An explosive investigation of the lies and manipulations of the countries that produce oil and the companies that sell it.

As Clemenceau predicted at the end of the First World War, «From now on, a drop of oil will be worth a drop of blood». Oil has become the world's life blood; our prosperity, our well being, and our development depend upon it. But today, the entire world is in a state of anxiety as oil prices skyrocket and the problems of supply multiply. Eric Laurent's exhaustive investigation has taken him from China, the world's largest energy consumer, to Saudi Arabia, the world's largest producer, and results in an insider's view of the world of oil, including the coups d'état incited by oil companies, the manipulation of rates, and the failures of prospecting. The world stands on the brink of an unprecedented crisis, infinitely worse than the previous oil crises of 1973 and 1979. Eric Laurent reveals an incredible reality long hidden from the public: the figures that define world resources and reserves are absolutely false. Saudi Arabia is currently considered the world's leading producer of oil, ensuring an abundant and inexpensive petroleum supply. But the author proves that Saudi officials have been juggling their figures and that, in fact, Saudi oil sources have long been in a state of decline, and are incapable of meeting the world's needs.