Syria - Robbed by Israel & US-Anglo Imperialists

Syria - Robbed by Israel & US-Anglo Imperialists SUMMARY SOURCE http://russia-insider.com/en/business/cheney-rothschild-and-fox-news-murdoch-drill-oil-syria-violating-international-law/ri12508?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter Cheney, Rothschild, and Fox News’ Murdoch to Drill for Oil in Syria, Violating International Law Genie Energy is planning to drill in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights - legally part of Syria - potentially endangering precious water supplies -- Syria ripped apart by: warring of U.S. imperialists and Islamic fundamentalists -- US imperialist & Islamic fundamentalists leave children to die of starvation -- Israel to take advantage of chaos, stealing resources of Syria's southern region -- theft to be carried out by "notorious pushers of military hegemony" -- theft violates international law & the thieves don't care AMERICAN-BASED - GENIE ENERGY -- Genie Energy is an American-based oil and gas company -- investors & advisers of Genie Energy are who's who of war profiteers: Dick Cheney (USA VP under Bush; served under 4 US Republican US presidents, spent 6 terms in White House) Rupert Murdoch (media) Lord Jacob Rothschild (British investment banking) James Woolsey (USA, Democratic Party, security, energy, former CIA head) ISRAELI MILITARY COMMANDER PRESIDENT - GENIE ENERGY -- Genie Energy president: Efraim “Effi” Eitam, an Israeli military commander -- Efraim Eitam called for expulsion of 'cancer' of Arabs form Israel VIOLATION OF INTERNATIONAL LAW -- intend drilling vast oil & gas reserves in occupied Syrian Golan Heights -- Golan Heights occupied by Israel since 1967 -- drilling in violation of international law - Annex to Fourth Geneva Convention -- https://www.icrc.org/applic/ihl/ihl.nsf/WebART/195-200065 -- Israel granted Genie's Afek Oil & Gas exclusive petroleum exploration rights -- area: 153 square miles of occupied Golan Heights -- 2015 surface geophysical tests discovered substantial oil & natural gas reserves -- Afek Oil & Gas subsidiary of Genie Energy has drilled - x3 exploratory wells -- illegal occupation of Syria's Golan Heights exploited by Israel for decades -- one-third of entire Israel water supply is from occupied Golan Heights -- sold as tourist & skiing destination Mount Hermon Ski Resort) -- Israeli occupation of Syrian Golan Heights continues despite US & international pressure RUPERT MURDOCH & FOX 'NEWS' -- Rupert Murdoch sung the praises of Genie Energy -- however, prosperity & security not for targets of Western imperialists -- the war-stricken, the starving & the desperate of Syria -- Murdoch's Fox channel instrumental in pushing war in Middle East -- Murdoch's Fox channel instrumental in obscuring / concealing     role of USA in inciting war in Syria -- Murdoch & his cronies to reap profits -- Genie Energy, meanwhile, engages in publicity stunts to pre-empt criticism ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERN -- reserves in occupied Golan Heights are locked up as shale oil -- hydraulic fracturing (fracking) likely method of extraction of fossil fuels -- shale oil in close proximity to LARGE AQUIFER    (underground water reserve) supplying DRINKING WATER to region -- fracking chemicals & polluted water that spill onto ground    could CONTAMINATE water supply LEGAL -- Israel High Court 2014 - issued temporary restraining order (see Haaretz) -- monied interests won: restraining order lifted -- Israeli occupied Syrian Golan Heights illegal oil drilling -- aided by assumption that Syrian Golan Heights is already part of Israel -- Genie Energy subsidiary refers to occupied Golan Heights field    as being in 'northern Israel' -- Naftali Bennet, Israeli politician    called for recognition of Golan Heights as Israeli territory 2015    called for expansion of Jewish settlers in region Article concludes: -- Dick Cheney, Rupert Murdoch, Jacob Rothschild & their henchmen -- have long promoted war & exploited oil resources in Middle East http://russia-insider.com/en/business/cheney-rothschild-and-fox-news-murdoch-drill-oil-syria-violating-international-law/ri12508?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter ---------------------- ---------------------- COMMENT Loads of information in this article. Interesting article.

David Cameron's Dodgy Government Serves Corporations Instead of Constituents

An inconvenient truth? UK government censors state-sanctioned report on fracking Published time: August 11, 2014 13:05 Edited time: August 11, 2014 22:48 The British government’s decision to censor an official state report on the impact of fracking on UK property prices and regional services has roused sharp criticism from MPs and campaigners. As the government maintains its refusal to offer compensation to homeowners situated near proposed shale gas drilling sites, concerned citizens and campaigners are demanding the release of the full, unabridged study. Following a Freedom of Information (FOI) request tendered to the government, a draft of ‘Shale Gas: Rural Economy Impacts’ was recently published with extensive sections of the text missing. One particular section of the report, which examines the impact of fracking on house prices, has three entire segments missing. [...] Number of redactions comical’ Prime Minister David Cameron and Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne say shale gas extraction harbors the potential to enrich the UK’s economy and decrease energy bills. But many MPs contest this view, expressing deep concerns that fracking will reap environmental damage, disfigure the landscape, and decrease the value of home prices in their local constituencies. [...] Widespread calls for compensation Labour MP for Worsely and Eccles South, Barbara Keeley, has joined the chorus of campaigners, politicians and UK citizens calling for compensation for those whose houses may depreciate in value as a result of fracking. Concerns regarding the government’s strategic suppression of vital information relating to this report are followed by the release of a recent poll, which claims 57 percent of UK citizens are in favor of fracking. But Greenpeace emphasizes that the research, financed by energy firm UK Onshore Oil and Gas, lacks independence and is a skewered portrayal of British public opinion on the issue. http://rt.com/uk/179472-uk-report-censored-fracking/

The government's at it again.
Lying to the public.
Serving corporations.

