The Yamal Peninsula has seen the discovery of 11 gas and 15 oil and gas condensate fields. The aggregate reserves of Yamal’s largest fields - the Bovanenkovo, Kharasavey and Novoportovskoye fields. These account for 5,9 tcm of gas, 100.2 mln t of condensate and 227 mln t of oil.
The fields are 100-percent owned by Gazprom subsidiary Gazprom dobycha Nadym.
The Bovanenkovo field is planned to be in production in year 2011. The field will be linked with a western-bound pipeline. In addition south-bound railway line is to be connected to the field.
The Yamal Peninsula, located in Yamal-Nenets autonomous district of northwest Siberia, extends roughly 700 km and is bordered principally by the Kara Sea, Baydaratskaya Bay on the west, and by the Gulf of Ob on the east.
The peninsula is the place where traditional large-scale nomadic reindeer husbandry is best preserved in Russia. On the peninsula, several thousand Nenets and Khanty reindeer herders hold about 500,000 domestic reindeer.
Showing posts with label Oil. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Oil. Show all posts
Thursday, September 1, 2011
Thursday, January 28, 2010
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Oil in Haiti - Economic Reasons for the UN/US occupation
OCTOBER 13, 2009 4:01AM
Oil in Haiti and Oil Refinery - an old notion for Fort Liberte as a transshipment terminal for US supertankers - Another economic reason for the ouster of President Aristide and current UN occupation (Haiti's Riches:Interview with Ezili Dantò on Mining in Haiti)
Located in the North-Eastern part of Haiti and abounding with tourist sites, Fort-Liberté is a city where the first declaration of Haiti's independence took place on November 29, 1803. It has one of the most captivating historical sites in the area called Fort Dauphin known today as Fort-Liberté. This fort was built around 1731 under the command of Louis XV, king of France, and its ruins are the greatest evidences of its genius designers who chose the most strategic point to built it in order to fight off upcoming invaders.
In addition to its architectural charm, it overlooks a splendid bay of turquoise seawater, which sparkles under the bright rays of the tropical sun.
In addition to its architectural charm, it overlooks a splendid bay of turquoise seawater, which sparkles under the bright rays of the tropical sun.
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Afghanistan: only the first move in the grand chess game for control of Central Asian resources
The specific Central Asian region of which I speak, rich in natural gas and oil, includes India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, China, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, among others. Russia, which borders the region and Iran are also key players. Transport of these critical resources via current and planned pipelines is at the center of the struggle to determine who will control them into the future. To understand the magnitude of this struggle we need to begin by examining the strategy that the U.S. is pursuing in Afghanistan and Pakistan as related to its greater objectives in Central Asia...
We are just in the beginning stages of a new chapter in this grand chess game that pits the U.S. against China in achieving dominance in the world's natural resources, primarily oil and gas, for many years to come. So far, China has used diplomacy and negotiations around the world and has stayed completely away from involvement in wars. Conversely, the U.S. has initiated wars and occupations in Iraq and Afghanistan at staggering costs to achieve its goals.
We are going to hear more and more reports of various types of incursions into Pakistan by various means; the use of drones will greatly intensify, and Blackwater (now renamed XE) is actively setting up clandestine operations in Islamabad, the Pakistani capital. Whether U.S. and/or NATO troops will actually make incursions into Pakistan is anyone's guess but, if that happens , then the situation could become very dire indeed.
What I'm describing is not an unsubstantiated theory. It has been well documented, not in the Western press, but by major Asian news outlets; the Asia Times, headquartered in Hong Kong, is closely monitoring this grand chess game being played out. There is no great secret in that area of the world as to what is really happening and why.
At this point, China is winning the grand chess game because of its apparent ability to use diplomacy in securing critical resources. The danger is that the U.S., rather than using diplomacy, is committed to using military "persuasion" to achieve its objectives. Carrying out such aggressive military policies in a region where four nations with nuclear capabilities -- Russia, China, India and Pakistan -- exist is moving this game into a highly dangerous phase.
