China’s Energy Diplomacy in Southeast Asia
November 17th, 2008
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 […]
Read more »Saudi Aramco: A New Seven Sister Seeks More Growth
November 13th, 2008
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 […]
Read more »The Nord Stream Pipe Dream
November 13th, 2008
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 […]
Read more »Russia & Iran: Making Do With Less
November 12th, 2008
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 […]
Read more »Russia & Vietnam Energy Cooperation
November 12th, 2008
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 […]
Read more »Brazil’s Pre-Salt Oilfields: Larger Than Initially Thought
November 8th, 2008
As recently reported by The Financial Times, Brazil’s newly discovered “pre-salt” oilfields may contain more than 100bn barrels, Haroldo Lima, head of the industry regulatory. As the article notes: “…If so, the new fields would propel Brazil up the world league table of oil producing nations. Brazil currently has reserves of about 12.6bn barrels (or […]
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.