is a great book--it's a history of the oil industry, a primer on oil production technology, and a history of Saudi Arabia and its oil company Saudi-Aramco. Matt Simmons is one of the primary oil geologists who has been warning the world about "peak oil" for years. This is his magnum opus in which he presents his analysis of little-known Saudi records and reports on their oil supply and production going back decades. His main premise is that Saudi Arabia is about to or has already reached This is a great book--it's a history of the oil industry, a primer on oil production technology, and a history of Saudi Arabia and its oil company Saudi-Aramco. Matt Simmons is one of the primary oil geologists who has been warning the world about "peak oil" for years. This is his magnum opus in which he presents his analysis of little-known Saudi records and reports on their oil supply and production going back decades. His main premise is that Saudi Arabia is about to or has already reached its peak in oil production and will soon begin a decline in total output. This matters because the Saudis have always been the world's largest producer of oil generating about 20% of global oil supply. Not only that, but their oil has always been of the cheapest and best quality while also being easily recoverable. The fact that more attention is not paid to the instability of this crucial resource is rather surprising.Sep 26, 2015
This book addresses arguably the greatest threat to our industrial civilization, namely whether the biggest source of crude oil in the world has surpassed peak production and if so how fast could the decline be. You would think that such an important issue would have been studied intensively and the subject of much debate but you would be dead wrong. Instead, the Saudis have kept the rest of us in the dark about the extent of their oil reserves and the production details of individual fields in This book addresses arguably the greatest threat to our industrial civilization, namely whether the biggest source of crude oil in the world has surpassed peak production and if so how fast could the decline be. You would think that such an important issue would have been studied intensively and the subject of much debate but you would be dead wrong. Instead, the Saudis have kept the rest of us in the dark about the extent of their oil reserves and the production details of individual fields in the country since the early 1980s, citing state secrecy.Nov 05, 2019
This is a kind of expose. It is about the secrecy surrounding Saudi Arabia's oil reserves. I found it quite fascinating because the author has given evidence.Jan 31, 2019
Provides decent account of the history of oil production in Saudi Arabia. While Simmons makes clear how surprisingly little technical information we have about the prolific Saudi oilfields, his case for rapid imminent decline of Saudi production appears wholly speculative. As Saudi production hits new highs 15 years later, his thesis is certainly challenged. But was he simply just a little ahead of his time?Nov 19, 2017
Simmons’ meticulously researched but overwritten thesis is inevitable Saudi oil production decline would precipitate conflict between royal family extravagance and needs of the burgeoning population. He was wrong in the first part but right in the second. Oil production remains steady and Saudi Aramco would allegedly be worth $2 trillion as a public company in 2018. But rather an unexpected drop in oil price ($100 to $30 to current $50) busted the country’s budget and led to “regime changeâ€: Simmons’ meticulously researched but overwritten thesis is inevitable Saudi oil production decline would precipitate conflict between royal family extravagance and needs of the burgeoning population. He was wrong in the first part but right in the second. Oil production remains steady and Saudi Aramco would allegedly be worth $2 trillion as a public company in 2018. But rather an unexpected drop in oil price ($100 to $30 to current $50) busted the country’s budget and led to “regime changeâ€: young prince as new king; arrest of numerous princes, business leaders, clergy, and military heads; confiscation of hundreds of billions in alleged ill-gotten fortunes; demotion of the conservative clergy; and opening up of the repressive culture. Final outcome to be determined.... ...moreTake your time and choose the perfect book.
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