One of the fundamental concepts that energy analysts think about when projecting where crude oil prices are headed in the long term is “peak oil.” Misunderstood as a “theory” and misinterpreted by cassandras and crackpots, peak oil deserves a full explanation — which we provide in this issue, along with an updated way of looking at the “peak” notion and, of course, what it means for investors.

We also revisit the oil sands of Alberta, Canada, which will play a key role in the long-term supply/demand picture for oil in the coming years and decades — and tell you about three stocks that represent great bets on what we see as a bright future for the region.

In This Issue

The Stories

1. The idea of peak oil in the near term is losing favor, but “peak lite” is still a very real possibility. See “Peak Oil for Investors: Threat, Opportunity, or Myth?”

2. Canada’s oil sands hold the key to meeting rising demand for oil in the 21st century. Who will benefit? See “The (Oil) Sands of Time.”