ERE

Expectations of exponential production increases +

Reality of exponential production declines =

Explosive increases in oil prices

IMO, the only logical response to ERE is ELP:

Economize; Localize; Produce

(Richard Rainwater seems to think it's a good idea)

Agree.

Despite stubbornly sticking to my long position in oil during the September-October energy massacre this year (despite a timely warning from SAT on TOD), I am still a successful commodities trader. My 2006 performance is looking to finish around +140%.  So, I will let it all hang out and make a bold prediction:

NYMEX WTI will exceed US$120 (nominal) before January 20, 2009.  

This will be due to a combination of a bear market in the US$ and a the next leg of the bull market in crude oil.  (I would term the entire period from August 2005 to the present as a long irregular correction/consolidation pause in the secular oil bull market.  Considering the double digit growth in M3, the $78 of summer 2006 was not a higher real price than the $70 of summer 2005)  As westexas has noted, a price doubling in 25 months has happened earlier in the bull market for oil, and bull markets get wilder in their latter stages.