thenatureofmind

Syria: Another Pipeline War

The fossil fuel industry's business model is to externalize its costs by clawing in obscene subsidies and tax deductions—causing grave environmental costs, including toxic pollution and global warming. Among the other unassessed prices of the world's addiction to oil are social chaos, war, terror, the refugee crisis overseas, and the loss of democracy and civil rights abroad and at home.

Syria: Another Pipeline War

Trump or Clinton? No. America’s Future Will Be Decided By the “Financial Industry”

The political differences between the candidates only reflect the different points of view presently prevalent in the financial industry. In dealing with Russia and China, for example, Hillary Clinton plans to continue a policy of confrontation and preparation for war, while Donald Trump has obviously decided to follow the course laid out by Zbigniew Brzezinski (right) in his April 2016 paper ‘A New Realignment’.

Trump or Clinton? No. America’s Future Will Be Decided By the “Financial Industry”

Russia and the Ukraine – The Worrisome Connection to World Oil and Gas Problems

What is behind the Russia/Ukraine problem? It seems to me that what we are seeing is Russia’s attempt to fix a two-part problem:

1. Some oil and gas exporters, including Russia, are not receiving enough oil and gas revenue to meet their needs. They are not able to collect enough taxes to provide the services they have promised to their citizens, plus allow the amount of reinvestment that is needed to maintain production. Russia is starting to experience economic contraction because of the low revenue situation. This situation very closely related similar problems I have written about  previously. In one post I talked about major independent oil companies not producing enough profit to provide the revenue needed for reinvestment, and because of this, cutting back on new investment. In another, I talked about the problem of too low US natural gas sales prices, relative to the cost of extraction.
2. Some oil and gas importers, including the Ukraine, are not using their imported oil and gas in productive enough ways that they are able to afford to pay the market price for oil and gas. Russia gave the Ukraine a lower natural gas price because some of Russia’s pipelines cross the Ukraine, and the Ukraine must maintain the pipeline. But even with this lower natural gas price, the Ukraine is behind on its payments to Russia.

Russia and the Ukraine – The Worrisome Connection to World Oil and Gas Problems | Our Finite World.

Russia tightens hold on Kyrgyzstan

As the U.S. prepares to close its sole military base in Central Asia in July, Russia is making sure the Americans won't be coming back.

Russian state-owned oil company Rosneft inked a preliminary deal Feb. 19 with the Kyrgyz government to invest up to $1 billion for a stake of at least 51% in Manas International Airport, which is both Kyrgyzstan's main international gateway and home to the U.S. base used to support NATO operations in Afghanistan. The investment, Rosneft said, is "aimed at the creation of a large-scale international logistics hub," although the company is not experienced in that area.

Russia tightens hold on Kyrgyzstan- Nikkei Asian Review.

Venezuela election result set to upset global oil politics

While giant rallies in Caracas may be drawing the world's attention ahead of tomorrow's Venezuelan presidential election, the global significance of the vote can be found hundreds of miles to the east in the oil-soaked Orinoco Belt.

According to studies, Venezuela has overtaken Saudi Arabia to become number one in the world for proven oil reserves, largely thanks to the heavy crude found in this vast alluvial plain.

Venezuela election result set to upset global oil politics