Energy-Rich Nations Are Raising Price of Foreign Admittance

LA PAZ, Bolivia – For centuries, this country made it easy for prospectors to mine – from the Spaniards who plundered gold to the tin barons of the 19th century to the multinational energy companies that flocked here in the 1990’s to develop Latin America’s second-largest natural gas deposits. B like many energy-producing countries these days, Bolivia has pulled back the welcome mat. With an angry population demanding a larger share of the benefits, and some groups even calling for expropriation, the government recently raised royalties and taxes to among the highest levels in Latin America.

Australian LNG showdown in California – It’s all about the game (part 2)

The competition to build LNG terminals on (or off) the US west coast is hotting up, with corporate contenders having to deal with new geological and operating safety concerns, untested technology and planning framework changes, never mind the political arm wrestling. Martin Hastings updates us on who is still in the game.

Fossil Fuel Headlines – 1 July, 2005

Caltech professor outlines energy/climate problem, proposes solar /
Bush condemns Kyoto, dependence on Middle East oil /
PO doesn’t mesh with our picture of the world /
Review: Deffeyes new book is unclear on future /
Oilcast in Spanish /
Shell escapes charges over reserves reporting /
Lundberg: Active citizenry before petrocollapse? /
PO article from 5 years ago /
Discussion on peak natural gas /
US uproar about China’s Unocal bid (video) /
Some experts unconcerned about Unocal /
The Oil Drum IS concerned – is oil still fungible? /
Foreign buyers not new to US oil patch

Fossil Fuel Headlines – 30 June, 2005

BP: world oil consumption hits record in 2004 /
Don’t lower taxes on oil /
Critic: Kunstler is a ‘reactionary envrionmentalist’ who isn’t nice /
Declaration of Independence from Mid-East oil /
OPEC, investment and efficiency are keys, says IEA /
Coming to terms with oil supply squeeze /
Cost of diesel worries truckers /
Greenpeace: fusion project ‘senseless stupidity’ /
Are LNG terminals safe? /
Spotlight on gasification

Natural gas–the next fossil fuel shortage?

Natural gas appears to be a good replacement for oil. It comes out of the ground easily. It burns cleaner than other fossil fuels, though it does release carbon dioxide, the major greenhouse gas that causes global warming….The positive spin on natural gas as the preferred replacement for oil given by Forbes and the New York Times is contradicted by Julian Darley’s “High Noon” book.

Smoothing over Russian Subsoil

Article depicts the situation of Russian oilfields being auctioned off to the oil companies and coming online. It explains why Russian goverments keeps the size of its petroleum reserves secret, why the Eastern Siberia oilfields will not save the world from the lack of oil, and why the Eastern Pipeline being built to supply the countries of East Asia with Russian oil will never be filled.

USA plans to expand military presence in Azerbaijan, promises $100mil for Caspian guard

US Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld visited Azerbaijan (an Asian republic of the former USSR) on April 12th. It became Rumsfeld’s second visit to the republic in four months — that is why it can hardly be treated as a formal visit of no particular importance.

The Global Struggle for Energy

From Washington to New Delhi, Caracas to Moscow and Beijing, national leaders and corporate executives are stepping up their efforts to gain control over major sources of oil and natural gas as the global struggle for energy intensifies. Never has the competitive pursuit of untapped oil and gas reserves been so acute, and never has so much money as well as diplomatic and military muscle been deployed in the contest to win control over major foreign stockpiles of energy.