There's no such thing as 'democracy'.  It's a lie.
Governments serve corporate interests and the people don't matter.

Research financed by an energy firm?

Unbelievable.

US - OFF-SHORE DEEP-WATER FRACKING - BRAZIL, AFRICA, GULF OF MEXICO

Fracking’s next frontier: Energy giants seek bigger offshore payoffs with deep-water fracking fleets David Wethe, Bloomberg News | August 7, 2014 | Last Updated: Aug 7 2:59 PM ET Energy companies are taking their controversial fracking operations from the land to the sea — to deep waters off the U.S., South American and African coasts. Cracking rocks underground to allow oil and gas to flow more freely into wells has grown into one of the most lucrative industry practices of the past century. The technique is also widely condemned as a source of groundwater contamination. The question now is how will that debate play out as the equipment moves out into the deep blue. For now, caution from all sides is the operative word. Offshore fracking is a part of a broader industrywide strategy to make billion-dollar deep-sea developments pay off. The practice has been around for two decades yet only in the past few years have advances in technology and vast offshore discoveries combined to make large scale fracking feasible. While fracking is also moving off the coasts of Brazil and Africa, the big play is in the Gulf of Mexico, where wells more than 100 miles from the coastline must traverse water depths of a mile or more and can cost almost US$100 million to drill. Those expensive drilling projects are a boon for oil service providers such as Halliburton, Baker Hughes Inc. and Superior Energy Services Inc. Schlumberger Ltd., which provides offshore fracking gear for markets outside the U.S. Gulf, also stands to get new work. And producers such as Chevron Corp., Royal Dutch Shell Plc and BP Plc may reap billions of dollars in extra revenue over time as fracking helps boost crude output. Fracking in the Gulf of Mexico is expected to grow by more than 10% over a two year period ending in 2015, said Douglas Stephens, president of pressure pumping at Baker Hughes, which operates about a third of the world’s offshore fracking fleet. [...] Pancaked Layers Deep-water wells cut through multiple pancaked layers of oil-soaked rock, and each layer must be fracked to get the most oil out — a task that can take a full day to get to the bottom of the well. Halliburton and others have figured out a way to save time and money by fracking all those layers in one trip down the well, instead of doing each layer separately. The more intense fracking means larger volumes of water, sand and equipment are needed to coax more oil out — and bigger boats to carry it all. “It’s getting more sophisticated,” James Wicklund, an analyst at Credit Suisse in Dallas, said in a phone interview. “The volumes needed, especially for these lower tertiary fracks, are huge.” http://business.financialpost.com/2014/08/07/frackings-next-frontier-energy-giants-seek-bigger-offshore-payoffs-with-deep-water-fracking-fleets/?__lsa=730c-e6c4

Just imagine what these corporations are doing to the environment:

Cuprits:

