The Secret World of Oil

Oil is the backbone of our modern world, an industry of hundreds of billions of dollars. And, where there is that kind of money, there is corruption. Lots of it. The Secret World of Oil chronicles the types of players in this worldwide game, through brief portraits of some of the main ones. There are ‘fixers’, those who put the right people in touch with each other to get deals made; ‘gatekeepers’, who, with the proper payoff, will open doors to access new territories; traders and lobbyists. Of course there are the filthily rich dictators, impoverishing their countries while taking a personal cut of the oil companies’ money. And all sorts of hangers-on who, because of their political connections, are courted by the oil industry for favors and good press. Excellent investigative journalism and clear, cogent writing expose the sordid backroom dealings and entanglements. The adage ‘it’s not what you know, but who‘, has never been more true. And the costs to ordinary citizens and taxpayers are huge. This book is an essential read – entertaining, enlightening, and infuriating.