Speakers T. Boone Pickens: Entrepreneur and energy theorist

T. Boone Pickens

A legendary oil and gas entrepreneur, T. Boone Pickens is now on a mission to enhance U.S. energy policies to lessen the nation’s dependence on OPEC oil.

Why you should listen to him:

T. Boone Pickens views America's dependence on OPEC oil as the greatest threat to the country's national security and economic well-being. In developing The Pickens Plan for America’s energy future, he's advocating for domestic alternatives and even greater new technologies. Pickens grew from humble beginnings in Depression-era Holdenville, Oklahoma, to be one of the nation’s most successful oil and gas entrepreneurs, and has been uncannily accurate in predicting oil and gas prices (CNBC coined him the “Oracle of Oil”) -- and he's established a very successful energy-oriented investment fund. Pickens is also an innovative, committed philanthropist who has donated nearly $1 billion to charity.

Email to a friend »

Quotes by T. Boone Pickens

  • “In the history of America, we've never had an energy plan. We don't even realize the resources that we have available to us.”

    Watch this talk »

  • “The Saudis can produce the oil for five dollars a barrel. That has nothing to do with [oil prices].”

    Watch this talk »

  • “We have to get on our own resources in America.”

    Watch this talk »

  • “[Dependency on OPEC] is the greatest transfer of wealth from one group to another in the history of mankind.”

    Watch this talk »

More TEDQuotes…

T. Boone Pickens: Let's transform energy -- with natural gas

T. Boone Pickens on the Web

Related Speakers

Conferences

  • TED2012