Archive for November, 2008

China’s Energy Diplomacy in Southeast Asia

From The Asia Pacific Journal, an interesting look at China and Vietnam’s efforts to resolve their long-running territorial disputes in the South China Sea, especially over energy, as their export-oriented economies slow under the impact of global financial turmoil and deepening recession.  As the article notes “…Under the plan, Chinese and Vietnamese companies will be […]

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Saudi Aramco: A New Seven Sister Seeks More Growth

From Forbes, an interesting look at Saudi Aramco plans for aggressive expansion and continued growth.  As the article notes: “…But why, with prices dropping and a steep worldwide recession looming, would Aramco go all out on the most ambitious expansion plan in its 75-year history? Over the next five years it will invest $129 billion […]

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The Nord Stream Pipe Dream

Via Stratfor (subscription required), analysis that continued public German efforts to defend the Nord Stream pipeline project, a joint venture between Berlin and Moscow, in the face of attacks from other states and signs that even the Russians do not think the project is viable anymore may not be geared toward the pipeline as much […]

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Russia & Iran: Making Do With Less

Via Stratfor (subscription required), an interesting analysis of the impact that falling oil prices could have upon both Russia’s and Iran’s domestic expenditures on social and economic programs.  At the article notes “…Russian Finance Minister Alexei Kudrin announced Nov. 12 that the government was revising down its oil-price forecast for future budgeting decisions. Specifically, the […]

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Russia & Vietnam Energy Cooperation

Via Energy Daily, a report on a recent agreement between Russia and Vietnam on further cooperation on geological exploration and hydrocarbon production by their Vietsovpetro joint venture.  As the article notes, the agreement prolongs the activity of the Vietsovpetro joint venture between Russia’s Zarubezhneft and Petrovietnam after 2010, and some analysts speculate that – beginning […]

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Impact of $60 Oil On The New Seven Sisters

An interesting report by Reuters on the impact of decreased oil prices on the New Seven Sisters.  As the article notes “…The world’s biggest state-owned oil companies are weathering the global financial crisis and the dive in crude prices for now, top executives said on Friday, but they warned that $60 oil could soon begin […]

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WILDCATS AND BLACK SHEEP
Wildcats & Black Sheep is a personal interest blog dedicated to the identification and evaluation of maverick investment opportunities arising in frontier - and, what some may consider to be, “rogue” or “black sheep” - markets around the world.

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.