Saturday, December 26, 2009
Hordes of Angry Activists and a $27 Billion Court Case Is Making Oil Giant Chevron Pretty Nervous
A dozen nonprofits are going right after the company's greed, and the outcome will likely have repercussions in the oil industry for years to come.
December 24, 2009 - The oil industry is more powerful today than at any other time in history save the early 20th century. Thanks to last year's record run-up in oil prices, seven of the world's most valuable corporations are now oil companies. Yet just one of those companies has become the focus of intense consumer ire.
Perhaps the largest coordinated activist campaign in history is being launched against the San Ramon-based Chevron Corporation. Foregoing boycotts and other traditional market campaign techniques, non-governmental organizations are creatively communicating the business case for why Chevron should change its ways, focusing on mobilizing company shareholders and consumers to compel the company to come clean and pursue social and environmental leadership.
This unprecedented campaign to make Chevron the poster child of corporate irresponsibility has already persuaded pension funds in California, Maryland, New York, and Pennsylvania to consider selling a total of $12 billion in Chevron shares on the grounds that the firm is mismanaging its operations around the globe. The prime focus of this ongoing anti-Chevron effort has been the company's annual shareholder meetings, but protests at the Richmond refinery and a series of movie and PR stunts have been also been effective tactics. READ MORE....
RELATED:
Chevron hires TWELVE public relations firms to discredit indigenous Indians in Ecuador
Russia to start eastward oil, gas shipments via Arctic in 2010
Sovcomflot, Russia's largest shipping company, will start delivering Russian oil and gas in the eastern direction of its Arctic shipping lane in the summer, the company head said on Saturday.
At a meeting with Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, Sergei Frank said Sovcomflot was planning to launch pilot shipments of Russian hydrocarbon reserves in the eastern direction of the Northern Sea Route, from the Atlantic to the Pacific via Russia's Arctic, later this year.
"We will make such pilot deliveries in the summer," he said.
Frank said the goal was to expand oil and gas markets for domestic energy producers and enter new ones.
The businessman said though shipments via the Arctic had been made before, the scale and cargoes were different.
"We are cooperating closely with the transportation and nuclear power ministries, and with the federal office of Rosatomflot [state-run civil nuclear fleet corporation] now to arrange everything properly for [oil and gas] shipments," Frank said.
He said the eastward shipment experience would later be used in the development of West Siberia's Yamal fields and also for liquefied natural gas (LNG) supplies.
NOVO-OGARYOVO, December 26 (RIA Novosti)
http://en.rian.ru/russia/20091226/157382462.html
Monday, December 14, 2009
In borrowing from China, we created our own economic ‘China syndrome'
For a few days, I have been reading several key articles dealing with China, but today a Washington Post article titled, U.S. firms lag in bids for Iraqi oil was the icing on the cake. In Twittering this article, I called it a blow-back to the U.S.
Let's get real: Our invasion into Iraq was to control this oil and not because of WMDs. It was not about terrorism, but greed. Soldiers as well as innocent Iraqis lost their lives and we have spent over $700 billion to fight the war in Iraq. A large sum we borrowed from China to keep this war going. Who stands to profit in these oil bids? You guessed it; China. The excerpts from this WP article will simply blow your mind:
“Chinese diplomats in Baghdad have kept a low profile in recent years, working out of a hotel and drawing little public attention. But Iraqi officials say they have been struck by the caliber of Chinese diplomats, many of whom speak flawless Arabic and have developed a nuanced understanding of Iraqi politics.”
This eye-opening article goes onto report: "We all know that China is on track to become a major economic as well as technological power," said Assam Jihad, a spokesman for the Oil Ministry.”
Do not get angry at the Iraqis since it was their oil to begin with; it was our foolishness for believing in the Bush/Cheney administration on why we needed to invade Iraq in the first place. For two oil-men, they look pretty silly in light of this story.
These wars have sunk our economy into a sink-hole period! In borrowing handily from China, we created our own economic ‘China syndrome'. These U.S. oil firms must be facing their own ‘Shock and Awe'. China out-gunned them without launching one single rocket or sending troops into Iraq. They did so with brains instead of brawn.
