"they're having a very hard time keeping up" ... is a pretty amusing way to describe the situation. The facts are that the Cantarell field in Mexico, formerly the second most prolific field in the world, has experience a 60% decline since 2003. Similarly, Norway's oil exports have declined by more than 50%. Furthermore, the recent worldwide recession and concomitant decline in crude oil price has brought exploration to its knees. It is clear to anyone reviewing the facts that peak oil has already occurred and that economic "recovery" is physically impossible."