Russia Wins Latest Stage of Pipeline Wars: Geo-Economic & Geo-Political shifts In The Caucasus
September 5th, 2008
As reported by Windows on Eurasia, with Iran’s declaration that it opposes the construction of any undersea pipelines in the Caspian on “ecological grounds” and thus will block any delimitation of the seabed that allows for them and Baku’s decision not to back the West’s push NABUCCO project, Moscow can claim its first major political […]
Read more »Iran: An “Out” For Caspian Oil?
August 30th, 2008
Via Windows on Eurasia, an interesting look at whether Iran – given the disruption of Caspian oil flows via Georgia during the recent violence – could become the route out for Caspian oil. As the article notes: “…If the governments of the region do decide to ship some or all of their oil via Iran, […]
Read more »Will China Finally Build a Rail Link with Central Asia?
August 30th, 2008
As reported by Window on Eurasia, Chinese, Kyrgyz and Uzbek experts have reached agreement on the route of a railway line between China and Central Asia, but this project – which would transform the geopolitics of the region – still faces some serious technical and political obstacles. As the article notes: “…experts have agreed on […]
Read more »Azerbaijan: Facing a New Energy Landscape
August 29th, 2008
Via Stratfor (subscription required), an insightful look at Azerbaijan and the new energy landscape facing it in light of Russia’s military defeat of Georgia. As the article notes: “…Russia’s military defeat of Georgia puts Azerbaijan in a difficult position. With all of its existing energy export routes now back under Russian control, Baku faces a […]
Read more »Caspian Pipeline Politics: Gazprom’s Monopolistic Actions Backfiring
July 7th, 2008
 As we have discussed many times previously, the existing pipeline architecture of Central Asia represents the regional imperialism of Cold War Russia, despite Turkmen and Kazakh flirtations with new Trans-Caspian pipeline projects to Azerbaijan to circumvent the Russian control over exports to Western Europe. A recent article by Robert M. Cutler of Carleton University in […]
Read more »Azerbaijan-Russia-Iran Railway Corridor
June 20th, 2008
From Today.az, news that the construction of the Kazvin-Resht-Astara railroad is scheduled for completion in 2012. As the article notes: “…the Azerbaijan-Russia-Iran meeting of the work groups, engaged in the implementation of the international North-South transport corridor finished in Baku yesterday. At the session the Iranian side informed about work conducted in the construction of […]
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.