Shrinking Giants, Resource Nationalism, and the New 7 Sisters
August 29th, 2008
As recently reported by The Wall Street Journal, oil production has begun falling at all of the major Western oil companies, and they are finding it harder than ever to find new prospects even though they are awash in profits and eager to expand. As the article notes: “…Part of the reason is political. From […]
Read more »The Pipeline War?
August 12th, 2008
As noted by Robert Amsterdam in his ever insightful blog, Russia’s invasion of Georgia is mostly about seizing control of the only energy conduit threatening their monopoly of supply from Central Asia to Europe. As his blog notes and this piece from the Globe and Mail concludes: “…Georgia is a crucial transit point for oil […]
Read more »More Than King Solomon’s Mine…?
August 11th, 2008
From the current issue of Fortune Magazine, an interesting article on a new generation of fortune hunters seeking riches under the sands of Saudi Arabia, namely gold and potentially even more lucrative metals and minerals. As the article notes: “Gold, copper, phosphate, bauxite this place could be the next Canada or Australia,” says InEs Scotland, […]
Read more »Iran, Algeria to Discuss OPEC-style Gas Group
August 10th, 2008
As reported by Reuters, Iran and Algeria are expected to discuss the formation of an OPEC-style gas group during a visit by Algerian president Abdelaziz Bouteflika to Tehran. As the article notes: “… Iran wants to turn the previously toothless Gas Exporting Countries Forum (GECF) into a more formal organization akin to the Organization of […]
Read more »Original Seven Sisters: Old & Struggling
August 10th, 2008
From Newsweek, a timely reminder of the struggles facing the original Seven Sisters and the rise of the new oil majors. As the article notes: “…The escalating [BP] dispute is emblematic of the problems facing Big Oil—shrinking access, falling profit margins, underinvestment in equipment and technology and a business model that’s increasingly questioned. Major Western […]
Read more »Ka$hakhstan
August 10th, 2008
Via Arabian Business, an interesting look at the wave of Middle Eastern investment targeting Kazakhstan. Up for grabs is the vast and untapped commodity wealth of a country the size of Western Europe, with all the wheat, copper and uranium that Gulf states need. As the article notes: “…The head of investment banking at Renaissance […]
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.