Russia Moves On The Caspian; Back to Iraq As Well?
January 21st, 2008
As neatly reported by Energy Daily, Russia is moving swiftly to develop projects in its own self-defined sector of the Caspian Sea. Russia’s move offshore means it is now joining post-Soviet republics Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan in developing their claimed national sectors of the Caspian, leaving only Iran – stymied by U.S. trade sanctions barring […]
Read more »Big Oil = Dinosaurs at the Tar Pit (Part 2) / Thoughts on a Natural Gas Cartel
January 20th, 2008
In an exclusive SPIEGEL interview, OPEC Secretary-General Abdalla Salem el-Badri discussed – among other items – the failures of the multinational oil companies and the possibility of a caretel for natural gas.  His thoughts, noted below, are highly interesting: “…SPIEGEL: (Russian) President Vladimir Putin certainly has other ideas. Last year he called the idea of […]
Read more »India: A “Minnow” in Oil & Gas Exploration Potential
January 20th, 2008
An interesting look by The Financial Times at India’s auction of oil & gas exploration blocks on which the global majors have mostly shied away from bidding. As the article notes: “…India has a tough time attracting the big players. While the auction process itself is widely perceived as transparent, domestic companies tend to bid […]
Read more »Iran: Go East Young Man
January 20th, 2008
As noted several weeks ago, Iran’s Pars Oil & Gas struck a $16 billion deal with SKS Ventures, a subsidiary of Malaysia’s Al-Bukhari Foundation, to develop the Golshan and Ferdowsi gas fields in southern Iran. This agreement was in line with the national policy to attract investments in oil and gas sector from non-Western, especially […]
Read more »South Stream Pipeline: On Stream
January 20th, 2008
As reported by AFP, Russian President Vladimir Putin clinched a key pipeline deal with Bulgaria on Friday that strengthens Moscow’s grip on European gas markets. As the article notes: “…Bulgaria and Russia agreed to build the so-called South Stream pipeline project, which will cross the Black Sea into Bulgaria and then split in two arms, […]
Read more »Ecuador Invests in its Oil Industry, but Following the Chavez Model?
January 20th, 2008
As detailed by Xinhua Financial News, Ecuador – South America’s fifth-largest oil producer with an average of 510,000 barrels of crude a day – will invest U.S. $2 billion in its oil industry this year in a bid to increase production by 11 percent. Some $1.7 billion will be used to increase production at state […]
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.