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19 of 21 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Geologists analysis of peak oil, February 12, 2006
This review is from: Oil Crisis (Paperback)
This book is a mixture of history of the oil industry including his experiences and his analysis of the looming oil crises.
The book starts by explaining the history of the oil industry and goes through to explain the current situation stressing the exploration that has been done to date and explaining the Geological science why oil is abundant in areas and barren in others (something that has always intruiged me). The maths that is there is presented with easy to read graphs that clearly underline the message of the book - it certainly left no doubt in my mind.
The Author includes semi interviews with experts who are colleagues and friends either in the oil industry or associated with it that did help broaden the scope of the book.
Having said that Mr Campbell does indulge in conspiracy theory as to the origins of the 1st and 2nd Iraq wars, and the fall of the soviet union, although to be fair he himself admited that the truth may never be known and makes clear his own opinions. He does also cover areas in the book that are not his direct expertise such as modern classical economics (to be fair he has had experience working with economists, which as an engineer I can well sympaphise with!) he manages to cover them with care explaining the assumptions of classical economics (e.g. unlimited resources) and why from his knowledge of the oil resource modern economics is in many ways just that - a understanding that has served us well in a world of apparently infinite (expanding) resource - but not suited to managing an actaully finite resource.
All in all its a book I can heartily recommend, as it manages to explain clearly why we are running out of oil and the reckless breakneck pace it has been used at in the later half of the 20th century in clear black and white terms.
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
very smart!, June 10, 2008
This review is from: Oil Crisis (Paperback)
I greatly enjoyed this book. C.J. Campbell is a very, very smart man and I have a tremendous interest in Peak Oil because I worked for Saudi Aramco Oil Company. I think the author talked a little too long about the early history of the oil business and I am not concerned about the history but I am concerned about the future. I am not political. I think I am the most fair man in America because I dislike everybody equally, so I always try to discount any author's social or political views. Of course peak oil will be political but peak oil could be a problem that there is no political or economic, or social answer or solution to it. I was impressed by Mr. Campbell's Bibliography in the back of the book. There was a massive amount of research going into this book. Impressive! Regards, Keith, Peachtree City, Ga.
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21 of 46 people found the following review helpful:
1.0 out of 5 stars
Absolute Scare-Mongering, Self-Appreciating Trash, January 17, 2006
This review is from: Oil Crisis (Paperback)
This book is a horrible disappointment. After all of the "positive' press received by Mr. Campbell, even on NPR, I decided to purchase the book. To make my biases clear, I am not an oil executive or investor. I work for a modestly-sized electric utility in the United States that uses natural gas to generate a modest portion of its electricity. I do not share a number of the views of the current administration and voted against it in the last election. I have spent my 15-year career in a planning department making resource decisions. I read this book only in an attempt to fill in some of the missing pieces of the puzzle that is our energy marketplace.
My first surprise was Mr. Campbell's admission up front that he would "digress frequently into political and other matters outside of [his] own professional expertise." To be blunt, in my professional opinion, much of this book is based on matters over which Mr. Campbell has limited or misinformed knowledge. A great example of this is the wasted text of Chapter 10 entitled "Economists Never Get It Right." In reading this chapter, I have the feeling that while Mr. Campbell might well have read some of the work of Keynes and Smith, it was well over his head.
Much of the book is a self-appreciation exercise, with Mr. Campbell's opinions trumping facts. He provides a number of conspiracy theories (nothing more) to support his opinions. His wildest begins on page 191 where he essentially accuses the US Government of carrying out the attacks on the World Trade Center. Further to this point, Mr. Campbell clearly carries a grudge against the US and makes various jabs at the country that are unnecessary to make his point. His view of the future also appears tainted by what comes off as his personal desires for a return to the simple life where in his home country (Ireland) "Women remain in the home...Christmas trees will no longer be exported to Germany...pubs will be stocked with home-brewed stout...people will meet in each other's homes for songs and to dance..." He also has decided that the ocean will provide "a near perpetual almost free supply [of energy].
If you are a nay-sayer that believes the world is about to end, and you want to grieve without critical thought, you might find this book useful. But for the rest of us who are capable of critical thought, look for another title. This book doesn't deserve the paper it was written on. Shame on NPR for giving it the light of day.
I would be happy to hear your opinions on this book. Please e-mail me at powereconomist@hotmail.com. Thanks
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