The Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation, Inc.   Twilight in the Desert: A Discussion of "Peak Oil" to Close 2005-2006 Profiles and Perspectives Series
 

The effect of the price of oil hovering around $70 per barrel is brought home every time you fill your car's tank. What would happen to your pocketbook and the world economy if oil were to rise above $180 per barrel? Matthew Simmons, noted author and energy expert, suggested in a 2004 BBC interview that prices may need to rise to that level to control consumption and encourage the development of new energy technologies. Simmons will talk about coping with energy demand in a post-peak production world in his Profiles and Perspectives program entitled, "Twilight in the Desert: The Coming Saudi Oil Shock and the World Economy," on Thursday, May 4, at 7 p.m. at the Charles B. Goddard Center in Ardmore.

Simmons, chairman of Simmons and Company International, a specialized energy investment bank, has 35 years of experience in petroleum markets. A 2003 fact-finding mission to Saudi Arabia left him shaken on the state of remaining oil reserves and determined to sound the alarm through public presentations and a bestselling book. Simmons regularly serves as a commentator on energy markets, having made appearances on CNN, NPR, ABC News, the BBC and many other media outlets.

During "Twilight in the Dessert" Simmons will discuss:
• how "proven" Saudi oil reserves cannot be verified;
• how global demand is driving over-production and accelerating the decline of known oil fields;
• the economic and societal implications in a world which is near, or past, its oil-production peak; and
• the future role of alternative energy sources.

A reception will follow the program.

Simmons' presentation will close the 2005-2006 Profiles and Perspectives season, with new programs to be announced in the fall of 2006. Profiles and Perspectives, sponsored by The Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation, is a community-enrichment series bringing authors, experts and opinion-leaders to Ardmore.

All Profiles and Perspectives programs are free and open to the public. For more information, call the Noble Foundation at (580) 223-5810 or visit www.noble.org/profiles.

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Photo:
Matthew Simmons
Matthew Simmons

News Release Issued: Apr. 24, 2006

The Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation, Inc. (www.noble.org), headquartered in Ardmore, Okla., is a nonprofit organization conducting agricultural, forage improvement and plant biology research; assisting farmers and ranchers through educational and consultative agricultural programs; and providing grants to nonprofit charitable, educational and health organizations.
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