CEO of Simmons International, a banking firm that finances oil exploration and drilling projects. Simmons' opinion that we have reached the point of maximum world oil production carries somewhat less conviction than Pickens'. Pickens' has said repeatedly that we've past the point of peak oil production and that he's changing his business plan to reflect such a reality. Simmons stresses more the fact that we're on a production plateau that will eventually begin to decline but that we have no way of knowing where the peak is because we don't have a full and honest accounting of the world's oil reserves, which he vigoursly advocates.
Pickens' not only sees the writing on the wall regarding future supplies of oil, he's taking his company and his philosophy in a whole new direction to back it up. When hydrocarbon resources are in severe decline, Pickens and BP Capital will be sitting in the cat-bird seat with regard to renewable energy sources.
Something some people just won't get because of Pickens' political leanings is that what he is doing, thoough wrought with greed and potential abuse, will create new jobs and new local economies and new businesses that will all operate on renewable power and which will facilitate the implementation of manufacturing and service sector technologies based on the new renewable energy infrastructure. As that infrastructure grows, it will replace the old greenhouse gas generation systems.
I know about the swiftboat thing. Some people remain outraged about that episode in the death of Sen. John Kerry's presidential bid in 2004. I'm not able to look completely past that myself. But sometimes people we despise based on their political ideology happens to also be the same someone that can change things that will benefit all of us. Unfortunately, we have such a case here. However, the fact remains that at least he has a plan.
It's not a perfect plan by any means. I don't like the natural gas aspect of his plan. But I have noticed that, all of a sudden, we're seeing all these news reports of new automobile propulsion technologies.
http://www.udel.edu/V2G/">V2G (Vehicle to Grid and Hydrogen fuel cell and electric hybrids are all out there being developed furiously in light of gas prices and automakers' scrambling to remain relevant.
And about Hydrogen fuel cells... I was recently contacted by someone whose husband is a petroleum engineer. She said her husband is away working on retooling refineries and installing Hydrogen refining systems. The
http://grist.org/news/powers/2003/02/26/tough/index.html">bush admin has allocated funds for Hydrogen technologies. When I get a chance I will be looking at Hydrogen development a bit more closely so I can speak aobut it with some level of authority.