The results of Crimea’s referendum appears to be solidly in favor of the Crimea joining Russia. This was to be expected since the majority of the residents of Crimea are of Russian rather than Ukrainian descent and most speak Russian. The only problem is that Crimea isn’t physically connected to Russia (much like Alaska isn’t connected to the U.S.).
Russia Eyes Crimea’s Oil and Gas Reserves Read More »
For two centuries the Kurdish people have been fighting for independence from their Arab neighbors. The Kurdish region is located along the border where Iran, Iraq, Turkey, and Syria meet. The Kurds have been subject to repression and often genocide but continue to fight for independence. Today we will look at the most recent economic skirmish between the new Iraqi government and the Kurds. At first, it may appear that it is simply a battle for Oil revenue but there is more to it than that.
Iraqi Government Threatens Action Against Kurds as Oil Exports Set to Begin Read More »
A wave of violence has swept parts of Iraq at the start of 2014 as the central government fights back against Al-Qaeda aligned militants in Anbar Province. The Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) reportedly took control of Ramadi and Fallujah, bombing police headquarters and killing dozens. On New Year’s Day Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki sent in reinforcements to take back control of Anbar Province’s two largest cities. The clashes kick off 2014 in much the same way as 2013 ended – a return to violence in a country that had seen important security gains in recent years.
Violence Threatens to Thwart Iraqi Oil Resurgence Read More »
If one was to believe the picture that most Western media outlets are painting, Ukraine has been lost to Russia. Though the country fought valiantly to sign an Association Agreement with the European Union in Vilnius, Lithuania last month, President Viktor Yanukovych suspended negotiations with the EU at the last possible moment, betraying Ukrainians everywhere. Two recent energy deals that Ukraine has reportedly made, one with Russia and the other with Slovakia, however, show that the reality of the situation is slightly more complex.
Ukraine’s Two New Energy Deals Read More »
Demand for Canadian commodities looks set to rise, economics will ensure that Canadian oil will find its way to more markets, with or without Washington’s approval of Keystone XL.
Are Canadian Energy Stocks Set for a Rebound? Read More »
Ever since it was alleged that Obama was born in Kenya, the African country appears to be in the news more and more. Recently, there was a terrorist attack at a shopping mall and even more recently allegations that the Kenya Defense Force (KDF) that was fighting the terrorists took the opportunity to loot the Mall while
Trends: Kenya Oil Read More »
On his way back from the Yalta conference in February 1945 where US President Franklin D. Roosevelt met with Great Britain’s Winston Churchill and the Soviet Union’s Stalin, the American president made an unscheduled stop in Egypt where he met with Saudi Arabia’s King Abdel Aziz ibn Saud aboard the USS Quincy, in the Suez Canal’s Great Bitter Lake. The basis of the meeting was to ensure that Americans would have an uninterrupted supply of oil.
Mideast Oil Loses Some of its Power Read More »
Just a few years ago the chatter was that “Peak Oil” was here and all the oil that could be found had already been found. But all that has changed, now new oil and gas  discoveries are being made at a frantic pace. This is not new.  The cycle goes on. When prices of oil or gas
Key Oil and Gas Discoveries of 2013 Read More »
James Stafford of Oilprice.com discusses the following topics with Michael Klare: Why we are talking about a resurgence” of American power Why the issue of US natural gas exports is a geopolitical dilemma Why Myanmar is important but not critical to the US Asia-Pacific “pivot” Why Myanmar IS critical to China Why India and Japan are key to the US’ evolving
Extreme Energy, Extreme Implications Read More »
India’s relentless search for hydrocarbons to fuel its booming economy has managed the rather neat diplomatic trick of annoying Washington, delighting Tehran and intriguing Baghdad, all the while leaving the Indian Treasury fretting about how to pay for its oil imports, given tightening sanctions on fiscal dealings with Iran.
On 7 June the US State Department reluctantly announced that it was renewing India’s six-month waivers for implementing sanctions against Iran, along with seven other countries eligible for waivers from the sanctions owing to good faith efforts to substantially reduce their Iranian oil imports. In New Delhi’s case, it is the U.S. and EU-led sanctions rather than any willingness on India’s part that has seen a fall in its Iranian oil imports. India is the second-largest buyer of Iranian oil, a nation with whom it has traditionally had close ties. U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said that India, China, Malaysia, South Korea, Singapore, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Turkey, and Taiwan had all qualified for an exception to sanctions under America’s Iran Sanctions Act, based on additional significant reductions in the volume of their crude oil purchases from Iran.
India’s Energy Ties with Iran Unsettle Washington Read More »
