This book investigates the complex governance structures governing global oil, specifically focusing on the power dynamics between resource owners, investors, and consumers. Bernard Mommer, an expert in energy economics, challenges the traditional economic focus on market mechanics by centering his analysis on the political and institutional frameworks that dictate resource control. He argues that the relationship between the state and the oil industry is fundamentally a political arrangement rather than a purely market-driven one, providing a framework for understanding how national interests shape global energy policy.

Experts in the field of energy policy recognize this work as a critical contribution to understanding the political economy of oil. Readers frequently note the academic density of the prose, which provides a rigorous challenge to conventional energy market theories.