Economic and Geopolitical Implications of Russia’s Declining Oil Production
October 5th, 2008
Via Stratfor (subscription required), an in-depth analysis of Russia’s declining oil production capacity and implications this will cause for Russia as a whole. As the report notes, Russia will not be able to maintain current oil production without a concerted effort to develop new production, transportation infrastructure and encouraging greenfield projects: “…The Russian Energy Ministry […]
Read more »Gazprom & Kyrgyzstan: An Energy Side of “The Great Game”
October 3rd, 2008
Via Energy Daily, interesting analysis of Gazprom’s strategy of offering former Soviet republics in the Caucasus and Central Asia near-market prices for its future natural gas production, undercutting the West’s major trump card in negotiations. As the article notes: “…Among the most vulnerable to Gazprom’s policies is Kyrgyzstan, which is largely bereft of hydrocarbon resources, […]
Read more »SOCAR So Good: Azerbaijan Wants to Boost Oil Carried by Russian Pipelines
October 2nd, 2008
From Windows on Eurasia, an interesting report that Azerbaijan hopes to send more oil through Russia. According to the article: “…The State Oil Company of Azerbaijan (SOCAR) is negotiating with Russian officials to boost the amount of oil transported by Russian pipelines to the West, a move that many people around the world will see […]
Read more »South Korea Deals for Russian Gas
October 1st, 2008
Via Reuters, news that South Korea agreed on a $90 billion deal to import Siberian gas that should allow Russia to diversify away from Europe while bringing North Korea closer to its neighbour via pipeline diplomacy. As the article noted: “…South Korea’s Energy Ministry said in a statement the country wanted to import up to […]
Read more »PDVSA’s Growing Influence in Central/South America
October 1st, 2008
Via IPS News, an in-depth report on the growing influence of PDVSA in Central America, Cuba, the Dominican Republic and islands in the eastern Caribbean who are receiving more and more oil from Venezuela, while major refineries are planned in South America — at Pernambuco in northeastern Brazil, and at El Aromo, on Ecuador’s Pacific […]
Read more »Renewed EU Support for A Trans-Saharan Pipeline
September 27th, 2008
Courtesy of The Financial Times, an interesting article on the EU’s recent offers of financial and political backing to Nigeria for a €15bn ($21bn, £12bn) trans-Saharan pipeline to pump its gas directly to Europe. As the report notes: “…Renewed European interest in the project comes against a backdrop of mounting fears that Gazprom, the Russian […]
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.