William Atkins
Wednesday, 02 July 2008 20:22
Opinion and Analysis
Page 2 of 3
Culture Change and Simmons
A commentary on Matthew Simmons is found at Culture Change in the article “
The maturation of Matt Simmons, energy-industry investment banker and peak oil guru.”
The original speech, used in the article, "Maybe the enemy is us... Grow food at home” was given by Matthew R. Simmons, June 20, 2006, at the Pentagon-sponsored seminar series Energy: A Conversation About Our National Addiction”
The article begins (please note the last sentence in bold):
“It does not take long for people who study peak oil to see some heavy implications of the end of abundant oil. After a while some of the more realistic probabilities become clear and often become one's main topic of conversation. The possibilities, dangers and opportunities start motivating one to change his or her life.”
“But it takes more than the few years that most students of peak oil today have under their belts for the stark picture to come into clear focus. It helps if one has grounding in the petroleum industry, but it's all too rare; people in extractive industries seldom seem to show they care for the greater welfare of the world. And those who don't want to believe there is now - or soon will be - an historic crisis regarding the peaking of world oil extraction are often 100% wedded to the status quo. It is left, then, for many a non petroleum professional to hold forth and help lead us.”
“However, Matthew R. Simmons, Chairman of the energy-industry investment banking firm Simmons & Company International, stepped forward and has recently become a phenomenon for our times. He is sufficiently independent to add up and share what he has been observing and learning over decades.”
I'm trying to imply that Simmons seems to be independent in his viewpoints about oil, and not making a "biased agenda" for any side of the oil debate.
The article is interesting, please read it if you wish.
Please read page three on a short-term oil solution.
