Scientist predicts Middle East CO2 floods soon. (former Shell Oil Co. employee Charles Matthews foresees dwindling oil production as result of carbon dioxide)

Imagine, by the turn of the century or a little beyond, Saudi Arabia's giant onshore fields yielding whatever oil they have left with the help of carbon dioxide supplied by the Saudis' historical archenemy, Iran.

Charles Matthews, for one, believes that's Saudi Arabia's kismet by the early part of the next century.

"By the early 2000s, only seven countries will have any spare productive capacity," said Matthews at a recent press briefing during the annual meeting of the Society of Petroleum Engineers in Houston. "Those nations will be Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Iraq, Iran, the United Arab Emirates, Libya and Venezuela."

Recently retired after 40 years with Shell Oil Co. in Houston, Matthews has been both director of research and manager of …