US's Iraq oil grab is a done deal

[Flavius22]

By 2010 we will need [a further] 50 million barrels a day. The Middle East, with two-thirds of the oil and the lowest cost, is still where the prize lies." - US Vice President **** Cheney, then Halliburton chief executive officer, London, autumn 1999

US President George W Bush and Vice President **** Cheney might as well declare the Iraq war over and out. As far as they - and the humongous energy interests they defend - are concerned,


...


Big Oil is obviously ecstatic - not only ExxonMobil, but also ConocoPhillips, Chevron, BP and Shell (which have collected invaluable info on two of Iraq's biggest oilfields), TotalFinaElf, Lukoil from Russia and the Chinese majors. Iraq has as many as 70 undeveloped fields - "small" ones hold a minimum of a billion barrels. As desert western Iraq has not even been exploited, reserves may reach 300 billion barrels - way more than Saudi Arabia. Gargantuan profits under the PSA arrangement are in a class by themselves. Iraqi oil costs only US$1 a barrel to extract. With a barrel worth $60 and up, happy days are here again.

more here (copy right)

http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Middle_East/IB28Ak01.html

[Flavius22]

if this is true, then all of the excess revenue collected by oil conglamorates should go towards the rehab of the 40-50k wounded members of the military coalition that secured that oil

[sferrin]

", Lukoil from Russia and the Chinese majors"

Okay so the people who buy the most oil are interested in buying Iraq's oil. Where's the news in that? (Although it does make you wonder what Russia's interest is as I thought they were a net exporter.)

[bugkill]

so what? what are you going to provide for the country? people make this big deal about oil, but they forget that it is a VERY important resource for our country. it appears that you are trying to make the argument that the war is all about oil and i ask "so f**king what!?".

tell me, what do you and others that share this viewpoint provide for the country (or another country that you may be from)? it is easy for someone that is only a student, professor, mechanic, janitor, or shoe salesman to talk crap about those that run s**t, but what the hell do you actually bring to the table when it concerns helping the country? how many jobs do you provide for those in america? how much oil do you bring into our country to get us from A to B? what is it that you provide the country in order for us to truly listen to what you're trying to say?

[sferrin]

so what? what are you going to provide for the country? people make this big deal about oil, but they forget that it is a VERY important resource for our country.

Uh, they're going to BUY your oil. You get money for it. What else do you want, blowjobs?

[Hollis]

EXXON is Alaska Oil

[Jobu]

So we get to keep buying/pumping oil from the middle east for a few more decades?

Why is this controversial?

[Freibier]

Do you think all those oil contracts will hold after US troops leave?

[Laworkerbee]

Do you think all those oil contracts will hold after US troops leave?

In short....yes

[Hollis]

Do you think all those oil contracts will hold after US troops leave?


Greed is not limited to just one Capitalistic country in the west. Some of the greediest people are Commies and religious fanatics.

[Mr Gently Benevolent]

EXXON is Alaska OilEXXON are involved in the extraction of oil and gas on a global scale as either or an independent entity or through joint ventures with other oil and gas companies.

[budgie]

if this is true, then all of the excess revenue collected by oil conglamorates should go towards the rehab of the 40-50k wounded members of the military coalition that secured that oil


if this is true, it won't

[budgie]

So we get to keep buying/pumping oil from the middle east for a few more decades?

Why is this controversial?


Ohh, umm.. .the fact that it took a war to secure it?

[mi35d]

And this would be different from other wars in the past, how? Wars are fought over resources whether it be land, minerals or oil.

[akd]

What a bunch of horsesh!t. Big surprise that after the Sunnis were toppled from power and decades of exploiting the Kurds and Shiites, the Kurds and Shiites end up with a favorable position in the post-Saddam oil market. And the sharing of the oil revenues is divided amongst the three groups because the Iraqis would not have it any other way.

Furthermore, not once does the article provide any information regarding what share of oil revenues will go to Iraq, nor does it explain how the oil fields would be developed to the benefit of Iraq without the help of outside firms.

[Enigma]

Totally off Topic....but since we are on the topic of ME oil...

"Does any of the Iraqi oil flow into the Haifa refineries?" (Just curious!)

Thanks

[Kilgor]

Why didnt the US go for the oil then in the first gulf war, with dubya snr ?

[Violet Fashion by Mindy]

Because then they didn't need to.