To further prove China's economic dominance in the world, one only has to read this explosive article published in the NY Times this past week: Recession Elsewhere, but It's Booming in China There you will read where their rate of consumption has surpassed ours on goods such as flat-screen televisions, washers, dryers as Americans hold back on their purchases.
In fact as this article points out: "China is pulling ahead at this particular moment partly because Americans, debt-laden and worried about their jobs, are pulling back. After decades of gorging on consumption, Americans are saving."
What should be a wake-up call to those in Washington D.C. who control our economic destinies is where this article points out: "For the first time, China, not the United States, is a locomotive helping to pull the global economy out of a slump. But China's tiny appetite for American exports means that the main benefit has gone to commodity exporters and to businesses in China."
READ MORE:
http://www.opednews.com/articles/In-borrowing-from-China-w-by-Mary-MacElveen-091213-563.html
Let's get real: Our invasion into Iraq was to control this oil and not because of WMDs. It was not about terrorism, but greed. Soldiers as well as innocent Iraqis lost their lives and we have spent over $700 billion to fight the war in Iraq. A large sum we borrowed from China to keep this war going. Who stands to profit in these oil bids? You guessed it; China. The excerpts from this WP article will simply blow your mind:
“Chinese diplomats in Baghdad have kept a low profile in recent years, working out of a hotel and drawing little public attention. But Iraqi officials say they have been struck by the caliber of Chinese diplomats, many of whom speak flawless Arabic and have developed a nuanced understanding of Iraqi politics.”
This eye-opening article goes onto report: "We all know that China is on track to become a major economic as well as technological power," said Assam Jihad, a spokesman for the Oil Ministry.”
Do not get angry at the Iraqis since it was their oil to begin with; it was our foolishness for believing in the Bush/Cheney administration on why we needed to invade Iraq in the first place. For two oil-men, they look pretty silly in light of this story.
These wars have sunk our economy into a sink-hole period! In borrowing handily from China, we created our own economic ‘China syndrome'. These U.S. oil firms must be facing their own ‘Shock and Awe'. China out-gunned them without launching one single rocket or sending troops into Iraq. They did so with brains instead of brawn.
To further prove China's economic dominance in the world, one only has to read this explosive article published in the NY Times this past week: Recession Elsewhere, but It's Booming in China There you will read where their rate of consumption has surpassed ours on goods such as flat-screen televisions, washers, dryers as Americans hold back on their purchases.
In fact as this article points out: "China is pulling ahead at this particular moment partly because Americans, debt-laden and worried about their jobs, are pulling back. After decades of gorging on consumption, Americans are saving."
What should be a wake-up call to those in Washington D.C. who control our economic destinies is where this article points out: "For the first time, China, not the United States, is a locomotive helping to pull the global economy out of a slump. But China's tiny appetite for American exports means that the main benefit has gone to commodity exporters and to businesses in China."
READ MORE:
http://www.opednews.com/articles/In-borrowing-from-China-w-by-Mary-MacElveen-091213-563.html
Sunday, December 13, 2009
Mexico's drug cartels siphon liquid gold - Bold theft of $1 billion in oil, resold in U.S., has dealt a major blow to the treasury
Sunday, December 13, 2009
MALTRATA, MEXICO -- Drug traffickers employing high-tech drills, miles of rubber hose and a fleet of stolen tanker trucks have siphoned more than $1 billion worth of oil from Mexico's pipelines over the past two years, in a vast and audacious conspiracy that is bleeding the national treasury, according to U.S. and Mexican law enforcement officials and the state-run oil company.
Using sophisticated smuggling networks, the traffickers have transported a portion of the pilfered petroleum across the border to sell to U.S. companies, some of which knew that it was stolen, according to court documents and interviews with American officials involved in an expanding investigation of oil services firms in Texas.
The widespread theft of Mexico's most vital national resource by criminal organizations represents a costly new front in President Felipe Calderón's war against the drug cartels, and it shows how the traffickers are rapidly evolving from traditional narcotics smuggling to activities as diverse as oil theft, transport and sales.
