Low heating fuel stocks in all major consuming regions could reverse oil’s slide from record highs, as refiners struggle to build a supply cushion for peak winter demand.

A team of market forecasters that correctly predicted the oil bust of the 1980s thinks history will not repeat itself, at least for now. “I think the real key is the peaking of world oil production,” said Groppe, a partner with Groppe, Long & Littell, who has consulted the industry for a half century.

An oil shock potentially endangering U.S. national security and economic interests is the last thing a debt-saturated America, embarking on expensive overseas ventures, needs right now. Yet that appears to be where we are headed today.

There was standing room only at the library conference room, Monday night, as people crowded into the second Willits showing of The End of Suburbia. Most of those remaining after the film discussed working toward a more self-sustaining local economy.

THE tiny West African island group of Sao Tome e Principe has poor roads, rampant malaria and a population of about 150,000. But now City punters are being given the chance to make money out of an oil bonanza that is set to transform one of the world’s poorest countries.

The Royal Dutch/Shell group strongly reaffirmed its long-term commitment to the maturing UK North Sea fields yesterday, saying there was at least 50% more oil and gas to be produced.