International


Nigeria: Shell Agrees to Pay $83.5 Million for Oil Spills

Jan 7, 2015 | New York Times

The oil giant Shell agreed early Wednesday to pay a Nigerian fishing community 55 million pounds, or about $83.5 million, ending a three-year legal battle…


Somalia: Somalia Expels Chinese Firm for 'Illegal Mining'

Jan 7, 2015 | World Bulletin

A Chinese mining company has been ordered out of Somalia for allegedly conducting illegal mining activity and causing "public turmoil," the Somali government announced on…


Iraq: Majnoon Protesters Demand Jobs

Jan 6, 2015 | Ali Abu Iraq and Ben Lando, Iraq Oil Report

Demonstrators blocked roads near the Majnoon oil field over the past week, claiming that Royal Dutch Shell has reneged on promises to provide jobs."We went…


Myanmar: Myanmar Arrests More Than 100 foreigners for Illegal Logging

Jan 6, 2015 | Associated Press

The Myanmar army has arrested more than 100 foreigners and 20 Myanmar nationals for illegal logging near the Chinese border, the defense ministry said Tuesday.It…


Iraq: Iraq Exports Record High 2.94 Mil b/d Crude in Dec, Up 430,000 b/d from Nov

Jan 6, 2015 | Faleh al-Khayat and Adal Mirza, Platts

Iraq's crude oil exports reached 2.94 million b/d in December, a new record high, taking the country's 2014 monthly average to 2.517 million b/d, as…


Myanmar: Govt Targets Kachin Rebels in Timber Takedown

Jan 6, 2015 | Nyein Nyein, The Irrawaddy

The Burmese government took a hard line on the timber trade in Kachin State on Tuesday, as state-run media publicly denounced rebels for facilitating illicit…


South Sudan: New Fighting Rocks South Sudan Oil States

Jan 5, 2015 | Michael Atit, Lucy Poni, and Waakhe Simon Wudu, Voice of America

JUBA—The South Sudanese army and rebel forces loyal to former vice president Riek Machar are blaming each other for the latest outbreaks of fighting in…


China/Vietnam/South China Sea: Vietnam Leery as China’s Infamous Oil Rig Heads for Indian Ocean

Jan 5, 2015 | An Dien, Thanh Nien News

Vietnamese agencies have kept a close eye on the path of a giant mobile oil rig since China Central Television announced it was setting off…


South Sudan/Sudan: Sudan to Receive $884 Million from Juba in Oil Transit Fees in 2014

Jan 4, 2015 | Sudan Vision

Khartoum – South Sudan’s Oil Minister, Stephen Dhieu Dau, said on Saturday that Sudan’s share from transit fees of South Sudan’s oil amounted to US$884…


Climate Change: Weather & Climate Summit Returns to Breckenridge with Sessions on Sea Ice and Climate Security

Jan 4, 2015 | Bob Berwyn, Summit County Citizens Voice

FRISCO — This year’s Glen Gerberg Weather and Climate Summit in Breckenridge once again features some notable climate scientists, including James Balog, who has documented…


Iraq: Iraq's Oil Revenues Hit Despite Record Exports

Jan 4, 2015 | Gulf Daily News

BAGHDAD: Iraq's oil exports reached their highest level in decades in December, the oil ministry's spokesman said yesterday, but vital revenues were being hit by…


Iraq: Iraq Oil Exports Soar but Low Prices Hit Revenue

Jan 3, 2015 | Al Arabiya

Iraq's oil exports reached their highest level in decades in December, the oil ministry's spokesman said on Saturday, but vital revenues were being hit by…


South Sudan: South Sudan Oil Revenue at $3.38 Bln, Hit by Conflict and Price Falls

Jan 3, 2015 | Reuters

South Sudan's oil revenue last year was hit by reduced output because of conflict in the African republic and the rapid decline in oil prices,…


Myanmar: Myanmar Returns to What Sells: Heroin

Jan 3, 2015 | Thomas Fuller, New York Times

BANG LAEM, Myanmar — A decade ago, Myanmar seemed on course to wipe out the opium fields and heroin jungle labs along its eastern border,…


Myanmar: Protests Against Letpadaung Mine Staged in Burma’s Biggest Cities

Jan 2, 2015 | The Irrawaddy

RANGOON — Activists in Burma’s two largest cities took to the streets on Thursday to show their solidarity with farmers affected by the Letpadaung copper…


