A front page report November 9, 2009 in The Guardian tells us
that "Key oil figures were distorted by US pressure, says
whistleblower." "The world is much closer to running out of oil
than official estimates admit, according to a whistleblower at
the International Energy Agency who claims it has been
deliberately underplaying a looming shortage for fear of
triggering panic buying. The senior official claims the US has
played an influential role in encouraging the watchdog to
underplay the rate of decline from existing oil fields while
overplaying the chances of finding new reserves. The allegations
raise serious questions about the accuracy of the organisation's
latest World Energy Outlook on oil demand and supply to be
published tomorrow – which is used by the British and many other
governments to help guide their wider energy and climate change
policies..." A little context is in order for those who might be
curious as to the relationship between the IEA and the growing
body of peak oil researchers, analyst