• CHEVRON
• SHELL
• BP

US - NEW WAVE OF LNG EXPORT FACILITIES - BOOMING

As one LNG project moves forward, another caught in regulatory tussle Sempra Energy and Cheniere want to construct export terminals By Rhiannon Meyers and Ryan Holeywell August 7, 2014 One plan to export natural gas from the Gulf Coast moved forward this week toward construction of a $10 billion facility, while another got caught in a tussle between two federal agencies. Sempra Energy and its partners announced their final investment decision in favor of a plan to add gas liquefaction and export capability to the existing Cameron LNG import terminal in Hackberry, La. They expect to bring it online in 2018. Meanwhile, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency said a federal energy regulator hasn't done enough to determine how Cheniere Energy's proposed liquefied natural gas export terminal near Corpus Christi would affect the air, water, wetlands and wildlife. The projects are among a wave of proposed LNG export facilities looking to capitalize on cheap and abundant supplies of natural gas produced in the U.S. shale boom. Chilling natural gas into a liquid makes it possible to transport the fuel on tanker ships. Cameron LNG obtained Federal Energy Regulatory Commission clearance in June to build and operate the project, and has a conditional permit from the Department of Energy to export natural gas to countries with which the United States doesn't have free trade agreements. It will have three liquefaction plants, called trains, with a total capacity to produce 12 million metric tons of LNG per year. Cheniere's proposed Corpus Christi export terminal has yet to receive approval from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, which is conducting environmental assessments and other reviews of Cheniere's permit application. It was the environmental component that drew the negative comments from the EPA. In a letter Monday to FERC, the EPA said its fellow agency's draft environmental review for Cheniere's proposed Corpus Christi expansion was insufficient. The EPA comments aren't likely to slow down the overall approval process significantly, but the final environmental review may be delayed slightly, depending on how much the energy regulator needs to do to address the EPA concerns, said Daniella Landers, head of Sutherland Asbill and Brennan's environmental practice. She said it depends on the extent to which FERC has to do additional studies. Activists may take note While FERC will give the EPA's input the same weight it gives other comments, Landers said, the EPA's concerns could provide fodder for environmental groups and others opposed to the project to argue against it. In the letter, Craig Weeks, chief of the EPA's office of planning and coordination, said his agency identified "a number of potential adverse impacts to aquatic resources, air quality, environmental justice populations and wetlands," and recommended specific issues be addressed in the energy regulator's final plan. Without an adequate plan to mitigate potential impacts, the terminal, proposed for a 991-acre site along the northern shore of Corpus Christi Bay, could cause a number of environmental problems, according to the EPA. Among them, the terminal could take away wetlands and special aquatic habitats, while dredging and frequent ship traffic could contribute to chronic cloudiness in the water, which inhibits the growth of underwater plants on which fish and shellfish feed, the EPA said. [...] Deals for half of output [...] Houston-based Cheniere already has begun construction on liquefaction and export facilities at its existing Sabine Pass import plant in Cameron Parish, La. The project has Energy Department and FERC approval. http://www.houstonchronicle.com/business/article/As-one-LNG-project-moves-forward-another-caught-5675870.php

Wonder if that's the Japanese $10billion facility in the Gulf Coast, or if the figure's just a coincidence and the money's from somewhere else?

Anyway, there's a shale boom ... and there's a scramble to build LNG export facilities.

cheap and abundant supplies of natural gas produced in the U.S. shale boom. Chilling natural gas into a liquid makes it possible to transport the fuel on tanker ships.



LNG?  HELLO EUROPE.

** NOTE - Europe (ie Economic Union) is on the proposed free trade agreements list -  here.

Does this mean US is preparing to export LNG to Europe?

US - UNPRECEDENTED REVIVAL OF US OIL PRODUCTION - CRUDE OIL EXPORTS SURGED JUNE, TOPPING 1957 SUEZ CRISIS EXPORTS - THANKS SHALE OIL DRILLING TECHNOLOGY

U.S. oil exports reach milestone: June shipments highest since 1957 By Reuters Media on Aug 7, 2014 at 11:47 p.m. NEW YORK — News this week that U.S. crude oil exports had surged in June to reach the highest since 1957 raised a question not often asked: Why did U.S. exports suddenly surge, then just as quickly drop, nearly six decades ago? In March 1957, the United States exported a record 455,000 bpd of crude, up from just 40,000 bpd in the same month a year earlier, data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration showed. A year later, exports were back to just 27,000 bpd. Unlike the current export boom, fueled by new shale oil drilling technology that has unleashed an unprecedented revival in U.S. production, the abrupt rise and fall in the 1950s was the result of political turmoil in the Middle East. In July 1956, Egyptian President Gamal Abdel Nasser nationalized the Suez Canal, the waterway constructed some 90 years earlier connecting the Mediterranean Sea to the Red Sea. The 101-mile seaway was a crucial link between big oil producers and European refiners, ferrying some 1.2 million bpd to Western Europe, particularly to Britain and France. The move was seen as punishment for the United States and Britain withdrawing funding for the Aswan High Dam, but it also stung European nations who were losing sway over former colonies and led to a global struggle known as the Suez Crisis. Israel, France and Britain moved troops into the region to assert their control, bringing commercial oil flows through the canal to a halt — with dire consequences for Europe. Alternative routes were far too long to compensate. “(The oil) could go around the Cape Horn, but that was difficult and there was limited shipping capacity,” said Dr. Philip K. Verleger Jr., president of consultancy PKVerleger LLC and a former advisor to President Carter. At the time of the nationalization, Britain had around six weeks’ worth of supply of oil on hand, and France had only slightly more, according to Rose McDermott’s book Risk Tasking in International Politics. Amid pressure from Washington and growing economic strain, oil-starved nations in Europe removed their troops from territory and the United States started pushing crude oil across the Atlantic. By November 1956, oil exports jumped to 285,000 bpd from 47,000 bpd a month prior, according to the EIA data. The Canal reopened in April 1957, allowing Europe to resume direct shipments and bringing a quick halt to U.S. exports.  ... The current rise in exports has been more measured and is likely to be much longer-lasting. Shipments from U.S. shores in June rose to 389,000 bpd, a 35 percent increase from May, with most of that oil going to Canada. But while the exports have recently reached modern-day highs, they are still a much smaller fraction of U.S. supply. “Back then, a couple thousand barrels a day would be a big deal. But now, we’ve got a story of the North Dakota and Texas boom and a production figure of some 8.5 million barrels a day.” http://www.thedickinsonpress.com/content/us-oil-exports-reach-milestone-june-shipments-highest-1957

Yellow is current market.
Pink is some interesting history re Suez Canal Crisis and small peak in US oil export.

