A few years ago international oil companies were sharpening their drill bits in anticipation of re-entering Iraq’s post-Saddam Hussein oil industry, and now a similar situation is developing in Iran as plans to ease western-led economic sanctions progress. Potential investment opportunities in Iran – from upstream oil and gas to petrochemicals – have IOCs paying… Keep reading →
Google acquired smart thermostat startup company Nest for $3.2 billion in cash. Nest had been working on a reported $150 million financing round that would have valued the firm at $2 billion. CEO Tony Fadell – a former Apple SVP – said on the company’s blog “We’ve had great momentum, but this is a rocket… Keep reading →
The oil production targets agreed to in Iraq’s service contracts with international oil companies in 2009 were unrealistic from the start for technical and political reasons, and it now appears output thresholds at several of the country’s largest fields will be scaled back. [Wall Street Journal] A small bankrupt energy company is seeking to force… Keep reading →
Amid all the uproar over the US’s surprising oil production growth of the last few years, some oil market watchers may have inflated expectations of just how well-supplied the market is. US onshore oil supply growth has helped to boost global oil market supply, helping to insulate prices from the impact of disruptions, such as… Keep reading →
Apparently very little, according to traders and analysts polled by Bloomberg last week. The poll of 24 oil market observers had 22 predict Opec members would leave the current 30 million barrel per day production limit unchanged when they meet in Vienna on December 4th. Much has been made of the light, sweet barrels pushed… Keep reading →
While next year’s oil prices may be lower than this year’s, a sharp downturn in prices is not in the cards in 2014, according to Barclays analysts. “The oil market is in the midst of a turning point for fundamentals,” wrote Barclays analysts in a note to clients today. Non-Opec supply growth will exceed global… Keep reading →
The oil producers’ cartel will discuss cutting back output at its meeting this Wednesday in Vienna. Iraq’s output continues increasing, Iran could export more barrels as a result of last week’s nuclear deal and non-Opec production has been strong with US output soaring – all bullish supply factors that could put downward pressure on prices… Keep reading →
Is the rapid increase in US oil and gas production from shale resources a threat to the oil-dependent Saudi Arabian economy? That depends on who within the kingdom you ask. One school of thought proclaims global energy demand growth is expected to be sufficient to absorb all new supply sources, while another fears extensive incremental… Keep reading →
Leave it to good old T. Boone Pickens to compare frog boiling with the US-Opec strategic relationship. Pickens today posted a piece on LinkedIn promoting his ‘Pickens Plan’ – a multi-pronged approach to eliminating US oil imports – that harkened back to President Nixon’s promise of US energy independence. In 1973, President Nixon said: “Let… Keep reading →
Timing of Iraq’s Oil Production Target Cuts No Coincidence
By Jared AndersonAmid much hype and excitement, international oil companies that had been chomping at the bit for years to get into Iraq finally got their chance in 2009 when the country hosted its first post-Saddam Hussain oil field development bid rounds. After much confusion and a generally failed first bid round, the second resulted in several… Keep reading →