THE MANAGERS of Saudi Aramco could have the cushiest jobs in the energy business. The state-run oil colossus produces 9m barrels of oil a day, more than any other firm and nearly a tenth of the world’s total (see chart 1). It boasts by far the largest remaining proven reserves of the stuff, which would last into second half of the century at current pumping rates. Its piddling production costs of $3 a barrel, a tenth of what many Western private-sector rivals must content themselves with, allowed it to generate an eye-watering $282bn in total net profit over the past two years. And though its
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