Peak oil prince

9 August 2010 By Christopher Swann

Peak Oil has lost its leading prophet with the death of Houston banker Matt Simmons. Since many nations refuse to share oil data it may be years before his warnings of ebbing production are vindicated or discredited. But his crusade for more data is as urgent as ever.

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Matthew Simmons, a Houstonbased energy banker who rattled the energy industry by arguing the world was rapidly approaching peak oil production capacity, died at his home in North Haven, Maine, the research firm he founded said on Aug. 9.

He died suddenly on Aug. 8, his Ocean Energy Institute said in a statement.

Simmons, 67, a former adviser to President George W. Bush, had a heart attack while in a hot tub, local media reported, citing a report by the Knox County Sheriff's Office.

In his 2005 book "Twilight in the Desert," Simmons argued Saudi Arabia's oil reserves were nearing the highest levels of production they were capable of achieving, after which point the world's yearly oil supply would begin to decline.

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