Current news:  US crude oil export SURGED ... and here's why:

current export boom, fueled by new shale oil drilling technology that has unleashed an unprecedented revival in U.S. production,

I'm new to looking at this stuff and thought that shale was only connected with gas/LNG.

I'm unclear how crude oil and shale drilling are connected.

Is crude oil the same as 'shale oil'?   No idea.  Random site has this to say about 'oil shale':

Oil shale is unevenly distributed around the world.  The United States possesses roughly 70% of world oil shale deposits, with the vast majority located in the Green River shale regions in Colorado, Utah and Wyoming. 

Fears over domestic energy supplies sparked small oil shale booms in the 1950’s due to Cold War energy concerns, and again in the 1970’s as a result of the Arab oil embargo.  But by 1980, the federal government had assembled a pot of subsidies, price supports, loans, and other incentives luring major oil companies to make substantial investments in the Piceance Basin area of western Colorado.  This boom would be short lived.  On May 2, 1982 -- “Black Sunday” -- ExxonMobil pulled out of oil shale due to falling oil prices and vanishing federal subsidies.  The economy of western Colorado collapsed and the entire state of Colorado entered an economic slump as a result.
Reemergence of oil shale

Oil shale has returned to the world stage due to rising oil prices and concerns about national energy independence.  What has not changed is the lack of a technology capable of turning oil shale rocks into transportation fuels in a commercially viable manner.    [SOURCE]

Not sure about that last point.  Couldn't see a date on the page, so I don't know how current the info is.

As I understand there's a shale boom, so the 'lack of technology' part doesn't sound right.

There's three types of shale energy deposits - here - Liquid (shale oil), Gas (shale gas) and Solid (oil shale).  The first two are good; the solid form is crap commercially because it's not easy to break down for fuel. 

I think I need to go to shale school, because I'm still not really clear on how 'crude oil' relates to shale.

Anyway, thanks to current technology, there's a boom in crude oil production and export in USA!!!

HELLO, EUROPE!!!

US - SHALE GAS - JAPANESE and CHINESE MARKETS

Why Japan Will Drive Global LNG Growth There is little reason to expect Japan’s reactors will offset its voracious new appetite for LNG. By Clint Richards August 08, 2014 ... A look at Japan’s LNG consumption since 2011 ... Japanese use of LNG has increased by almost 20 million metric tons, or about 8 percent of global demand in 2013. The Wall Street Journal writes that this increased demand has led to more than 50 LNG export terminal proposals worldwide. However, despite surging demand for LNG in Japan (and China) recently, there are reasons to temper expectations. The Wall Street Journal speculates that a possible Japanese return to nuclear power and China’s staggeringly large new deal with Russia to import regular, piped natural gas should cause LNG speculators to hedge their bets somewhat.  [Yeah, hedge those bets in Europe.] While the question of China’s future LNG consumption may not be clear, demand will surely rise over the short to medium-term, even if that growth ends up being less pronounced than the increase in natural gas demand. Even with the prospect of a slowdown in China’s economy, it is simply too large not to diversify and increase the weighting of LNG in its energy mix, especially as the environmental impact of coal becomes much more problematic in its mega-cities. Japan’s future demand for LNG may also be difficult to gauge, but there are indicators as to what direction the industry in Japan will take. First of all, there are the $10 billion in loans put together by major private banks like Sumitomo Mitsui Banking and Mizuho Bank, along with the government’s Japan Bank for International Cooperation, to fund LNG projects in North America slated for delivery between 2017 and 2018. Additionally, by 2020 Japan is expected to order roughly 90 LNG ships worth $19.3 billion. However, the location of the investments is important, as that will signal the long-term viability of LNG imports for Japan. Overall Japanese investment in North America has increased substantially since 2011, going from roughly $15 billion to more than $45 billion in 2013. A significant portion of that investment is being funneled into the emerging shale natural gas industry in both the U.S. and Mexico. Once U.S. shale gas is online, it is expected to be 20 to 30 percent cheaper than Japan’s other suppliers. EXTRACT ONLY - FULL @ SOURCE http://thediplomat.com/2014/08/why-japan-will-drive-global-lng-growth/

That's just the Japanese / Chinese market.

* China will be largely natural gas reliant (Russian deal) ... but some diversity expected.

* Japan is a big market ... but they *could* revert to nuclear, so market not assured?

Don't forget Europe needs energy, too.  Hello Europe.

UK - NEEDS EUROPEAN LNG - FRACKING - ENERGY DRYING UP

Government data hints at future challenges for curbing natural gas emissions 05 August 2014 ... As a consequence, the UK's main LNG supplier, Qatar, is sending increasing amounts of LNG south east rather than to the UK, which isn't willing to match Asia's price. In 2013, 62 per cent of Qatar's LNG was exported to Asia, with only 30 per cent going to Europe. ... If the UK is going to use gas as a bridging fuel while curbing its emissions, it will need to continue to import as much as possible from the continent rather than alternative sources. Shale gas could potentially play a role, but only if fugitive methane emissions are constrained. Finding alternative low emission gas sources will get ever more pressing as North Sea wells dry up and Norway's resources become increasingly depleted. http://www.carbonbrief.org/blog/2014/08/government-data-hints-at-future-challenges-for-curbing-gas-demand/

Wow!

