Have We Reached Peak Oil?

Remember the summer of 2008, when oil was approaching $150 per barrel and topping the headlines? The oil story quickly faded to the background when the financial crisis hit full-steam that September; we had bigger things to worry about in terms of the potential collapse of the worldwide financial system. Meanwhile, the deepening recession greatly reduced demand for oil. The price per barrel fell precipitously.

But while the world is awash in an excess supply of oil at the moment, I am convinced that the supply/demand balance of oil over the longer term is a critical issue that bears watching.

Oil is so important because it is, at the moment, the primary source of transportation fuel, and transport costs affect the entire economy. Low oil prices cut the cost of doing business and help reduce geographic barriers, while high oil prices act as a “tax” on the entire system and force us to act more locally.

I recently sat down with a group of Morningstar’s energy analysts to discuss the idea of “peak oil.” In this article, I will define the issue and share the group’s insights.

Morningstar