The Future of Oil


The Future of Oil: A Straight Story of the Canadian Oil Sands is a 2012 book by the Canadian engineer, writer and oil sands manager Sanjay K. Patel that identifies and responds to a pressing concern of many: without increasing oil supply, the future is bleak and there is a risk of high oil prices. Patel works for Suncor Energy Inc.

Summary

The book starts with the argument that objective considerations of economic necessity, along with the nature of current technological limitations, should lead us to a series of connected and inescapable conclusions. According to the author, transition to an age of cleaner energy production is necessary and inevitable, but we cannot yet live without oil; oil must have a future, or we do not have one. He adds that since conventional oil reserves are dwindling, we really have no alternative: we need to increasingly rely on unconventional oil to complement them, and oil from the Canadian oil sands is the best unconventional oil we can get.
The book covers the history and technology of Canadian oil sands and pertinent issues related to the economy, environment and ethics. Patel has made a case for the oil sands, but at the same time has also addressed the main drawbacks of extracting and using this oil.
In other words, the book objectively presents the arguments of both oil sands critics and proponents and presents all the main objections to oil sands development posed by journalists, environmentalists, first Nations leaders, and others. As a result, the reader should gain a better understanding of the issues involved, and be able to form their opinion about Canada’s oil sands.

Media Response

On the book's release in November 2012, it sparked significant interest in the media and the author appeared in various interviews including popular television and radio shows in Canada. Immediately after its release, the author appeared in more than 20 media interviews including the following:
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