Turkmenistan: Balancing China, Russia, and Europe
November 29th, 2007
As cogently analyzed by Stratfor (subscription required), Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdimukhammedov’s recent announcement that a pipeline supplying Russia with natural gas from Turkmenistan would be upgraded may just be another effort by the Turkmen leader to string Russia along — for as long as he can — until a better option, most likely China, comes […]
Read more »OAO Gazprom’s Unexpected Dow(ry)?
November 29th, 2007
Via Todd Sullivan’s Value Plays, an interesting review of a recent MOU signed between Russian natural gas monopoly OAO Gazprom and Dow Chemical outlining potential cooperation on refining gas from Russia’s Yamalo-Nemets autonomous district and the possibility of creating a joint venture based on Dow’s new petrochemical facilities in Germany. While I am not sure […]
Read more »Iran’s Planned Nabucco Pipeline
November 29th, 2007
From Der Spiegel, an interesting look at Iran’s desires to use its massive gas reserves and construction of its planned Nabucco pipeline to wield influence over Europe. As the article notes: “Iran is planning to leverage its massive gas reserves to increase its influence in Western Europe — by fair means or foul. If selling […]
Read more »France: Banking on North Africa
November 29th, 2007
As recently reported in the Wall Street Journal, France has followed China’s lead as a nation looking at banking opportunities in Africa. As the article notes: “…The top three French banks by market value- BNP Paribas SA, Société Générale and Crédit Agricole SA-are already active in most of the region. Additional acquisitions in countries such […]
Read more »Frontier Markets: An Index for Investment Success?
November 28th, 2007
From The Financial Times, an interesting look at the S&P Select Frontier Index which consists of 30 of the largest and most liquid companies in markets excluded from the more mainstream S&P/IFCI Emerging Markets Index, primarily from smaller emerging markets such as Bahrain, Croatia, Jordan and Vietnam, plus some from more unexpected markets, such as […]
Read more »The Not-So-Empty Quarter
November 28th, 2007
From Energy Daily, news that Saudi Arabia is upgrading the Shaybah oil production facility in the country’s barren southeastern Rub’ al Khali desert, as part of an agenda to bolster its already dominant role supplying more oil to the world than any other country. As the article notes: “…barrel for barrel, there’s more oil below […]
Read more »Focusing primarily on The New Seven Sisters - the largely state owned petroleum companies from the emerging world that have become key players in the oil & gas industry as identified by Carola Hoyos, Chief Energy Correspondent for The Financial Times - but spanning other nascent opportunities around the globe that may hold potential in the years ahead, Wildcats & Black Sheep is a place for the adventurous to contemplate & evaluate the emerging markets of tomorrow.