January | 2006 | The Price of Oil

Posts in January 2006

Old School Profits – More on Exxon Mobil’s fat profits
Andy Rowell
Jan31
The news that ExxonMobil has just posted the highest profits in history should bring down to earth those congenital optimists who, for the last 20 years or so, have been claiming that the best way to do well is to do good. ExxonMobil got their record-breaking billions the old fashioned way: through high oil prices.
Exxon Mobil Makes Biggest Profit in Corporate History
Andy Rowell
Jan31
Oil giant Exxon Mobil yesterday reported the biggest profit in corporate history- some $36.1bn (£20bn) after tax for 2005. The profit was on the back of soaring oil prices. The company’s turnover – some $371bn – would make it the 17th biggest economy, just behind Russia but ahead of Taiwan or Sweden. The obscene profit…
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UK Climate Change Strategy “Paralysed”
Andy Rowell
Jan31
More on that story of Britain’s stagnated climate change strategy. The Guardian reports how the strategy has “been paralysed for seven months by a dispute between two Whitehall departments.” So yesterday we find out that Blair says climate change is worse than previously thought – the greatest threat facing humanity. Today we read about the…
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Even Blair Says We are in Trouble Because of Climate Change
Andy Rowell
Jan30
Britain’s Prime Minister Tony Blair has admitted that climate change could be much more serious than previously thought in a new government report on global warming published today. The report is a major update to a scientific conference held in Exeter last year by the British government on the subject.
Meanwhile Shell’s vision is ….. “green fossil fuels”
Andy Rowell
Jan27
Whilst everyone else gets excited about the potential for renewable energy, the Chief Executive of Shell, Jeroen Van Der Veer shows a remarkable lack of foresight or imagination. Writing in the Financial Times this week, Van Der Veer outlined his “vision for meeting energy needs beyond oil”.
Two continents: Same message: The solutions are there.
Andy Rowell
Jan27
Let’s move on from the last blog about the political will being needed to make technological change. Two reports on two different continents show how we could reduce our oil dependency now, and reduce carbon dioxide emissions given political will and economic investment.
America Must Reduce its Oil Dependence Says Ex-CIA Director
Andy Rowell
Jan24
Writing in Monday’s Financial Times, James Woolsey, the head of the CIA from 1993 to 1995 and Robert McFarlane, who was Ronald Reagan’s national security adviser, argued that “America must end its dependence on oil”.
Leggett on peak oil – “A spectre is haunting Europe…”
Steve Kretzmann
Jan23
Dr. Jeremy Leggett on peak oil in the UK Independent. Leggett, trained as petroleum geologist, advisor to Greenpeace for a long time, has a knack for being ahead of his time. Now he’s on peak oil, and its pretty compelling stuff. Click here to download a pdf version of his article.
Chomsky: Its the Oil Stupid!
Steve Kretzmann
Jan19
Chomsky: ” Well, you know, if you have three gray cells functioning, you know that…the U.S. invaded Iraq because it has enormous oil resources…” http://www.alternet.org/story/30487/
Gaia Scientist Says we are Doomed as BP Says it is “Time To Listen”
Andy Rowell
Jan16
Today’s Independent newspaper carries an indepth interview with celebrated scientist, James Lovelock who invented the “Gaia” theory thirty years ago. His new book, called the The Revenge of Gaia is published next month. In it Lovelock argues that climate change has already past the point of no return and that billions of people will die…
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