READ MORE:
Sunday, November 8, 2009
TheOilDrum.com | Finite Resources: One Possible Explanation for the Energy Crisis
This is a slide video of the presentation given by Gail Tverberg at the Oil Drum/ASPO Conference at Alcatraz, Italy in June 2009. Her talk is about Finite Resources: One Possible Explanation for the Energy Crisis ( Presentation PDF 1.3 MB).
Finite Resources: One Possible Explanation for the Financial Crisis from Rembrandt Koppelaar on Vimeo.
Friday, November 6, 2009
Thursday, October 29, 2009
AFP | Shell Oil Profits Down 62%
RELATED:
(From a forum) "Oh boo-hoo...they just jacked up the interest rate on my Shell gas card to 29.9%!! They're making plenty of money off me..."
(From a forum) "Oh boo-hoo...they just jacked up the interest rate on my Shell gas card to 29.9%!! They're making plenty of money off me..."
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Financial Times | Saudis drop West Texas Intermediate WTI oil contract for benchmark pricing its oil
By Javier Blas in London
Published: October 28 2009 20:27 | Last updated: October 28 2009 20:27
Saudi Arabia on Wednesday decided to drop the widely used West Texas Intermediate oil contract as the benchmark for pricing its oil, dealing a serious blow to the New York Mercantile Exchange.
The decision by the world’s biggest oil exporter could encourage other producers to abandon the benchmark and threatens the dominance of the world’s most heavily traded oil futures contract. It is the main contract traded on Nymex.
The move reveals the growing discontent of Riyadh and its US refinery customers with WTI after the price of the price of the benchmark became separatedfrom the global oil market this year.
The surge in oil inventories in Cushing, Oklahoma, where WTI is delivered into America’s pipeline system, depressed the value of the WTI against other global benchmarks, throwing the global oil market into disarray.
In January, WTI, which usually trades at a premium of $1-$2 a barrel to Brent, fell sharply, leaving it at a discount of almost $12 – a record gap. This dislocation in the market continued well into the summer.
From January, Saudi Arabia will base the price of oil for its US customers on a new index developed by Argus, the London-based oil pricing company.
The Argus Sour Crude Index will track the price in the physical market of a basket of US Gulf Coast crudes, including Mars, Poseidon and Southern Green Canyon.
Argus said the change in policy reflected the “increased importance of the US Gulf coast sour crude market, in which both production and trading activity was rising sharply”.
Paul Horsnell, head of commodities research at Barclays Capital in London, said Saudi Arabia’s decision was likely to reflect a “wider discontent” from its customers in the US about WTI performance.
ExxonMobil, Marathon and Valero are among the US’s biggest buyers of Saudi crude oil.
Edward Morse, chief economist at LCM Commodities in New York, said: “It is a recognition by large players that WTI sometimes does not reflect the true value of crude oil in the waterborne market.”
Saudi Arabia has priced its oil using WTI since 1994.
The price was based on quotes from the physical market which were compiled by Platt’s, a unit of McGraw-Hill.
Oil companies then covered their exposure to WTI using the futures market on Nymex.
Bob Levin, managing director of market research at the CME Group-owned Nymex, said the exchange was ready to move with the market.
“We plan to introduce a cash-settled futures contract tracking the new Argus index,” he said.
Mike Vinciquerra, equity research analyst at BMO Capital Markets, said the new Argus index would not replace WTI. “It’s more a supplement,” he said.
Published: October 28 2009 20:27 | Last updated: October 28 2009 20:27
Saudi Arabia on Wednesday decided to drop the widely used West Texas Intermediate oil contract as the benchmark for pricing its oil, dealing a serious blow to the New York Mercantile Exchange.
The decision by the world’s biggest oil exporter could encourage other producers to abandon the benchmark and threatens the dominance of the world’s most heavily traded oil futures contract. It is the main contract traded on Nymex.
The move reveals the growing discontent of Riyadh and its US refinery customers with WTI after the price of the price of the benchmark became separatedfrom the global oil market this year.
The surge in oil inventories in Cushing, Oklahoma, where WTI is delivered into America’s pipeline system, depressed the value of the WTI against other global benchmarks, throwing the global oil market into disarray.
