by DantesPeak » Mon 02 Jan 2006, 11:51:05
$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('untothislast', 'W')e're currently on the outer fringes of an undeclared world war over access to energy resources.
The invasion and occupation of Iraq was all about securing a stake in the middle of the world's premier oil producing region. The actual motive was easily camouflaged with rhetoric about WMD and the act of 'bringing democracy' to the beleaguered Iraqi people. Now, as nations start to openly jostle for position, countries like Russia are starting to declare their hands in an overtly political fashion, which will ultimately force into the open the discussion and admissions about supply scarcity which the West has done its utmost to conceal.
2006? You had to be there . . .
Well put, but in retrospect, I think the first oil war was the invasion of Iran by Iraq in the 80s. The main goal of Iraq was to secure the oil fields near the Persian Gulf.
Later, as we all know, Iraq invaded Kuwait over an oil dispute. Evidence points to the fact that Kuwait conducted horizontal drilling into Iraq's oil fields before the war.
But the start of hostilities in 2003 by the US was the biggest and boldest move to secure energy supplies. Washington insiders later revealed that
top adminstration officials were looking closely at possible Iraq oil reserves, and they were advised - at least briefly - by the likes of Simmons.
Russia, with its energy supplies, can now assert its power.
Also, please note, LNG supplies are going to the highest bidder - as this story about India points out:
$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'S')hell closes operations of its LNG Hazira terminal
Gujarat and other western states likely to suffer shortage of 7 lakh cubic metres/day
Kamlesh Trivedi / Ahmedabad January 2, 2006
Shell has terminated its operations for the time being at its Hazira terminal in South Gujarat.
When contacted by Business Standard Nitin Shukla, CEO, Shell Hazira, refused to comment on the issue.
The Hazira terminal of Shell has one tank with full storage capacity of 138 million cubic metre.
Shell Hazira was looking for some long term tie up for its LNG in India but it never found it mainly because it had not tied up any long term supply for its Indian operations.
The nearest point where Shell has its LNG liquefaction facility was Oman, and another Australia.
Shell had started diverting its cargo for its Indian operations to the US market where natural gas prices have flared up because of cold winter and reduced supply worldwide.