by seahorse » Fri 05 Oct 2007, 20:54:21
This is from an old thread a long time ago, but it addresses some of Campbell's predictions.
Seahorse 2 Wrote:
$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'M')y take on Campbell's past writings (at least those available on the net). In short, Campbell has been more accurate in predicting some political/economic events than he has been in calculating reserves or estimating daily production of oil. As Lynch points out, Campbell's calculations of reserves keeps going up. For example, 1996, Campbell calculated world oil production would peak at less than 70mbpd. His 1996 # for world oil was 1750 gb. The world now pumps about 84 bpd and ASPO now calculates about 1850 gb (ASPO April 2005 newsletter).
However, here are some of Campbell's previous predictions of fallout from rising oil, which he says are caused by depletion issues. These are summarized, with my comments in parenthesis as to the accuracy:
1996 Campbell states:
(1) North Sea would peak in 1998 and then have about 8% depletion rate(peaked in 99 and has depletion rate of about 5-6%);
(2) Iraq will be needed, meaning "embargo relaxed", to produce all out beginning in "about" 2000. (Iraq attacked in 2003, but can't get it pumping all out).
(3) Graph shows 2005 oil at $30pb (price is now over $50);
(4) Graph shows total world oil at 1750 (he now says 1850);
(5) Graph shows maximum daily output of less than 70 bpd (world is pumping about 84 bpd);
1999 - Campbell's Speech to House of Commons
(1) Oil price shock around 2001 which will trigger a stock market crash (oil prices jumped in early 2000 followed by stock market crash);
(2) predicts hedge funds will manipulate the market (sound familiar?);
(3) Economic tension as Europe, America, Japan vie for access to ME oil, more missiles (what we had was tension over Iraq invasion, wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, Japanese troops in Iraq, EU tension with each other, some deploying troops, some not);
(4) Oil plateau around $30 pb (way off, now $50+);
March 23, 2000 Campbell wrote:
(1) OPEC will make conciliatory noise about raising quotas to maintain their illusion (sound familiar?);
(2) People finally realize no spare capacity (March 16th, 2005?, Goldman Sachs? Bank of Montreal? EIA updated monthly report of April 2005?);
(3) Upward momentum drives oil through $40 pb (past that);
(4) World, Opec, finally realize losing battle to offset depletion (not quite there yet);
(5) Opec will be 50% of world production capacity by 2009 (non opec oil is expected to be in decline by 2009 as per Peter Wells, writing an article for Oil and Gas Journal, Feb 21, 2005);
(6) calls to send in Marines (Iraq?);
(7) conventional oil peak around 2005 (he has modified this in ASPO April newsletter to 2006, however, EIA April Monthly Update expects a 700,000 bpd shortfall between estimated world oil production and estimated world demand);
( All oil peak by 2010 (latest ASPO newsletter lowers this to 2007, see also Petroleum Review of Mega Projects, nothing coming online after 2007);
(9) 2008 swing share production will be gone and thereafter expect 3% decline rates (we'll see).
All in all, his calculations on oil and estimated daily production have been off, but many of his political/economic predictions have been fairly accurate.
Peak oil topic