Via Oil and Gas Daily, a look at China’s growing influence in Iraq: China has gained a major foothold in oil-rich Iraq, shaking up Western domination in fields from energy to construction, even as some warn that infrastructure projects could leave Baghdad in debt. After decades of conflict, Iraq is “badly in need of foreign […]
Read more »Via The Petroleum Economist, an article on how Chinese NOCs are forging ahead with challenging ultra-deep drilling and shale projects in Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, underlining the far western province’s potential importance to the country’s drive to meet ambitious energy security plans: PetroChina, one of China’s ‘big three’ NOCs, completed Luntan 1, Asia’s deepest well at […]
Read more »Via China Knowledge, a report that PetroChina offered to purchase a 45.51% stake in Singapore Petroleum Company from Keppel Corporation for S$ 1.47 billion. PetroChina noted that a mandatory general offer for the remaining 54.49% stake will be made if approval for the initial bid is received on or before 24 July. Singapore Petroleum is […]
Read more »From Newsweek, a timely reminder of the struggles facing the original Seven Sisters and the rise of the new oil majors. As the article notes: “…The escalating [BP] dispute is emblematic of the problems facing Big Oil—shrinking access, falling profit margins, underinvestment in equipment and technology and a business model that’s increasingly questioned. Major Western […]
Read more »Via Stratfor (subscription required), very interesting analysis of PetroChina’s deal with Venezuelan oil company Petroleos de Venezuela to build a 400,000 barrels per day refinery in China’s Guangdong province designed to process Venezuelan bitumen oil (extremely heavy, sour oil) into orimulsion, a fuel developed and patented by PDVSA. The deal allows Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez […]
Read more »Another day and more articles on the demise of Big Oil and the rise of The Seven Sisters. As Rig Zone points out: “…Three years ago, the top six names on the PFC Energy 50 ranking of the world’s largest oil & gas industry companies were ExxonMobil, BP, Royal Dutch Shell, Total, Chevron and Eni. […]
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