International


South Sudan: CNPC, S. Sudan in MoU to Boost Oil Production

Dec 26, 2014 | Daily Times NG

China National Petro­leum Co has entered an agreement with South Sudan to boost production of existing oilfields in the young African state. This is according…


Iraq/Kuwait: Kuwait Energy Announces Second Oil Find in Iraq

Dec 25, 2014 | Trade Arabia

Kuwait Energy, an independent oil and gas exploration and production company, said a consortium led by the company, has made its second oil discovery in…


Libya: Fighters Clash With Troops Defending Oil Sites

Dec 25, 2014 | New York Times

Islamist militia fighters killed at least 22 soldiers on Thursday during a surprise attack in which they used speedboats in a bid to seize some…


Iran/Iraq: Iran Calls for Boosting Oil, Gas Cooperation with Iraq

Dec 24, 2014 | Umid Niayesh, Trend

Iran and Iraq can boost cooperation in oil and gas sector, the Islamic Republic’s Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani said, Iran’s Fars news agency reported Dec.…


Iraq: Oil Price Drop Causes $43 bln. Cut in Iraq's Budget

Dec 24, 2014 | Middle East Monitor

On Tuesday, Iraq's cabinet approved the country's 2015 budget, which included a $43 billion reduction from last year.

Ahmed Haji Rashid said: "The drop in oil…


Iraq: Baiji Refinery ‘More Than a Year’ From Re-start

Dec 23, 2014 | Iraq Oil Report

Iraq's largest oil refinery still faces enormous obstacles before it can resume operations, one month after Iraqi forces regained control of the city of Baiji…


Iraq/Kurdistan: Plunging Oil Prices Hurt Iraqi Kurds' Bid for Independence

Dec 23, 2014 | Peter Schwartzstein, National Geographic

The Kurdish capital is built on oil. From the high-rise apartment blocks that ring the broad outer boulevards, to the streetside jungle gyms and gleaming…


Sudan: Sudan Plans to Increase Gold, Minerals Production

Dec 23, 2014 | Sudan Vision

Khartoum - In accordance with the governmental directions to increase minerals production as a method to support the general Revenues of the state, the ministry…


Liberia/Nigeria: Liberia, Nigeria Ratify Oil Production Deal

Dec 22, 2014 | Chika Izuora, Leadership

The legislature in Liberia has given its nod to a production sharing arrangement with a Nigerian oil firm operating in that country.

The Liberian Senate at…


South Sudan: Oil for Peace? China to Send 700 Peacekeepers to S. Sudan, Signs Energy Deal

Dec 22, 2014 | RT

China has announced it will deploy a 700-strong infantry battalion in South Sudan at the beginning of 2015. It comes as the war-torn African country…


Iraq: Iraq Oil Key for Turkey, Says Energy Minister

Dec 22, 2014 | Hurriyet Daily News

Turkey is about to make new deals with new companies, which will be of great importance to Iraqi oil, Energy Minister Taner Yıldız said at…


China/South China Sea: International Law and the South China Sea

Dec 22, 2014 | Truong-Minh Vu and Trang Pham, The Diplomat

China’s position paper published on December 7, 2014 is one of the rare documents in which Beijing officially expressed its opinions on the issues in…


Iraq/Kurdistan: Iraq Says to Start Work on Final Oil Deal with Kurdish Region in Weeks

Dec 22, 2014 | Rania El Gamal, Reuters

Iraq's Kurdish region will continue to export its own crude oil under an initial deal with Baghdad until a comprehensive deal is reached, with work…


South Sudan: War-Torn South Sudan Under Economic Attack from Fall in Oil Price

Dec 21, 2014 | Javier Blas and Katrina Mansion, Financial Times

War-torn South Sudan is receiving what traders say is arguably the lowest oil price in the world, $20-$25 a barrel, because of falling prices and…


Iraq: Islamic State Once Again Blockades Iraq's Biyi Oil Refinery

Dec 21, 2014 | Fox News Latino

The jihadist Islamic State on the weekend reimposed its blockade on the Iraqi oil refinery of Biyi, in northern Saladdin province, after clashes with the…


South Sudan/Sudan: Unity State Authorities Accuse Sudan Companies of Mining in S Sudan

Dec 20, 2014 | Radio Tamazuj

The commissioner of Pariang County, Unity State accused Sudanese oil and mining companies  of illegal mining and drilling in South Sudanese territory.

