Archive for 2019

Gwadar vs. Chabahar: Competing Ports in Iran and Pakistan Fuel Ambition and Mistrust

Courtesy of STATFOR (subscription required), a detailed look at Gwadar and Chabahar: China’s expansion across South Asia and the Indian Ocean under its Belt and Road Initiative will drive India’s own regional outreach, heightening the importance of New Delhi’s infrastructure projects such as the Chabahar port in Iran. However, the threat of U.S. sanctions and […]

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Another Gas Discovery In Turkmenistan

Via Caspian News, a report on another significant gas find in Turkmenistan: The state-owned subsurface exploration company Turkmengeologiya made another gas discovery in the Caspian region, hitting an onshore reservoir in Turkmenistan, which contains the world’s fifth largest proved natural gas reserves. Specialists from Turkmengeologiya report an industrial gas inflow at a depth of about […]

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After Decades in the Dark, Sudan May Soon Be Open for Business

Courtesy of STRATFOR (subscription required), an interesting look at the potential business opportunities for foreign investors that may open up for the first time in decades: Highlights Following President Omar al Bashir’s ousting, a transitional civil-military council has brought hope for the many Sudanese who’ve suffered from the country’s deteriorating economy and global isolation over […]

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Beijing’s Growing Interest In The Middle East and North Africa

Via Foreign Policy, three very interesting graphical analyses of Beijing’s growing interest in the Middle East and North Africa: Chinese President Xi Jinping concluded the latest high-level Belt and Road gathering of world leaders in Beijing last month, China’s signature project has seemingly entered a new phase: worldwide acceptance of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) […]

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Uzbekistan: A Regional Transit Hub?

Via Modern Diplomacy, an article on Uzbekistan’s potential to become Central Asia’s transit hub: On 5th April of 2019, a meeting of the railway authorities of Kazakhstan, China, Iran, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan took place in Almaty dedicated to advancing cargo traffic along the North-South Transit Corridor. In fact, the participation of Uzbekistan in the project will shorten the route […]

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China, Russia May Vie For Turkmenistan’s Gas

Via Radio Free Asia, an article on the potential tussle over Turkmenistan’s natural gas: After years of inaction, Russia has resumed natural gas imports from Turkmenistan, raising the prospect of competitive pressure for one of China’s main sources of supply. On April 15, monopoly Gazprom and the Turkmengaz state company confirmed the restart of flows […]

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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.