Peak Oil Delayed: Why Buffett's Berkshire Just Got a 5-Year Tailwind

Goldman Sachs just dropped a bombshell — the world’s oil consumption won’t peak until 2040, not 2035. That’s an extra five years of crude demand growth, driven by AI data centers guzzling power, jet fuel demand, and EV adoption being slower than hype predicted.

Here’s the kicker: It’s not just Goldman talking. The IEA moved its peak-oil timeline to 2050, ExxonMobil expects oil to still dominate the energy mix in 2050, and even OPEC is chilling because their bullish thesis just got validated.

The play? Most investors think energy = volatile oil stocks. But Berkshire Hathaway is the backdoor move. Buffett’s conglomerate holds $30B+ in Occidental ($11B+) and Chevron ($19B+) — roughly 10% of BRK’s stock portfolio. Meanwhile, its wholly-owned energy subsidiaries (natural gas pipelines, Lubrizol, Pilot Travel Centers) throw off $1B+ annual operating income, buffering against crude price swings.

Why this matters: Berkshire captures the energy sector’s upside without the daily volatility roller coaster. Even if WTI prices dip to $53/barrel next year (per Goldman), pipeline and service businesses keep humming.

Bottom line — if you want energy exposure but hate watching your portfolio swing 5% on OPEC headlines, BRK might be the smoothest entry point.