In January, WTI, which usually trades at a premium of $1-$2 a barrel to Brent, fell sharply, leaving it at a discount of almost $12 – a record gap. This dislocation in the market continued well into the summer.
From January, Saudi Arabia will base the price of oil for its US customers on a new index developed by Argus, the London-based oil pricing company.
The Argus Sour Crude Index will track the price in the physical market of a basket of US Gulf Coast crudes, including Mars, Poseidon and Southern Green Canyon.
Argus said the change in policy reflected the “increased importance of the US Gulf coast sour crude market, in which both production and trading activity was rising sharply”.
Paul Horsnell, head of commodities research at Barclays Capital in London, said Saudi Arabia’s decision was likely to reflect a “wider discontent” from its customers in the US about WTI performance.
ExxonMobil, Marathon and Valero are among the US’s biggest buyers of Saudi crude oil.
Edward Morse, chief economist at LCM Commodities in New York, said: “It is a recognition by large players that WTI sometimes does not reflect the true value of crude oil in the waterborne market.”
Saudi Arabia has priced its oil using WTI since 1994.
The price was based on quotes from the physical market which were compiled by Platt’s, a unit of McGraw-Hill.
Oil companies then covered their exposure to WTI using the futures market on Nymex.
Bob Levin, managing director of market research at the CME Group-owned Nymex, said the exchange was ready to move with the market.
“We plan to introduce a cash-settled futures contract tracking the new Argus index,” he said.
Mike Vinciquerra, equity research analyst at BMO Capital Markets, said the new Argus index would not replace WTI. “It’s more a supplement,” he said.
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Prominent Univ of Alaska marine scientist loses federal grant and office - "advocate" for environmental protection in conflict with "big oil"
WASHINGTON - October 20
http://www.commondreams.org/newswire/2009/10/20-5
http://www.commondreams.org/newswire/2009/10/20-5
"NOAA's stance is that by accepting one of its grants a scientist may not say, for example, that clean water is healthier than polluted water or that action by Shell or British Petroleum may create environmental peril," said Ruch. Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER) is preparing a formal rulemaking petition later this month for submission to NOAA Administrator Jane Lubchenco seeking clarification of the Sea Grant no-advocacy guidance. "Receipt of a federal grant should not be cause for suspending First Amendment free expression rights or for cancelling the moral obligation of scientists to speak up to protect our resources."The Steiner case is being compared by faculty members to "the Firecracker Boys" episode of 50 years ago at the University of Alaska. In that case, university scientists working under federal grants were fired after the funding agency complained of their public advocacy. The scientists had publicized the likely environmental consequences of allowing the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission to excavate a new harbor in Arctic Alaska using thermonuclear bombs. Thirty years later, the university recognized its error and awarded the scientists honorary doctorate degrees.
Nord Stream Gets Go-Ahead Denmark Approves Russian Baltic Pipeline - enabling Russia to cut off gas to Eastern neighbors while supplying W Europe
The Danish Energy Agency approved Russia's controversial Nord Stream pipeline across the Baltic Sea on Tuesday. The line will deliver Russian natural gas to Western Europe but has drawn massive criticism from Eastern European countries who fear Moscow will use it as a political weapon.Denmark moved on Tuesday to provide Russian gas giant Gazprom with the go-ahead to lay a controversial pipeline through Danish waters in the Baltic Sea. The approval came after several months of heavy diplomatic activity between Denmark and Russia, including a personal phone call from the Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin to Prime Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen.
"We have given our approval after evaluating all the environmental problems. We have found the project to be fully safe," said Energy Agency engineer Kirsten Lundt Eriksen.
The Nord Stream project -- which is to transport gas from Vyborg in Russia to Greifswald on the German coast -- has been strongly opposed by several Eastern and Central European countries, but now seems closer than ever to reality.
