A consortium led by oil giant BP and China’s CNPC has today won the contract for the vast Rumaila oil field – the largest oil field in Iraq and one of the biggest in the world. The acquisition will be seen as a huge boost to BP, which has been seeking to get control of … Read More
Iraq
The “mother of all sell-outs”
UPDATE 6/24: The Wall St. Journal has an interesting article on this. Way back in November 2002, as the build up to the war in Iraq gathered pace, then British Prime Minister Tony Blair appeared on the Arabic Service of Monte Carlo radio, in an address targeted at the Iraqi people. “The idea that this … Read More
The Beginning of the End of Oil?
Is this the beginning of the end of the oil age? Are we finally falling out of love with black gold? The end may not be coming not because we are running out of it, but because demand is alowly decreasing through increased energy efficiency. It will not be sudden, but a death of a … Read More
Carbon Offsetting is “Fundamentally Flawed”
As the pressure for an international deal grows in Copenhagen, one of the corner-stones of any solution will be carbon offsetting, where rich, polluting countries supposedly offset their rising emissions by investing in “clean” projects in developing countries. Off-setting will be high on the agenda at the next round of climate talks in Bonn this … Read More
Shell: World’s Most Carbon Intensive Oil Company
Of all the oil majors, Shell prides itself on undertaking cutting edge energy forecasting, that not only inform the group’s thinking but also dove-tail into policy making by decision makers across the energy spectrum. It is one of the few companies to get out its crystal-ball and try and predict what the energy future will … Read More
Fossil Fuel Lobby’s $45 Million Propaganda Campaign
You really did not expect them to lie down and roll over without a fight did you? Yesterday we highlighted how the sceptics were gearing up for one last push to undermine the science of climate change. Today its the turn of the oil and coal companies who are pouring millions into scuppering the Democrat’s … Read More
British End Combat in Iraq but Stay to Defend the Oil
So the war is over – for the British at least. The Iraq war formally ended for British forces yesterday as British forces handed control of the oil-rich Basra area to U.S. commanders and prepared to ship out most of its remaining 4,000 troops. The end came early, but of course the end of combat … Read More
“No longer will petroleum be the only game in town”
California has long liked to set the trend that others follow: whether it be movies, fashion, celebrities or even clean air. And yesterday was another first. It adopted the world’s first regulation to limit greenhouse gas emissions from transport fuels. The State’s Air Resources Board adopted a regulation expected to slash gasoline consumption by 25% … Read More
Iraq: Politicians Pledge to “Push Shell Out”
Only last Thursday, the boss of oil company Shell Jeroen van der Veer suggested that the oil giant was interested in joining forces with China on a number of oil projects in Iraq. “We are in the process of forming partnerships for certain bids, and Chinese companies are a part of that,” he said. But … Read More
“If we don’t spend this money wisely, we will have failed”
The US Energy Secretary, Steven Chu, has likened his new job as being “dumped in the deep end of the pool.” In an illuminating interview with the New York Times over the week-end Chu talked about the pressures and strains of his new job. “I didn’t appreciate how much of a public figure you become,” … Read More