This would indicate that UK has a vested interest in supporting the Obama/US incursions into Eastern Europe ... and that UK would be fully behind the energy rape of Ukraine, the replacement of infrastructure ... and snatch of Russia's market etc.

UKRAINE - US & CO - GRAB FOR OIL, GAS & COAL and PIPELINES

Naked Goals of Ukrainian Genocide – Part I  ... What does it all this have to do with Ukraine, Novorossia and the re-shaping of the world? Just look at the picture and try to imagine that all the US senators and congressmen, Obama and Merkel, and others all over the world are doing the same. And it is not important how accurate the picture is — those people will be making decisions with this picture in mind. The picture is clear: it’s essential to grab the sources of oil, gas, coal immediately (before 2030), as well as the ways and means to transport them (specifically gas and oil pipelines). And the one who succeeds in taking possession of as much as possible is sure to become a leader and ride the tide of the energy crisis expected in 2030. That is just some 15–16 years off. It has long been said, you should never boast about your gas and oil, or you’ll call a democracy down upon your head. They were warned but didn’t hear; better to just thumb one’s nose at Moscow. And now let’s read carefully how the Yuzivska shale gas field (southern Kharkov and northern Donetsk region) shows up in terms of statistics: estimated deposits, 4 trillion m3; planned production capacity (so far), 10 billion m3 a year; and, planned investments in the development of the Yuzivska and Odessa (whoa!) gas fields in the 30 years to come – on the order of 50-70 billion dollars. That’s assuming the price of gas in Europe remains the same – $400 for 100 m3. After a simple calculation we see that the bowels of the earth at Donetsk and Kharkov contain an estimated 4 x $400 billion = $1600 trillion. Annual income at current prices may reach, at a minimum, 10 x 400 million = $4 billion. Let me ask you, what might one do to Ukraine in order to get 1.5-2 trillion bucks? Anything one chooses, in the most perverted fashion. And this is the Yuzivska field only! http://slavyangrad.org/2014/08/05/naked-goals-of-ukrainian-genocide-part-i/

Check out this guy's article.


Had no idea there was so much at stake!

BLAVATNIK'S WALL STREET HISTORY - SHALE REVOLUTION - UKRAINE, RUSSIA & US GRAB FOR SUPPLY OF EUROPE'S ENERGY NEEDS

Forbes

|
7/30/2014 @ 6:00AM |672 views

How One Billionaire's Bet On LyondellBasell Turned Into The Greatest Deal In Wall St. History
This story appears in the August 18, 2014 issue of Forbes.

Billionaire financier Len Blavatnik’s bet on LyondellBasell has netted him a personal profit of nearly $8 billion. He says there’s more to come.


http://www.forbes.com/sites/nathanvardi/2014/07/30/the-greatest-deal-of-all-time/?utm_campaign=forbestwittersf&utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=social

Confused Len Blavatnik (Warner Music guy) for the Black Wednesday guy that 'Broke the Bank of England' (George Soros) and I thought, no way, how could he have done it again.

If I've got this straight, some guys were selling stock in LyondellBasell; Blavatnik bought stock in LyondellBasell when everyone thought he shouldn't have and shares rose by over 50% since his last batch bought.

Since its bankruptcy - 4 years ago - shares in LyondellBasell have risen to return 500%.

Forbes says Blavatnik's investment ... of $10 billion [SORRY, I'M NOT GOOD AT FINANCIALS ... READ ARTICLE ... LOL] ... generated $8 billion in "mostly unrealized personal profits".

By 'mostly unrealised', I'm guessing they mean he hasn't cashed up what's due to him.

The transaction's described as 'historic'.

Here's some info about Blavatnik from Forbes:

A Ukrainian-born American citizen who grew up in Russia and immigrated to the U.S. in 1978 at the age of 21, he later got his M.B.A. at Harvard.

Blavatnik made his first fortune with a former classmate in Russia, Viktor Vekselberg, in oil and aluminum deals during the anything-goes post-Soviet days. 

Blavatnik’s biggest scores in Russia were oil company TNK-BP, a joint venture with British Petroleum that was eventually bought by Rosneft for $55 billion, and Sual, an aluminum producer that merged with the larger Rusal.

Chemical companies that had nothing to do with Russia would be his next big thing. He paid full price, putting down $1.1 billion to purchase Basell in a $5 billion leveraged buyout in 2005. Then he tried, and failed, to buy other chemical companies, including Huntsman International.

Just as my brain was about to go into snooze mode, I spotted this:

The revolution that changed everything for Blavatnik ... and LyondellBasell originated in the thin fissures of shale rock filled with oil and natural gas reserves throughout the United States. Throughout the last decade drillers pioneered new techniques of exploiting rock formations with hydraulic fracturing and horizontal drilling to draw out the petrochemicals trapped within. As a result, the U.S. became one of the world’s largest sources of cheap natural gas almost overnight, with prices falling from highs of $13 per million British thermal units to a $3 to $4 range today. This dramatic drop in prices proved a huge boon to dozens of industries, none more so than the chemical business–and few more than LyondellBasell.

