A Very Unpleasant Truth...Peak Oil Production and its Global Consequences [Paperback]

W. D. Lyle Jr (Author), L. Scott Allen PhD (Contributor)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 29, 2008

A basic assumption underlying our economic system and our way of life is that cheap and plentiful amounts of oil will be available for the foreseeable future. In this book two retired oil company scientists present the case that this assumption regarding future oil supplies is dangerously flawed. They believe that a peak in worldwide oil production is imminent and that the ensuing decline in oil production will have devastating social consequences unless steps are taken immediately to lessen the impact of this event. Easy solutions to the problem of peak oil production such as replacing conventional oil with ethanol or relying on the Canadian and Venezuelan oil sands to solve the problem will prove to be only unrealistic partial solutions. Conservation of energy must be an essential feature of how we respond to the impending energy crisis. Development of a national mass transit system along with a massive increase in electrical power generation using nuclear power, wind power, and solar power will be required to avert disaster.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

W. D. Lyle Jr. holds a PhD in engineering from Purdue University. L. Scott Allen holds a PhD in physics from SMU. Both are retired scientist form the Exploration and Producing Technical Center of a large international oil company. They have been awarded 40 patents and authored or co-authored more than 50 technical papers with contributions appearing in a variety of journals such as Science, Geophysics, Nuclear Science and Engineering and the Journal of Petroleum Technology. Both authors live in the Dallas area.

Product Details

• Paperback: 126 pages
• Publisher: BookSurge Publishing (January 29, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1419687611
• ISBN-13: 978-1419687617
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 5.2 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,012,069 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This is for the average Joe, June 19, 2008

By 

keith renick (Peachtree City, Ga. USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: A Very Unpleasant Truth...Peak Oil Production and its Global Consequences (Paperback)

This is a very, very good book about Peak Oil Production written by PhD's that know what they are talking about. This book is written for the layman with no experience in Oil & Gas and has never worked in Saudi Arabia or the oil industry in general. It's a good start for the average Joe. I spend a lot of time reading comments and postings from Peak Oil sites and I am amazed at the comments posted by know-it-all experts who you can tell have never worked in the oil business. Today, I read several post from guys who are now experts on Saudi Arabia and Russia even when it's obvious they've never been there. I spent 18 years in the Middle-East and in the 1990's spent one month of each summer in Moscow or Kiev. It's clear to me the only thing alot of these guys know about oil is Wesson Oil that these guys fry their chicken in. These guys would better spend their time if they bought this simple and very good book by Mr. Lyle and Mr. Allen. It's well worth the $15 dollars. It's a small book and to the point. On page 21, one of this great little book's authors talks about the great Max Steinecke and Steniecke Hall. The authors might like to know that when I left Saudi Aramco in 1998 Steniecke Hall was still there. It was the most cute hotel in the world. This book brought back memories of the 100's of times I've stayed in Steniecke Hall and could just walk across the street to the dining hall then after that get my mail at the Al Mujamma and step over the the Aramco commissary. This little book should be required reading for all of the talking heads on CNN, CNBC and Fox News that have no idea what they are talking about. I agree with Mr. Lyle and Mr. Allen, using "Peak Oil" as a search topic will result in a lot of authoritative sites and info but also a lot of uninformed and adolescent positings. It's a great book for the beginner to grasp the concept of "Peak Oil." Regards, Keith Renick, Saudi Aramco Oil, Retired

5 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Peak Oil, March 9, 2008

By 

Robert Wesley Jones (Kerrville, Texas) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: A Very Unpleasant Truth...Peak Oil Production and its Global Consequences (Paperback)

The authors address a subject that is well known within the oil industry but ignored by the media.

I agree with the authors that peak oil production is a very unpleasant truth. It is a gathering problem that will present grave consequences to our current lifestyle. In the long run this problem will likely exceed the problem we are faced with in global warming.

1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars A Very Unpleasant Truth, September 30, 2008

By 

Icarus "Icarus" (Wellington, New Zealand) - See all my reviews

This review is from: A Very Unpleasant Truth...Peak Oil Production and its Global Consequences (Paperback)

Useful information for the newcomer to the subject but a bit of a " lightly once over " for those who have read Matt Simmons' "Twilight in the Desert."