Peak Oil Wikileaks

phobos · Post by **phobos** » 08 Feb 2011, 22:24

Now, this is interesting !

http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2011 ... -wikileaks

PowerSwitchJames · Post by **PowerSwitchJames** » 08 Feb 2011, 23:17

Peakyleaks.

Not surprised. Not surprised at all. Of course, not politically expedient to have this particular cat out of the bag.

thecoalthief · Post by **thecoalthief** » 08 Feb 2011, 23:20

If Wikileaks was seen as a catalyst for the Tunisian uprising,I wonder how long before the people of Saudi Arabia put two and two together regarding their country's future?

Post by **clv101** » 08 Feb 2011, 23:56

Here's the cable:
http://www.wikileaks.la/us-embassy-cabl ... assy-told/

As with many of the cable, it's nothing we didn't know already.

My concision from Wikileaks, is that these secret, confidential classified government communications don't really contain anything that a well informed, savvy, independent analyst couldn't have worked out for themselves.

This adds weight to the argument that 'the elite' don't really exist, don't really have any grand plan, don't operate from a position of greater knowledge and understanding that the rest of us. Everyone is just muddling along.

Kieran · Post by **Kieran** » 09 Feb 2011, 00:21

A pity the Guardian aren't allowing comments on that article, would make for interesting reading.

UndercoverElephant · Post by **UndercoverElephant** » 09 Feb 2011, 00:24

thecoalthief wrote:If Wikileaks was seen as a catalyst for the Tunisian uprising,I wonder how long before the people of Saudi Arabia put two and two together regarding their country's future?

What good would an uprising do them? They already have a high standard of living and a lot of them don't work (that's what Indians and Africans are for, after all.)

UndercoverElephant · Post by **UndercoverElephant** » 09 Feb 2011, 00:30

From the cable:

While stating that he does not subscribe to the theory of “peak oil,” the former Aramco board member does believe that a global output plateau will be reached in the next 5 to 10 years and will last some 15 years, until world oil production begins to decline. Additionally, al-Husseini expressed the view that the recent surge in oil prices reflects the underlying reality that global demand has met supply, and is not due to artificial market distortions.

Eh?

So what is the difference between "a global output plateau will be reached in the next 5 to 10 years and will last some 15 years, until world oil production begins to decline" and "the theory of “peak oil"?

Post by **clv101** » 09 Feb 2011, 00:52

The theory of peak oil has politically incorrect 'baggage'.

thecoalthief · Post by **thecoalthief** » 09 Feb 2011, 01:18

UndercoverElephant wrote:
What good would an uprising do them?

Perhaps they may realise the gravy train is running out of track.

tymeric · Post by **tymeric** » 09 Feb 2011, 06:36

US diplomat convinced by Saudi expert that reserves of world's biggest oil exporter have been overstated by nearly 40%

Shame Matt Simmons is'nt around to read this. it was his book "Twilight in the desert" that convinced me about Peak Oil.

Aurora · Post by **Aurora** » 09 Feb 2011, 08:07

tymeric wrote:US diplomat convinced by Saudi expert that reserves of world's biggest oil exporter have been overstated by nearly 40%

Shame Matt Simmons is'nt around to read this. it was his book "Twilight in the desert" that convinced me about Peak Oil.

See: http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2011 ... -wikileaks

Post by **clv101** » 09 Feb 2011, 08:22

Aurora wrote:See: http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2011 ... -wikileaks

That's the original post.

Aurora · Post by **Aurora** » 09 Feb 2011, 08:28

clv101 wrote:
Aurora wrote:See: http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2011 ... -wikileaks
That's the original post.

Duly reprimanded. Will have to pay more attention in the future.

Cabrone · Post by **Cabrone** » 09 Feb 2011, 08:38

Really should be no surprise on here.

If Saudi Arabia and the other petrostates with bulging populations don't start investing their cash very wisely the future looks bleak for them.

They need to invest their cash into figuring out how to get sufficient fresh water to grow sufficient amounts of food rather than follies like snowdomes in the desert.

tymeric · Post by **tymeric** » 09 Feb 2011, 08:59

If Saudi Arabia and the other petrostates with bulging populations don't start investing their cash very wisely the future looks bleak for them.

Saudi were talking about holding back a bit of oil 2 years ago.

http://www.upstreamonline.com/live/article152344.ece

Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah said he had ordered some new oil discoveries left untapped to preserve oil wealth in the world's top exporter for future generations, local media reported.

"I keep no secret from you that when there were some new finds, I told them, 'no, leave it in the ground, with grace from god, our children need it'," King Abdullah said in remarks made late on Saturday, the official Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported.