The Quest is divided into six sections: "The New World of Oil", the first section focuses on developments worldwide in the oil industry following the first Gulf War and the breakup of the Soviet Union. It is noteworthy that The Quest has two chapters devoted to China, the only country to get such treatment in the book, whereas The Prize talked very little about China. The second section, "Securing the Supply", covers the ways in which concerns over energy security and scarcity have shaped the world's economy, policies, and planning.