Nord Stream will enable Russia to cut off gas to its eastern neighbours while maintaining supplies to Western Europe. Disagreements with Ukraine in particular have given rise to temporary cut-offs in supplies in recent years. FULL STORY
Sunday, October 18, 2009
Sina.com | Super oil tanker christened in Shanghai
2009-10-19 09:07:02 (Beijing Time)
A general view of the super oil tanker christened "Jiu Hua San" in Shanghai October 18, 2009. The 319,000-deadweight-ton oil carrier built by Shanghai Waigaoqiao Shipbuilding Co. Ltd is the largest under the structural rules formulated by the International Association of Classification Societies Ltd. (IACS), and it will be delivered to Singapore-based Ocean Tankers Pte Ltd. [Xinhua]
Related:
Supertanker rates advancing on China
Manila Bulletin
Freight derivatives betting on the Baltic Exchange's average price for the Saudi Arabia-Japan route in November advanced, trading at 49 Worldscale points at ...
A general view of the super oil tanker christened "Jiu Hua San" in Shanghai October 18, 2009. The 319,000-deadweight-ton oil carrier built by Shanghai Waigaoqiao Shipbuilding Co. Ltd is the largest under the structural rules formulated by the International Association of Classification Societies Ltd. (IACS), and it will be delivered to Singapore-based Ocean Tankers Pte Ltd. [Xinhua]Related:
Supertanker rates advancing on China
Manila Bulletin
Freight derivatives betting on the Baltic Exchange's average price for the Saudi Arabia-Japan route in November advanced, trading at 49 Worldscale points at ...
Monday, October 12, 2009
Saturday, October 10, 2009
Yamal Peninsula in Northern Russia.
The Yamal Peninsula in Northern Russia. Map design - John PrusinskiThe Yamal Peninsula (Russian: полуо́стров Яма́л), located in Yamal-Nenets autonomous district of northwest Siberia, Russia, extends roughly 700 km (435 mi) and is bordered principally by the Kara Sea, Baydaratskaya Bay on the west, and by the Gulf of Ob on the east. In the language of its indigenous inhabitants, the Nenets, "Yamal" means "End of the World".
The peninsula consists mostly of permafrost ground and is geologically a very young place —some areas are less than ten thousand years old
Barents Observer | TNK-BP goes for Yamal oil
The board of the oil company TNK-BP has approved a USD 400 million investment plan at three oil fields at the Yamal Peninsula.
The investment is for the initial phase of the exploration and construction of the Suzun, Tagul and Russkoye fields at Yamal, reports Dow Jones Newswire. The initial phase includes early production activities.
TNK.BP is a joint venture between British BP and a group of Russian investors. The company is Russia’s third biggest oil producer.
Background information
A herd of deer grazes on pasture ground on the Yamal peninsula, north of the Arctic circle Picture: REUTERS
Baby mammoth unearthed in Yamal is 37,000 years old - scientists
Ice Baby — National Geographic Magazine, May 2009
A Nenets boy tentatively examines Lyuba outside Shemanovsky Museum in Salekhard, Siberia. Some of his elders still hold to the Nenets tradition that touching a mammoth, a creature they believe roams the spirit underworld, will bring bad luck.
Friday, October 2, 2009
Thursday, October 1, 2009
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Reuters | Water worries threaten U.S. push for natural gas
Jeff Locker, a Wyoming farmer, displays water filters from his well on September 17, 2009. People living near gas drilling facilities in states including Pennsylvania, Colorado, New Mexico and Wyoming have complained that their water has turned cloudy, foul-smelling, or even black as a result of chemicals used in a drilling technique called hydraulic fracturing, or "fracking." To match feature ENERGY-FRACKING/WATER REUTERS/Jon Hurdle (UNITED STATES ENVIRONMENT SCI TECH)
But aggressive development is drawing new scrutiny from residents who live near gas fields, even in energy-intensive states such as Wyoming, where one in five jobs are linked to the oil and gas industry which contributed more than $15 billion the state economy in 2007.
People living near gas drilling facilities in states including Pennsylvania, Colorado, New Mexico and Wyoming have complained that their water has turned cloudy, foul-smelling, or even black as a result of chemicals used in a drilling technique called hydraulic fracturing, or "fracking." FULL STORY
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