[Laworkerbee]

Because then "we" didn't need to.

Corrected as it wasn't exclusively an American campaign.

[AZRON]

U.S. , Duh !

Russia, China , Dutch , Brits will be among the interested and bidding companies.

Say it ain't risky ! Hope the gov't is stable ? Field , pipeline and port security plus the occasional suicide bomber. Saddam let the infrastructure age and run down.

U.S. Big Oil ? Three of the five major oil players in the U.S. are non-U.S. players including one ex-para named Chavez.

[Henry's Fork]

Looks like all the soapdodgers in Berkeley have been lying to me. Supposedly the US stole all of Iraqs oil, and now have their sights on stealing Irans oil.

Im Konfused. :petting:

[imohammed2]

Ohh, umm.. .the fact that it took a war to secure it?

good point.
ALSO, that war was fought under the pretext that saddam was helping al-Qaeda, which we know not to be true. Instead, this war has given al-Qaeda a new HQ conveniently as their afghan stronghold was losing power.

what do you mean, so what? you are okay with lying to invade a country, bringing it to the brink of a civil war, so that cheney can get that oil?

[imohammed2]

Looks like all the soapdodgers in Berkeley have been lying to me. Supposedly the US stole all of Iraqs oil, and now have their sights on stealing Irans oil.

Im Konfused. :petting:

in the immortal words of chappelle: "Oil, oil? Bitch you cooking something?"

[exarmyguard]

I think I am going to by that H2 Hummer after all.

[gustavski]

u.s want to offset china economic development because china also need oil with their growing industries. so iraq potentially will supply china with barrels of oil rather than to u.s.... so in order to get oil from the second largest oil reserve in world... so u.s make up story to attack iraq in order to securely get the supply of oil from iraq... because many country like russia, france have their gas plant in iraq before the invasion but after iraq has been invaded, those country have to pull of because the u.s have take over iraq, and all the oil contract been given to u.s based petroleum company to 'suck up' the wealthiest oil in iraq....

[akd]

u.s want to offset china economic development because china also need oil with their growing industries. so iraq potentially will supply china with barrels of oil rather than to u.s.... so in order to get oil from the second largest oil reserve in world... so u.s make up story to attack iraq in order to securely get the supply of oil from iraq... because many country like russia, france have their gas plant in iraq before the invasion but after iraq has been invaded, those country have to pull of because the u.s have take over iraq, and all the oil contract been given to u.s based petroleum company to 'suck up' the wealthiest oil in iraq....

even this ridiculous article does not say that...

[remo williams]

u.s want to offset china economic development because china also need oil with their growing industries. so iraq potentially will supply china with barrels of oil rather than to u.s.... so in order to get oil from the second largest oil reserve in world... so u.s make up story to attack iraq in order to securely get the supply of oil from iraq... because many country like russia, france have their gas plant in iraq before the invasion but after iraq has been invaded, those country have to pull of because the u.s have take over iraq, and all the oil contract been given to u.s based petroleum company to 'suck up' the wealthiest oil in iraq....


I don't think it's as cut and dried as that. however there is an entity which stands to gain from any positive progress made as far as stability and oil traffic. That being the oil industry. With China's oil demands on the rise, it would make sense that the oil co's would want to have some type of foot hold, if not outright control over any future stores, distribution, and sales of any future oil sources. Especially at this point when we know China will need to consume as much as they will to reach their goal. as well as how much we're into them for, why wouldn't any business as intertwined with the fate of a nation want to have a sellers advantage over the Chinese estimated future purchase. These people plan far in advance (around the 40+ yr mark from what I've been told). Even if we can't see benefits in the near term , if it looks good at the long end, that's enough justification to them for short term loss. What's fcuked among many things, is that the whole nation dosen't entirely equally benefit from the industry's profits and footholds.

[Skutatos]

I dont think many people realize how important some resources are. Fighting for economic reasons actually does some good in the long run because it keeps your economy and people going strong. Plus its something tangeable you actually get out of it. Furthermore oil isn't just used in gasoline...Its used in plastic just to name one thing. Imagine a world without plastic. Plastics save and enrich lives everyday. Nothing wrong with economic wars as economic reasons are actually probably one of the BEST reasons to go to war if you want to do good for your nation in the long run.

