Despite current weak fundamentals and the impact of a global recession on energy consumption, U.S. major ExxonMobil has produced a very optimistic outlook for the industry, saying that growing populations and economic growth in many countries would help increase oil demand by an average of 1.2 percent per years between 2005 and 2030.

The report, entitled Outlook for Energy: A View to 2030, argues that oil demand growth would come despite significant gains in energy efficiency. It projects that global oil demand would jump 35 percent to 310 million bpd in 2030 from 229 million bpd in 2005.

The company’s latest projection is down from last year’s, which saw average annual demand growth rate at 1.3 percent. But the economic situation was different in 2007, when both China and the U.S. were still growing and energy demand projections by just about everyone were that energy consumption would continue to climb long term. Oil prices doubled within a year to $147 bbl in July.

The New Jersey, Convenience Store Automotive Association said Anne Milgram, New Jersey’s Attorney General, should resign because of comments she made in June recklessly charging hundreds of gasoline operators in the state with scamming consumers. NJGCA said Milgram’s comments have soiled the reputation of those retailers, and cost many of those store operators customers that have harmed their business.

"Last summer, Attorney General Anne Milgram distributed a press release disclosing the names of 350 gasoline retailers her office claimed were 'scamming' motorists, while she hosted a press conference accusing these small businesses of 'cheating' the public. NJGCA investigated these accusations, discovered that the report presented was entirely misleading, and countered her press conference to dispute these findings," said NJGCA Executive Director Sal Risalvato.

Following the June press conference, NJGCA said it filed an Open Public Records Act request to gain access to the documents used by the Attorney General to compile the list, which was denied. The association then filed a lawsuit in Superior Court to secure the documents, which was settled and NJGCA was provided the documentation.