South Sudan: ‘Silent Emergency’ in South Sudan as Protracted Conflict Displaces Millions of Cattle – UN

Dec 31, 2014 | United Nations

As South Sudan’s livestock owners flee the country’s conflict, a “silent emergency” has emerged threatening the very fabric of society and further undermining social stability,…


Liberia: Plan to Resell Oil Block 16 Contract Exposed

Dec 31, 2014 | Heritage

It can be recalled that recently, the  53rd  Legislature  ratified the controversial Production Sharing Contract (PSC) of Liberia offshore Oil Block 16 between the Government…


South Sudan: South Sudan Claims Oil Still Flows, Experts Disagree

Dec 30, 2014 | John Tanza, Voice of America

South Sudan Foreign Minister Barnaba Marial Benjamin said Tuesday that oil production, the backbone of the country's economy, has not been affected by the year-old…


Liberia: For Ratification of Block 16 Oil Contract: Lawmakers Bribed Over US$3M?

Dec 30, 2014 | Heritage

Recently, the Legislature ratified the Block 16 Oil Contract few days after    the Executive Branch of the  Government of Liberia(GOL)  headed by President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf…


Iraq: Basra Leaders Pushing for Regional Autonomy

Dec 30, 2014 | Ali Abu Iraq and Ben Lando, Iraq Oil Report

Leaders in Basra are making a renewed push to form a region akin to the autonomous Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) – a move that would…


Iraqi PM: Baghdad Unable to Export Oil Without Kurds

Dec 29, 2014 | Mewan Dolamari, Basnews

The Iraqi Prime Minister has said that without reaching an agreement with the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG), Baghdad cannot export oil from fields in the…


Iran/Iraq: Iran Approves $15 Billion Plan to Develop Oilfields With Iraq

Dec 29, 2014 | Kambiz Foroohar, Blomberg

Iran’s cabinet approved a four-year $15 billion plan to jointly develop oilfields with Iraq that will increase the nation’s production capacity by 550,000 barrels a…


South Sudan: UN Boosts Food Assistance As ‘Very Critical’ Nile Corridor Reopens

Dec 29, 2014 | United Nations

A barge carrying a shipment of food destined for thousands of people in South Sudan has crossed over from neighbouring Sudan, reopening a long-closed river…


DRC: 15 Killed in Illegal Mine in Democratic Republic of Congo

Dec 28, 2014 | Press TV

At least 15 people have suffocated to death while working in an illegal mine in the southeastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).

Mayor Deoda Kapenda…


Iraq: Iraq Pins Hope on Privatisation as Oil Price Falls and War Against ISIL Takes Its Toll

Dec 28, 2014 | The National

Iraq plans to divest state-owned enterprises as part of a major privatisation push to diversify income and revenues in light of lower oil prices and…


Iraq: Belgian Jet Fighters Destroy ISIL-Used Oil Refinery in Iraq

Dec 28, 2014 | Kuwait News Agency

Two Belgian F-16 fighter jets have destroyed an oil refinery which was being used to supply fuel for ISIL vehicles in western Iraq. According to…


Libya: Libyan Militias Set Fire to Storage Tanks in Renewed Push for Oil, Foreign Minister Says

Dec 28, 2014 | New York Times

Libya’s foreign minister said Sunday that militant groups were making a renewed push to seize oil resources, after an assault on eastern terminals set storage…


China, Viet Nam, South China Sea: China, Vietnam to Address Maritime Disputes without Using 'Megaphone Diplomacy:' Xinhua

Dec 27, 2014 | Pete Sweeney, Reuters

Senior Chinese and Vietnamese officials have agreed to settle their maritime disputes without resorting to "megaphone diplomacy", the official Xinhua news service said on Saturday.

The…


China, Viet Nam, South China Sea: China, Vietnam to Address Maritime Disputes without Using 'Megaphone Diplomacy:' Xinhua

Dec 27, 2014 | Pete Sweeney, Reuters

Senior Chinese and Vietnamese officials have agreed to settle their maritime disputes without resorting to "megaphone diplomacy", the official Xinhua news service said on Saturday.

The…


Resource Curse: Africa’s Rich Oil: The New Political Scramble and Core Causes for Conflict around the Continent (Part 2)

Dec 26, 2014 | Josephus Moses Gray, GNN Liberia

The African continent which is blessed with riches is drawing new interests from powerful and influential countries and companies around the globe owing to its…