Peak oil review – Aug 10

1. Production and prices

2. The FTC Rules

3. Peak Coal in Appalachia

4. Briefs

1. Production and prices

For yet another week, hopes for an economic recovery and the course of the dollar continued to overshadow oil market fundamentals. Despite rising inventories, higher OPEC production, and weak demand, oil prices continued to gyrate between $70 and $72 a barrel in accordance with the latest economic headlines and movements in currency markets. […]

2. The FTC Rules

Last week the US Federal Trade Commission issued a new rule designed to block manipulation of the oil market. Violation of the new rule could bring fines of as much as $1 million a day. The new rule sets definitions of actions that would constitute manipulation of the oil markets such as false public announcements about pricing or output decisions, releasing false statistical data, and engaging in