The Oracle of Oil: A Maverick Geologist’s Quest for a Sustainable Future

In this significant, if tedious, biography, journalist Inman chronicles the life of Marion King Hubbert, a geophysicist and energy researcher who attempted to forecast the limits of oil production. Inman begins with Hubbert’s time at the University of Chicago and his initial forays into fieldwork. At Shell Oil, Hubbert was in charge of research on exploration and production. Keeping up with the latest studies, he became “a sort of walking library or scientific matchmaker,” preparing in-depth analyses of U.S. reserves and calculating both domestic and global trends. As early as the mid-1950s, Hubbert warned companies, government officials, and the public against excess and recklessness; though peak usage “wouldn’t mean the end of oil... it would mark a crucial turning point, from an age of abundance to one of scarcity.” While others believed the world would have plenty of oil for centuries, Hubbert disagreed and, in a challenge that now seems prophetic, encouraged peers to investigate alternatives. Inman offers a wealth of extraordinary information, but the material is often dense, and sections on Hubbert’s papers and reports can blur together. By tightening elements of his narrative, Inman could have broadened his work’s appeal to a general audience, but diehard policy wonks and industry insiders will still find the book worthwhile. [em](Apr.) [/em]