| |
Shop
| |  |
|
Best Sellers | | Home Oil: A Beginner's Guide (Beginners Guide (Oneworld)) | |
|  | |  | | | Oil: A Beginner's Guide (Beginners Guide (Oneworld)) | | | | | SKU:
IB-9781851685714 | | In Stock | | Availability:
Usually ships in 11-15 business days | | | | | | Without oil, there would be no globalisation, no plastic, little transport, and a global political landscape that few would recognise. In this captivating book Vaclav Smil explains all matters related to the 'black stuff', from its discovery in the earth, right through to the political maelstrom that surrounds it today. Packed with fascinating facts and insight, this book will provide readers with the science and politics behind the world's most controversial resource. | | | |
List Price:
| $14.95 | |
Our Price:
| $10.10
& eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping on orders over $25.
| |
You Save:
| $4.85 (32%)
|
| | |
|
| | Product Details | | Author: | Vaclav Smil | | Paperback: | 192 pages | | Publisher: | Oneworld | | Publication Date: | February 27, 2008 | | Language: | English | | ISBN: | 1851685715 | | Product Width: | 125.0 centimeters | | Product Height: | 194.0 centimeters | | Product Weight: | 0.55 pounds | | Package Length: | 7.64 inches | | Package Width: | 5.04 inches | | Package Height: | 0.79 inches | | Package Weight: | 0.57 pounds | | Average Customer Rating: |  based on 5 reviews |
| |
| | Customer Reviews | Average Customer Review: ( 5 customer reviews )
Write an online review and share your thoughts with other customers.
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
8 of 9 found the following review helpful:
 Learning from Smil Dec 28, 2008
By Massimo Nicolazzi
By far the best introductory guide to oil&gas I have run into in almost thirty years in the field (not that anything else could be expected by V.Smil). Should be made mandatory for anyone in the media pretending to deal with energy issues
3 of 3 found the following review helpful:
 A decent intro for a non-technical layman Sep 27, 2011
By Withers W. Moncure III
"Webb"
As an apology for giving this book three stars let me first say that I am by all means a layman when it comes to geological and oil terminology. While this book was excellent at describing the areas of sizeable oil deposits, the types of deposit, the types of oil and gas that are extracted from these geographical regions / types of areas, oftentimes I found Smil's technical argot and other such language a bit of a reach for me. That being said I skimmed through that which was utterly confusing for this non-technically experienced mind, and absorbed a great deal of knowledge surrounding the history of the industry and the methods of extracting, producing, and distributing petroleum based products. I will surely revisit this book after reading some non-technical works (they abound on Amazon), and will likely be able to glean a great deal more information than previously accessible. I would describe this book as "step 2," or "book 2" after visiting a text that would be more oriented to those working in finance or other non-technical fields that need a summary understanding of the industry.
3 of 3 found the following review helpful:
 An easy-reading introduction to the oil and gas industry Feb 09, 2011
By Rex Racer
"Racer X"
The book is clearly labeled "a beginner's guide", and that's what it is --- a fairly quick-reading, high-level overview of an extremely complex subject. I think Smil does a creditable job in clarifying the importance of the oil industry in today's complex global economy. Without the oil and gas industry, there'd be no airlines, automobiles, trucks, buses, plastics...nor would there be much of a chemical industry.
Smil describes the background and processes used in the entire oil industry, from exploration through production, transportation and ultimate delivery to the consumer. He includes background information about how hydrocarbons are created, the geology in which it is found, and its impact on modern society.
The book is generally strong, although some controversial material in the first and last chapter may be subject to alternate interpretation, and given the creativity of the industry to innovate new methods for extracting previously unconsidered reserves, we may well see Smil revising his estimates of "how long will oil last" upwards (as will economists who predict doomsday scenarios for the oil industry).
4 of 6 found the following review helpful:
Almost an excellent book on oil May 20, 2010
By RJB
"Ron"
I recommend this book as a great primer on oil. It does, however, have a few shortcomings.
I think it should have provided more details on how a modern refinery works, probably including a picture or two. But, it does provide good coverage about extraction, transportation, explanation on carbon structure, oil geology, etc. To be fair, page 103 on deep drilling did not portend the BP and TransOcean Deep Horizon spill in the Gulf, nor the probable consequences of Chevron's deep water project off Newfoundland should it also blow. However, the Canadian professor seemed to be reluctant to talk about the adverse environmental conditions surrounding the Alberta oil sands in the Athabaskan region. This area will comprise about one third of America's imported oil in the next ten or twenty years. Now, there is another question which Professor Smil did not bring up: Who really owns the oil in the ground? Big oil is playing games with the public and, now that we realize that the Mineral Management Services is corrupt, we must assume that the "auctions" for oil leases are rigged just like the Wall Street speculators who buy and hold the oil contracts, deciding how to manipulate the prices by holding their oil in idle tankers and release it according to the maximum profits. World production at 80mbd is maximized and we should be wary of the price fluctuations that we see at the pump. But, the book is accurate in describing historical costs and production figures, but not explaining the new players who causing the harm in energy seems to overlook an important economic trend.
The biggest negative of the book is that it contains a little bit of editorializing that condemns the so-called alarmists who talk about peak oil. There might be a lot of liquid fuel but it is obviously getting expensive. We don't know the true proven reserves. In 2006, a book ("Twilight in the Desert") was written debunking Saudi estimates as being unreliable or out of date. I agree that the people critized (eg, Deffeyes whose books I have read) need to revise their stance. Prof Smil is right, but, I think the message is still valid: Why should this generation continue to waste oil? Therefore, Prof Smil should have had more respect for conservation and environmental controls and joined in clamoring for fuel efficient cars. There should be no silence for American automobile makers who took us down the small truck and SUV road. Just like we need to yield the right of way, we also need to yield to our new consuming public in China and India by being more frugal and sensible with burning carbon.
Of course, Palin would have learned that the "foreign" company BP is really Arco, SOHIO and AMOCO in the US. That is, the Brits are not entirely to blame.
Bottom line: a very good book.
3 of 11 found the following review helpful:
 Disappointed Jul 17, 2009
By Luigi Buinas
Reads as if it is filled with very light common knowledge. Nothing to learn here.
| |
| |
| |  | |  |
|
Recently Viewed | You may also like ... |