Commissioner Monylang Manyiel said…


Bangladesh: ‘Land Grabbing Is The Reason Behind Every Attack in The CHT’

Dec 20, 2014 | Abid Azad, Dhaka Tribune

Land grabbing is the main reason for the arson attack this Victory Day on homes, shops and a temple belonging to non-Bangalis in Naniarchar upazilla…


Israel/Lebanon: UN Asks Israel to Pay Lebanon $850m over Oil Spill

Dec 20, 2014 | BBC

The UN General Assembly has passed a resolution asking Israel to pay Lebanon more than $850m (£544m) for a major oil spill during Israel's 2006…


Syria: Exclusive: Iran's Support for Syria Tested by Oil Price Drop

Dec 19, 2014 | Suleiman Al-Khalidi, Reuters

Syrian businessmen and trade officials say they are worried the economic lifeline provided by Iran is under strain from plunging oil prices, despite public messages…


Liberia: Legislature Ratifies Block 16 Oil Agreement

Dec 19, 2014 | Obediah Johnson, Heritage

Monrovia — The 53rd Liberian Legislature has ratified the Production Sharing Contract (PSC) of Liberia offshore oil Block 16 between the Government of Liberia (GoL)…


Iraq/Syria: ISIS News: Turkey 'Seizes 80 Million Litres' of Oil Stolen by Jihadists in Syria, Iraq

Dec 19, 2014 | Gopi Chandra Kharel, International Business Times

Turkey says it has seized over 80 million litres of oil originating from the oil wells controlled by the ISIS group in Iraq and Syria.


Iraq/Kurdistan: KRG Receiving Second $500 Million Oil Payment

Dec 18, 2014 | Patrick Osgood, Iraq Oil Report

The Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) is receiving a second payment from Baghdad, for oil supplied to Iraq’s federal oil marketing authority under a Nov. 13…


Iraq: Iraq Reviews Oil Revenue Sharing

Dec 18, 2014 | Anthony McAuley, The National

BASRA: Iraq is in talks with its oil-producing governorates, including Basra, about a fairer distribution of revenue, said the oil minister, Adil Abdul-Mahdi. He made the…


Iraq/Kurdistan: Kurdistan Eyes Oil Export Jump in The Shadow of Global Price War

Dec 18, 2014 | Andrew Critchlow, The Telegraph

Falling oil prices and the threat of Islamic State militants have done little to dampen the interest of international oil companies in the autonomous northern…


South Sudan: South Sudan Hires Ex-Blackwater Chief to Restore War-Damaged Oil Facilities

Dec 18, 2014 | Ilya Gridneff, Bloomberg

The former head of U.S. security company Blackwater USA, Erik Prince, was hired by South Sudan to help repair damaged oil facilities and boost output…


Liberia: 'Nocal' - Financial Fallings Prompted Oil Block Bid Rounds

Dec 18, 2014 | Front Page Africa

Monrovia — Amid falling oil prices on the global market and Liberia's lingering delay in finalizing a number of oil blocks negotiations, the National Oil…


Bangladesh: Land Grabbing Attacks on Minorities By Bengali Settlers Continues

Dec 18, 2014 | Asian Tribune

On 16 December 2014, when whole country was celebrating the victory day of the country, indigenous houses and shops were burnt down by Bengali settlers…


Iraq/Kuwait: UPDATE 2-Iraq Wins One-Year Reprieve on Gulf War Reparations Due to Crisis

Dec 18, 2014 | Stephanie Nebehay, Reuters

A United Nations body agreed on Thursday to let Iraq postpone its final payment of reparations to Kuwait for the 1990-91 Gulf War, in an…


Sierra Leone: Jewelers Going Straight to Miners as Diamonds Wane: Commodities

Dec 18, 2014 | Thomas Biesheuvel, Bloomberg

Jewelers who fill up Christmas stockings with diamonds are increasingly doing so by investing in or securing supply deals directly from individual mines, avoiding the…


Iraq: Iraq Could Review Oil-Supply Plans as Price Collapse Deepens

Dec 17, 2014 | Grant Smith, Businessweek

Iraq said a collapse in crude oil and the cost of fighting Islamic State militants could force the country to review its plans to boost…