This book will explore the secret world of oil and examine the little discussed but important role played by these various actors in the global fossil fuel economy. These fixers, traders, and lobbyists don't generally own nor operate oil refineries or wells; nevertheless, they smooth the workings of the energy business on the basis of discreet payments and backroom deals. They typically have excellent political contacts, which they can, when necessary, leverage into legal protection. Indeed, their success depends on their intimate connections to senior-level decision makers. "You have to deal with governments and ministers, and you have to service those people," one Swiss oilman told me. "You can call it corruption, but it's part of the system.