Perspective

Author Matthew Simmons is an investment banker from Houston, Texas, who specializes in the energy industry. Although not a technical expert, Simmons is an oil industry insider, who has access to information necessary to write this book. His leverage as an investment banker for the energy industry has also given him the opportunity to see firsthand many of the technical challenges and other issues facing Saudi Arabia's oil industry today. Although the primary sources for this book are the Society of Petroleum Engineers papers, Simmons also provides eyewitness accounts from his own experience, which adds credibility to his claims.

The intended audience for this book is the millions of people in oil-consuming countries, who have no idea of the precarious situation the world faces concerning Saudi Arabia's oil supply. Simmons clearly intends to scare readers into a thoughtful review and evaluation of oil dependency in the United States...