Booklist
Investment banker Simmons offers a detailed description of the relationship between Saudi Arabia and the U.S and our long-standing dependence upon Saudi oil. With a field-by-field assessment of its key oilfields, he highlights many discrepancies between Saudi Arabia's actual production potential and its seemingly extravagant resource claims. Parts 1 and 2 of the book offer background and context for understanding the technical discussion of Saudi oil fields and the world's energy supplies. Parts 3 and 4 contain analysis of Saudi Arabia's oil and gas industry based on the technical papers published by the Society of Petroleum Engineers. Simmons suggests that when Saudi Arabia and other Middle East producers can no longer meet the world's enormous demand, world leaders and energy specialists must be prepared for the consequences of increased scarcity and higher costs of oil that support our modern society. Without authentication of the Saudi's production sustainability claims, the author recommends review of this critical situation by an international forum. A thought-provoking book. Mary Whaley
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
Book Description
A troubling answer to the most critical question facing today's world energy market-can Saudi Arabia meet the rising world demand for oil in the years ahead?
Sparked by personal observations of Saudi oil wells-which led him to suspect that some Saudi fields were in decline-energy industry insider Matt Simmons has created a compelling case that Saudi Arabia's production will soon reach an apex, after which the world will be confronted with an immense and potentially catastrophic oil shortage. Written in a clear and engaging style, Twilight in the Desert provides an in-depth look at the world oil market and the mismanagement of Saudi oil resources. This factually based book is backed by over 200 technical papers-all published over the last 20 years-that individually detail problems with particular Saudi oil wells and fields, and collectively demonstrate how the entire Saudi system could stall under the pressure of higher world oil demand. Based on his analysis, Mr. Simmons asserts that sudden and sharp oil production declines could happen at any time. Twilight in the Desert shows that even under the most optimistic scenario, Saudi Arabia may be able to maintain current rates of production for several years, but will not be able to increase production enough to meet the expected increase in global demand. Eventually, the reckoning day will come, and the world economy will be confronted with a major shock that will stunt economic growth, increase inflation, and further destabilize the Middle East.
Matthew R. Simmons (Houston, TX) is Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Simmons & Company International, a Houston-based investment bank that specializes in the energy industry. He currently serves on the boards of The Atlantic Council of the United States and Brown Forman Corporation, and is a member of the National Petroleum Council and the Council on Foreign Relations.
Sparked by personal observations of Saudi oil wells-which led him to suspect that some Saudi fields were in decline-energy industry insider Matt Simmons has created a compelling case that Saudi Arabia's production will soon reach an apex, after which the world will be confronted with an immense and potentially catastrophic oil shortage. Written in a clear and engaging style, Twilight in the Desert provides an in-depth look at the world oil market and the mismanagement of Saudi oil resources. This factually based book is backed by over 200 technical papers-all published over the last 20 years-that individually detail problems with particular Saudi oil wells and fields, and collectively demonstrate how the entire Saudi system could stall under the pressure of higher world oil demand. Based on his analysis, Mr. Simmons asserts that sudden and sharp oil production declines could happen at any time. Twilight in the Desert shows that even under the most optimistic scenario, Saudi Arabia may be able to maintain current rates of production for several years, but will not be able to increase production enough to meet the expected increase in global demand. Eventually, the reckoning day will come, and the world economy will be confronted with a major shock that will stunt economic growth, increase inflation, and further destabilize the Middle East.
Matthew R. Simmons (Houston, TX) is Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Simmons & Company International, a Houston-based investment bank that specializes in the energy industry. He currently serves on the boards of The Atlantic Council of the United States and Brown Forman Corporation, and is a member of the National Petroleum Council and the Council on Foreign Relations.
