Speculating on the price of oil is a favorite pastime in certain circles, and these include hedge funds. One prominent member of the hedge fund crowd this week said crude could rise to US$300 a barrel if current prices fail to rise further—and soon—to stimulate investments in new production. Pierre Andurand, head of Andurand Capital Management LLP, wrote in a series of tweets that were later deleted that “If oil prices do not rise fast enough, $300 oil in a few years is not impossible,” as quoted by Bloomberg. Andurand seems to be one of a small group that also includes Saudi Energy Minister Khalid al-Falih, which believes prices can rise further, even to US$100 without affecting demand. Producers, Andurand said in the tweets, are afraid of peak oil demand resulting from the growing adoption of electric vehicles, and this is stopping them from investing in more new production. […]