Barbarians of Oil

Unstable gas prices and multiple oil disasters seem to have plagued the US repeatedly in the past decade, thrusting the oil industry into the public eye as a threat to the economy more than ever. Though it may seem there are more catastrophes developing around the oil industry in recent years, it has been one of the top industries wreaking havoc on the economy for centuries, as well as the lives of millions and the sovereignty of dozens of countries across the globe.

In their new book, BARBARIANS OF OIL; How the World's Oil Addiction Threatens Global Prosperity and Four Investments to Protect Your Wealth authors Sandy Franks and Sara Nunnally take a look at the major players, recent disasters and changes in political scene in the global oil industry. They also delve into where the oil market is heading and tips on how readers can avoid future market dips and safeguard current and future investments.

Franks and Nunnally dig into all of the past and present barbarians of oil, from Colonel Drake's first big strike in Titusville, Pennsylvania, in 1858, to John D. Rockefeller's cutthroat machinations in creating the Standard Oil monopoly; from the discovery of oil in the Mideast to OPEC's engineering of the oil crisis in 1979; from the Gulf oil wars of the past two decades to the murderous petro-land grab currently underway in the Niger Delta, chronicling one-and-a-half centuries of fraud, deceit, wanton environmental destruction, and geopolitical perfidy—all in the name of King Crude.

The authors vividly describe how oil became the linchpin of the global economy and how it came to play an indispensable role in virtually every facet of modern life. Barbarians of Oil also explains how renewable energy, despite an array of viable renewable energy alternatives - some of which predate the discovery of oil, has been and continues to be hamstrung by “Big Oil” and its political cat's paws

With the help of inspiring case studies—including that of Samso, Denmark, the world's first fully oil-independent island—Franks and Nunnally report on successful initiatives, both at the grassroots and national levels, to transition to renewable energy sources. They also offer expert investment tips on the most promising emerging markets, including battery tech, wind and solar technologies, moto-metals, and biofuels.

 “Our quest for oil has led us on a path of destruction with barbarians leading the charge. Our addiction has started wars that corrupt politicians use to snatch oil reserves and make a handful of oil companies rich. The sad fact is that we could greatly reduce our dependency on oil starting today,” says Franks. “There are alternative energy sources available to us right now – viable technologies that have proven themselves to be powerful innovations that could truly break our addiction to oil. Whether we use these technologies to wean ourselves from oil, is simply a matter of choice.”