About ASPO

A brief background


Colin J. Campbell:
"It was in Germany that ASPO had its origin. On December 7th in the year 2000, I was privileged to give a talk on oil depletion at the ancient university of Clausthal in the Harz Mountains. The idea of forming an institution, or network of scientists concerned about the subject, developed. Next day, I took the idea to Professor Wellmer, the head of the BGR in Hannover, who gave it his support. The Norwegians were the next to join, followed by the Swedes. Today, ASPO is represented in almost all European countries.

The next step forward came when Professor Aleklett organised the first International Workshop on Oil Depletion in Uppsala in May of 2002, to be followed by workshops in Paris and Berlin.

Organization

organization-chart

ASPO is an informal network working with a very small budget, yet its voice is being heard, thanks in part to the Uppsala website. Perhaps its informal structure is its strength. It means that it can tell the truth freed of all the political, legalistic and commercial constraints that most organisations face. By all means, the subject of depletion is a sensitive one, being perhaps the most important single issue facing the modern world".

International board

ASPO is a network of scientists, affiliated with institutions and universities, having an interest in determining the date and impact of the peak and decline of the world's production of oil and gas, due to resource constraints.

Mission

ASPO's mission is to:

  1. Define and evaluate the world's endowment of oil and gas;
  2. Model depletion, taking due account of demand, economics, technology and politics;
  3. Raise awareness of the serious consequences for Mankind.

ASPO President

Kjell Aleklett, ASPO President

Kjell_Aleklett_08

About


Professor in Physics at the Department of Physics and Astronomy, Global Energy Systems Group (former Uppsala Hydrocarbon Depletion Study Group) at Uppsala University.

Contact

Related links


Curriculum Vitae

Kjell Aleklett is Professor of Physics at Uppsala University, Sweden, and leader of Global Energy Systems research and the Uppsala Hydrocarbon Depletion Study Group. He holds a doctorate degree from the University of Gothenburg, Sweden, and worked as a post-doctoral staff scientist, 1977-85, at the Natural Science Laboratory at Studsvik, Sweden. In 1986 he was appointed as associated professor at Uppsala University and later as full professor. In 1978-79 and again in 1983, he was invited to work with Nobel Prize winner Glenn T. Seaborg, Lawrence Berkley Laboratory, University of California, Berkeley, California, USA. His interest in the global energy situation started in 1995 and has since then grown dramatically.

In May 2002, he organized the First International Workshop on Oil Depletion at Uppsala University. Since 2003, he is president for ASPO, the Association for the Study of Peak Oil & Gas (official webpage: www.peakoil.net).

In 2005, he was invited to give a testimony on peak oil before for the House of Representatives Subcommittee on Energy and Air Quality.

In 2007, he was asked by OECD to write a report about:PEAK-OIL AND THE EVOLVING STRATEGIES OF OIL IMPORTING AND EXPORTING COUNTRIES: FACING THE HARD TRUTH ABOUT AN IMPORT DECLINE FOR THE OECD COUNTRIES.

Publications

Resource physics


Nuclear physics

Read more

Dr Colin Campbell


Colin Campbell has over 40 years of experience in the oil industry. He earned a Ph.D. in geology from the University of Oxford in 1957, and has worked as a petroleum geologist in the field, as a manager, and as a consultant.

He has been employed by Oxford University, Texaco, British Petroleum, Amoco, Shenandoah Oil, Norsk Hydro, and Fina, and has worked with the Bulgarian and Swedish governments. His writing credits include two books and more than 150 papers.

Colin is now a Trustee of the Oil Depletion Analysis Centre ("ODAC") in the United Kingdom, a charitable organisation in London that is dedicated to researching the date and impact of the peak and decline of world oil production due to resource constraints, and raising awareness of the serious consequences. He has published extensively, and his recent articles have stimulated lively debate. His views are provocative yet carry the weight of a wide international experience.

Colin Campbell: "Understanding depletion is simple. Think of an Irish pub. The glass starts full and ends empty. There are only so many more drinks to closing time. It’s the same with oil. We have to find the bar before we can drink what’s in it.

Works and publications


Colin has written a long list of various publications, books, articles and other things related to peak oil. You can find some of his works in our publication section. We will add more in the future as soon as we have the time to collect and compile his work.

Curriculum Vitae


1955-56 Geologist to Oxford University Expedition to Borneo, Geological field work, central Borneo
1956 Geologist (tmp), British Overseas Geological Surveys, Sarawak
Writing up the results for publication
1957-61 Exploration Geologist, Texaco, Trinidad, Colombia
Geological field work
1961-66 Regional Geologist, BP, Colombia
Regional evaluation and commercial appraisals
1967-68 Regional Geologist, BP, Australia, New Guinea
Geological field work, central Papua,
1968-69 Regional Geologist, Amoco, New York, Chicago
Regional evaluation of South America, search for opportunities, government negotiations
1969-72 Chief Geologist, Amoco, Ecuador
Managing an exploration venture in the Amazon headwaters, much negotiation
1972-78 General Manager, Shenandoah Oil, London, Dublin
Managing a small company secure a stake in UK, Ireland, Netherlands, Portugal, Turkey. Much negotiation with partners and government, recruited small staff
1978 Adviser, Norsk Hydro, Oslo
Advising a major Norwegian company take a position in oil
1978-79 Exploration Manager, Aran, Dublin
Managing exploration in two joint ventures off Ireland with BP and Deminex. Many colourful negotiations
1979 Supervisor, New Ventures, Amoco, London
Return to mainstream oil industry, dealing with ventures in Ireland, Spain, France, Italy, Malta
1980-84 Exploration Manager, Amoco, Norway
Managing a major operating company's exploration in Norway, finding first oil off mid Norway
1985-89 Executive Vice-President, Fina, Norway
Built up a new office, eventually with a staff of 60. Many negotiations with government and partners. Public relations. Secured new strong position in Barents Sea, and elsewhere with major company partners. Increasing independence and contempt of head office led to "early retirement".
1989- Consultant to Amoco, Norway
Consultant to Norwegian Petroleum Directorate on world oil resources and depletion: study eventually published as the Golden Century of Oil Chairman, Nordic American Oil Co.
Formed new oil company with Norwegian and American capital to undertake infill drilling in old US fields. Eventually sold out.
Consulting to Bulgarian Government,
Advising government on fall of Communism how to attract western oil companies
Consulting to Statoil, Mobil, Amerada, Enterprise, Total, Pelican on oil resources;
Consulting to Shell, Esso, Mobil on N.Sea project
Consulting to Petroconsultants, Geneva
Wrote several major reports on oil depletion
Partner in Petroplan Inc
A consultancy concentrating on oil forecasting, write monthly column in Tomorrow's Oil
Adviser to the board, Hampton Investments, San Francisco

See also www.oilcrisis.com for references

Professional Affiliations

American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG)
Geological Society, London
Institute of Petroleum, London

Links