Geophysicist M. King Hubbert predicted in 1956 that U.S. oil production would reach its highest level in the early 1970s. Though roundly criticized by oil experts and economists, Hubbert's prediction came true in 1970.

In this revised and updated edition reflecting the latest information on the world supply of oil, Kenneth Deffeyes uses Hubbert's methods to find that world oil production will peak in this decade--and there isn't anything we can do to stop it. While long-term solutions exist in the form of conservation and alternative energy sources, they probably cannot--and almost certainly will not--be enacted in time to evade a short-term catastrophe.

Contents

• Overview
• The Origin of Oil
• Oil Reservoirs and Oil Traps
• Finding It
• Drilling Methods
• Size and Discoverability of Oil Fields
• Hubbert Revisited
• Rate Plots
• The Future of Fossil Fuels
• Alternative Energy Sources
• A New Outlook
• Notes
• Index