That being said...If we(the U.S) wanted oil that badly we would just drill the Gulf of Mexico:http://www.news.cornell.edu/Chronicle/03/4.3.03/ACS-Cathles.html...plenty there and far cheaper to obtain. But then people would just bitch about the poor animals they believe are being harmed in the rather unharmful process.

A large portion of the money earned from Iraqi Oil goes to the Iraqi people themselves...who cares where the oil itself ends up as long as its paid for.

[gustavski]

well, for example if ur country get occupied and ur natural resource been managed by some alien force to decide where it should go, arent u piss off?... for me of course i will be mad. this is a modern day occupation... is like we are back to where imperialism started...

[Mr Gently Benevolent]

I think I am going to by that H2 Hummer after all.Nah don’t bother, oil refineries have seen little investment in the last decade and some time soon there going to need some cash and it won’t be coming from the shareholders dividend.p-)

[capixaba]

I was on about a similar thing on another thread about the US view on Venezuela - It's all about oil. You can dress it up in any clothes you want - it was the same 90 years ago - the Royal Navy was sitting right off Basra, and as soon as WW1 kicked off they were in there on day one "liberating the Iraqis from Turkish opression" (and taking control of the oilfields!). My grandfather served four years there (straight) getting home in 1920. Right to the last couple days of the war, even though the Turks were beaten, his unit was pushing on up the Mosul road to get as much of the Kurdish oilfields secured under British control before the armistice.
The Germans were there for the same reasons - Tikrit was a major German airbase, and they were in there building the Berlin to Baghdad railway - the deal which included them getting mineral rights either side - kind of handy if you route it through a major undeveloped oilfield - all this at a time when the worlds (then) two biggest naval powers had just switched thier capital ships from coal to oil!
Interesting from an American point of view to read Blood and Oil by Michael T. Klare - has some interesting facts and figures, and the link between US foreign policy/military actions, and the countries energy needs. If you read the facts of stuff that has happened, previously you can see the pattern emerging of what is going down now.
Having worked in the oil industry for close on 25 years - the chances of the oil multinationals paying out for the treatment of military casualties is slim to zero! Think about how many of thier own or contracted employees have been killed or crippled in thier own operations in the same time period - **** I have a price tag for every finger, joint of finger, toe, left bollock - if it goes missing - quick payout - unless they can say it was your own fault, and then nice knowing you! Military casualties are going to be something for the Americn taxpayer, (all part of the big bill) and a terrible legacy, long after this is over (in it's present phase). Makes you wonder what is going to happen to all those poor guys (and girls) who paid the price with thier limbs, brain damage etc. Not to mention the psycological carnage waiting to manifest itself.

[remo williams]

That being said...If we(the U.S) wanted oil that badly we would just drill the Gulf of Mexico, plenty there and far cheaper to obtain.


But to find the largest field would take some time and money. Meanwhile a sure worthwhile source is passed up. Being in the ME would cut transportation costs and increase profits dramatically if the largest oil buyer is China. I'm not sanctioning this , just my thoughts.

[capixaba]

That being said...If we(the U.S) wanted oil that badly we would just drill the Gulf of Mexico..plenty there and far cheaper to obtain. But then people would just bitch about the poor animals they believe are being harmed in the rather unharmful process.



Well our lot are already going flat out in the Gulf, as are all the other drilling contractors - the operators are paying massive day rates for rigs (worldwide) - New fields are being found and produced all the time, and they are getting into deeper and deeper water - next generation already being built will be rated to 12,000 water depth. Problem is it still isn't enough, and never will be! Basically the pocurement market is shrinking for the US - got a lot less friends now than a couple of years ago, and you are now in direct competition with emerging nations like China and India to buy your oil from on a free market. So you have a choice of holding the moral high ground, or dealing with/supporting all sorts of scumbags - whether you like them or loathe them - can't have it both ways. They already had a go at the Arctic Wilderness, and got put on hold (for now) also the coast around Florida has been off limits so far. Cuba is also the other untapped biggy close to home, which the States has shut itself out of (for the time being). Now Venezuela will fairly soon be in a position to sell all thier oil and gas elsewhere. Its going to depend so much about what happens elesewhere in the world (much of which America will have no control over) that will dictate how bad the situation actually gets - the reality is that longterm it's a pretty bleak outlook - unless there is a big change in energy policy, and the public's attitude to energy use.