Archive for the ‘Companies’ Category

Russia’s Winter of Discontent: An Opportunity for International Companies to Invest?

Via The Times, an interesting look at Gazprom’s cash woes and the opportunity that such a crunch may afford Western companies. Specifically, an obvious solution to the Ukrainian crisis is for a cash-rich EU utility, such as Gasunie of the Netherlands, to buy the Ukrainian transit pipelines, offering long-term money that could be used to […]

Read more »



Pemex: Unable to Reverse Its Accelerating Production Decline

Via Stratfor (subscription required), an interesting analysis of Petroleos Mexicanos’ (Pemex) continued production woes.  As the article notes “…Oil output … dropped 9 percent in 2008 to about 2.8 million barrels per day (bpd). This is down from 3.08 million bpd in 2007, and from Pemex’s all-time high of about 3.8 million bpd in 2004. […]

Read more »



Venezuela Quietly Courting Big Oil Once Again

Via The International Herald Tribune, a report that Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez, who initially reveled in describing the crash as proof of capitalism’s flaws, is now quietly courting Western oil companies once again. As the article notes: “…Until recently, buoyed by the surging price of oil, Chávez had pushed foreign oil companies here into a […]

Read more »



China and Iran Sign Large-Scale Oil Development Contract

Via Energy Daily, a report that China and Iran recently signed a $1.76 billion contract for the initial development of the North Azadegan oil field in western Iran.  As the article notes: “…The agreement between China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC) and the National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC) foresees production from the field reaching 75,000 barrels […]

Read more »



Italy, Russia: Together In Tripoli

Via Robert Amsterdam’s fine blog, an interesting analysis of Italy’s ENI’s efforts to penetrate the Libyan market in partnership with Gazprom.  As the article notes: A few days ago, the CEO of the Italian energy group Eni told everybody he felt calm and “serene” with regard to Gazprom’s decision to cut off all gas flowing […]

Read more »



Russian – Ukraine Gas Standoff: Efforts To Yield A More Russian-Friendly Ukranian Government

Via Stratfor (subscription required), insightful analysis on how the latest round of the Russia – Ukraine gas pipeline “war” may turn out. As the article notes: “…Russian natural gas behemoth Gazprom has made Ukraine a new offer for the purchase of natural gas Jan. 4, this time raising its price from $179 per thousand cubic […]

Read more »


ABOUT
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.