Here's is a brief interview of Matthew Simmons who heads an energy investment banking firm in Houston. Mr. Simmons talks about the presence of peak oil and the implications for oil prices in the future:
I think his comment refers to the price of oil across the production spectrum. In that case, oil prices properly would have no effect on the oil companies profits.
The oil companies do particularly well when there is volatility in oil prices.
The oil companies do particularly well when there is volatility in oil prices.