Turkey: A Geopolitical Pivot In Central Asia
April 17th, 2009
Via The Center for Research on Globalization, interesting analysis of Turkey’s role & increased significance in the years ahead: “…If Ankara decides to collaborate more closely with Russia, Georgia’s position is precarious and Azerbaijan’s natural gas pipeline route to Europe, the so-called Nabucco Pipeline, is blocked. If it cooperates with the United States and manages to […]
Read more »The Great Game (Over?): China’s Interest in Caspian Energy Reserves
April 17th, 2009
Via The Asia Times, an interesting summary of China’s keen interest in Central Asia’s energy resources and its efforts to take advantage of the global downturn to lock in such. As the article notes: “…may lead to a marked shift of fortune in the Great Game for control of Caspian energy reserves. On the surface, […]
Read more »Shift In Central Asia?
April 17th, 2009
Via Stratfor (subscription required), interesting analysis of the shifting dynamics in Central Asia as the global financial crisis and declining energy prices have shifted Central Asian regional leader Kazakhstan to an inward focus, and offered Uzbekistan an opportunity to reassert its historic role as regional leader. As the article notes: “…Central Asia had remained stagnant […]
Read more »Baku Looks East: Who Lost Azerbaijan?
April 13th, 2009
Via Energy Daily, an intriguing analysis of a recent agreement beween Russia and Azerbaijan that may be the harbinger of a dramatic shift in Baku’s Western-leaning policy. As the article notes: “…On March 27, officials from Gazprom and the State Oil Co. of Azerbaijan Republic signed a memorandum of understanding providing that discussions between the […]
Read more »Gazprom Gains Control and ENI Exhales With Relief
April 10th, 2009
Via Stratfor (subscription required), analysis of Gazprom’s $4.2 billion acquisition of the 20 percent stake in Gazprom Neft held by Italian energy giant ENI. As the article notes, the original purchase by ENI was never intended to result in a permanent stake in Gazprom Neft, but rather to help Gazprom fight off a challenge from […]
Read more »East Siberian-Pacific Ocean Pipeline Reaches China
April 10th, 2009
Via Energy Daily, a report that Russia will finish an oil pipeline connecting Siberian oil fields to energy-hungry China in several weeks. As the article quotes Prime Minister Vladimir Putin: “As I have just been told by the management of Transneft, within just a few weeks the phase of reaching the Chinese border will be […]
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.