LyondellBasell is a top producer of ethylene, which it upgrades into the plastic known as polyethylene, used in everything from food packaging to trash bags and hard hats. The company operates six facilities (known as “crackers”) to produce ethylene in the U.S. and four in Europe. Profits from ethylene and its derivative chemicals and coproducts are the core of LyondellBasell’s earnings.

Ethane, refined from natural gas, and naphtha, a crude oil derivative, are the prime raw materials used to produce ethylene. Starting in 2007, U.S. drillers were finding natural gas everywhere. By 2012 the price of ethane had fallen from 90 cents per gallon to 30 cents, giving U.S. chemical producers a huge advantage over foreign competitors in Europe and Asia that are dependent on pricey oil-based naphtha as a feedstock. The gap between the two supercharged LyondellBasell’s profitability.

LyondellBasell’s decades-old crackers in Clinton, Iowa and Morris, Ill., for example, are the only ones in the Midwest–and are situated near natural gas liquid pipelines and a hub in Kansas, home of some of the cheapest ethane in America. Almost overnight they were transformed, churning out profit margins of 32 cents per pound compared to European naphtha-based ethylene, which is barely even profitable. “It’s improbable that anyone could have foreseen the full impact of the shale revolution,” says Blavatnik. “But Jim had some experience and insight through his work at ConocoPhillips that I think helped.”

----------------------------------


So the US presence in Ukraine isn't just about Ukraine.  It's about supplying Europe with gas.

Although this was said in this or that blog or whatever I'd come across, it hadn't really sunk in properly.

Reading this, I got a really sick feeling in my stomach because the US need for a market is tangible -- it's not just someone speculating about US motives.  It's real.

OMG!  I feel like I've just discovered another planet!

UKRAINE - US - SHALE & BABY BIDEN

UKRAINE Anyone interested in Ukraine, CHECK THIS OUT: "Here are 25 recent events, or data points, that our rulers hope we forget when they blame the collapse of the old world order on Russia: US spent $5 billion to destabilize Ukraine, not to mention the millions NGOs spent on "opposition groups". The State Department was even caught playing kingmaker in Ukraine in secret recordings during the takeover.  November 21st, 2013 - Ukraine's President abandons an agreement on closer trade ties with EU, instead seeking closer cooperation with Russia. Violent pro-EU protests begin to organize. December 17th, 2013 - Putin offers to buy $15bn of Ukrainian debt and discount the price of Russian gas by about a third." Rest of list...@... http://www.activistpost.com/2014/07/25-recent-events-causing-ww3-that-they.html#!bnzLse Joe Biden's son, Hunter, just joined the board of the largest Ukraine gas producer Burisma Holdings http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2014-07-25/company-which-joe-bidens-son-director-prepares-drill-shale-gas-east-ukraine

UK - Shale Gas - Fracking Rape - Licence Bidding for Half of UK to Begin

BBC Article  Source - BBC 28 July 2014 Last updated at 01:43 Fracking licences to be granted by government The bidding process for licences to extract shale gas - using the controversial process fracking - begins later, the government has announced. About half the UK is open to exploration, but tightened rules cover areas of outstanding beauty. Companies granted a licence to begin test drilling will also need planning permission and environmental permits. The coalition sees shale gas as a major potential energy source. Critics of fracking warn of environmental dangers. ... About half the UK is open for licensing, including parts of National Parks. But applications there will only be accepted in "exceptional circumstances and in the public interest", said the government. The same rules apply for the Broads, Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty and World Heritage Sites. ... Critics of fracking argue that it can lead to earth tremors, water contamination and disruption to rural communities. There are also concerns about methane leakage and diverting resources away from renewable energy. ... The government is keen to promote fracking in the UK, and has already announced a number of incentives to help kick-start the industry, including tax breaks, payments of £100,000 per site plus a 1% share of revenue to local communities. It has also proposed new rules regarding rights to access land to speed up drilling. ... In the US, shale gas has seen energy costs tumble, but questions remain about whether the American shale revolution can be replicated in the UK and elsewhere. ...Extracts only ... full @... Source - BBC - here.

HALF of UK?

Including parts of NATIONAL PARKS?

How did this get through???!!

Let MH17 be our 9/11 - And let Europe belong to Corporate America

 Let MH17 be our 9/11

Check out this little piece of propaganda:

Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue, Dutch Version
Brookings Institution - here.

    "First, Russian President Putin is not our friend, and policies can reflect that as long as he and his clique are in charge in Russia. So the aim is to decrease rather than increase economic, political and cultural ties with that country. ..." [So all your ties are with the US .. DOH! .. C'mon ... between UN, EU, NATO and IMF we've already got you bent over, baby ... hehehehe ... C'mon, baby, give it up!]

    "Second, to diminish Russian influence in European natural gas markets, member states finally need to get serious on completion of the internal market. Opening up Central, Eastern and Southern Europe for competition would ..."  [Open up, baby!  Let corporate America finally have that stab at the European energy market ... heheheheh ... and sell you energy at higher cost!!!  Yay!]

    "Third, Europe has to step up its efforts to reduce energy demand by installing ambitious energy efficiency targets. ..." [Yes, and we've got the corporate connections breathing heavy, waiting in the wings to do that for you, baby!  Hehhehehehheheee!]

    "Fourth, because the U.S. is changing its role in the international arena, the Europeans need to reconsider their defense policies and improve collaboration ..." [Yeah, you dumb Europeans put some money up for 'defence' so we can sell you US weapons and US military ... and US infrastructure and US gas!  Hehehehehe ... C'mon waddaya waitin' for?]

Come on Europe, you know you want it!

US AIM STEPPING UP LNG EXPORT - EUROPEAN GAS SUPPLY - US ANTI FRACKING ENVIRONMENTALISTS PROTEST

Anti-fracking activists rally with opponents of LNG export facility
July 14, 2014

On Sunday afternoon, about 2,000 people marched in the heat of mid-summer Washington,D.C., from a rally on the national mall to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission; the first-ever demonstration at FERC. They were protesting what they called FERC’s rubber stamp approval process for an export facility for liquified natural gas, or LNG, in a heavily populated area of southern Maryland called Cove Point. It’s one of 14 such proposed facilities around the country. Much of the natural gas slated for export would be extracted through the process of fracking, which is already happening in the Marcellus Shale formation located in parts of New York, Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Ohio. That’s leading anti-fracking groups to form an alliance with opponent of LNG export terminals. Melinda Tuhus reports from D.C.
...
Residents and advocates like the Chesapeake Climate Action Network – CCAN – which organized the rally, want FERC to require Dominion, the owner of the liquefied natural gas terminal, to do an Environmental Impact Statement or EIS, in addition to the less comprehensive Environmental Assessment it conducted. A FERC spokesperson said she couldn’t comment spcifically on Cove Point, but that if a full study was done when the site was developed several years ago as an LNG import, not export, facility, another one would not be required since the new proposal does not exceed the footprint of the existing facility.

Mike Tidwell, founder and executive director of CCAN, said the export plans involve “completely different industrial machines, totally different process, much bigger, much more dangerous, and FERC doesn’t think there should be an Environmental Impact Statement. They think the EIS from 2006 for a $700 million facility is enough to cover, in 2014, a $3.8 billion facility. It’s ridiculous.” Tidwell said this is the only LNG proposal in the country that’s planned for a populated area.[WOW .... IT'S A CORPORATE FREE FOR ALL & STAKES HIGH.]
...
One of the speakers at the rally was Sandra Steingraber, a biologist, author and a leader of the anti-fracking movement in New York. She said their destinies are intertwined, because LNG exports would lead to an increase in fracking. She noted the success of a movement to ban liquified natural gas production in New York State following an explosion in Staten Island in 1973 that killed 40 people. She said the safety concerns remain, but what has changed is that in 1973 people didn’t know yet about climate change and had never heard of fracking. So the stakes are even higher today.

“To the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and to President Obama, we say we are not willing to blow up the bedrock of our nation in order to extract a fossil fuel called methane, that will in turn blow up our climate,” Steingraber told the crowd gathered for the rally. “We are not willing to liquefy the results, using more fossil fuels, and so give methane a passport to foreign markets and so give methane a passport to foreign markets and so further entrench a fossil fuel dependency around the globe and so further entrench a fossil fuel dependency around the globe in a time of climate emergency. We say No to that!”

Mike Tidwell of CCAN said FERC does more to facilitate the production of natural gas than to regulate it. “They facilitate fossil fuel projects. They’ve never denied a major electrical or gas project ever presented to them – ever. So they’re an isolated, non-responsive commission that does not take into account public safety or health and instead all they do is try to further the profits of the fossil fuel industry.”

Plans to increase the nation’s natural gas export infrastructure come as Europe’s largest gas supplier – Russia – is locked in a dispute with Ukraine, where key pipelines carrying Russian gas to Central and Western Europe are located. Are export facilities like the one in Cove Point meant to step in to fill a need at a moment of political crisis?

In a phone interview before Sunday’s rally, Tyson Slocum, director of Public Citizen’s Energy Program, explained how the business works: “All the trade from LNG exports are going to be typically structured as 20-year, locked in deals, where nearly all of the export capacity is already slated for specific customers. Not a single bit of this is slated to go to Ukraine or anything like that. These are not national determinations; these are private marketplace determinations, depending upon who negotiates the supply agreements.”[NO WAY DO I BELIEVE THAT.  AS IF CORPORATE AMERICA WILL BE PRECLUDED FROM ENTERING INTO *NEW* SUPPLY CONTRACTS.]

FERC’s decision is expected in the next several months. The Maryland Public Service Commission must also given an opinion on whether the proposed LNG export facility is in the public’s interest.

FULL  @ - SOURCE - FREE SPEECH RADIO NEWS - here.

--------------------------------------

COMMENT

It seems a corporate free for all over there -- and it is.  LOL. 

Fancy not doing an Environmental Impact Statement on a $3.8 BILLION facility & trying to rely something dated in relation to a much smaller project ($700m).

The US energy corporations must be rubbing their hands in glee in anticipation of becoming Europe's supplier:

Plans to increase the nation’s natural gas export infrastructure come as Europe’s largest gas supplier – Russia – is locked in a dispute with Ukraine, where key pipelines carrying Russian gas to Central and Western Europe are located. Are export facilities like the one in Cove Point meant to step in to fill a need at a moment of political crisis?

As if this isn't about big corporate interests.  *eye-roll* 

And as if vilifying Russia as a 'threat' and US heavy investment (billions) in Ukraine (and US-NATO calls for increased war chest investment & presence of US soldiers on European soil) isn't about US (& assoc.) corporate interests.

Another *eye-roll*.

US $11 BILLION ARMS DEAL TO QATAR

US, Qatar sign $11 bn arms deal

Washington, July 15 (IANS) 

US and Qatar have signed an arms deal on Qatar's purchase of US Patriot defence systems and Apache helicopters to the tune of $11 billion, the US Defence Department said in a statement on Monday.

US Defence Secretary Chuck Hagel hosted Qatar's Minister of State for Defence Affairs Hamad bin Ali al-Attiyah at the Pentagon on Monday to sign letters of offer and acceptance for Apache helicopters and Patriot and Javelin defence systems worth $11 billion, Xinhua reported.

"Today's signing ceremony underscores the strong partnership between the United States and Qatar in the area of security and defence and will help improve our bilateral cooperation across a range of military operations," said Pentagon Press Secretary John Kirby in a statement.

Secretary Hagel also used the meeting to express his appreciation for the support that Qatar provides US forces in the country. "Today's visit followed Secretary Hagel's visit to Doha last fall, where he met with al-Attiyah to sign and renew the US-Qatar Defence Cooperation Agreement," Kirby said.

"This is a critically important relationship in the region," the official said, adding that the secretary is pleased to be able to continue to make the US-Qatar ties stronger.

US Vice President Joe Biden welcomed al- Attiyah at the White House and the two sides discussed regional issues, including Syria, Iraq, Libya, and the Gaza crisis.

During their meeting, Biden noted that the signing of the arms deal will help strengthen strategic relationship between Qatar and the US.

The weapons deal was the biggest for the US in 2014 and would enhance its security and diplomatic ties with Qatar to counter the threat across the Gulf from Iran, experts said.

SOURCE - IANS - here. 

----------------------------------------------

COMMENT

US scores it's biggest 2014 arms deal with Qatar - $11 BILLION.

Cooperation between Qatar & US strategic in region because of alleged Iran threat.  [Also reserves of gas.  Also US regional control. Important regional US ally.  Also big money.]

So what's the background?

----------------------------------------------

FURTHER INFO

State of Qatar is a sovereign Arab country, located in Western Asia, occupying the small Qatar Peninsula on the north-easterly coast of the Arabian Peninsula. Its sole land border is with Saudi Arabia to the south, with the rest of its territory surrounded by the Persian Gulf.

Qatar is home to USA's biggest military base in the Middle East.

[Blogger's note:  Historically has been under British and Ottoman rule.]

Qatar was also an early member of OPEC and a founding member of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). It is a member of the Arab League. The country has not accepted compulsory International Court of Justice jurisdiction.

Qatar hosts the Al Udeid Air Base, which acts as the hub for all American air operations in the Persian Gulf. Qatar has bilateral relationships with a variety of foreign powers. It has allowed American forces to use an air base to send supplies to Iraq and Afghanistan.

Qatar signed a defence co-operation agreement with Saudi Arabia, with whom it shares the largest single non-associated gas field in the world.

It was the second nation, the first being France, to have publicly announced its recognition of the Libyan opposition's National Transitional Council as the legitimate government of Libya amidst the 2011 Libyan civil war.  Qatar's relations with Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates are strained, owing to the perceived closeness between the Qatari government and the Muslim Brotherhood.

The Qatar Armed Forces are the military forces of Qatar. The country maintains a modest military force ...

Qatar has recently signed defence pacts with the United States and United Kingdom, as well as with France earlier in 1994.

Qatar plays an active role in the collective defence efforts of the Gulf Cooperation Council; the other five members are Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, the UAE, and Oman.

The presence of a large American military base in the country provides the country with a guaranteed source of defence and national security.

In 2008 Qatar spent US$2.355 billion on military expenditures, 2.3% of the gross domestic product.  Qatari special forces have been trained by French and other Western countries,... also helped the Libyan rebels during the 2011 Battle of Tripoli.

Oil was discovered in Qatar in 1940, in Dukhan Field. The discovery transformed the state's economy. Now, the country has a high standard of living. With no income tax, Qatar (along with Bahrain) is one of the countries with the lowest tax rates in the world. The unemployment rate in June 2013 was 0.1%.

Qatar has the highest GDP per capita in the world as of 2013, according to the CIA World Factbook and approximately 14% of households are dollar millionaires.

In 2012, Qatar retained its title of richest country in the world (according to per capita income) for the third time in a row, having first overtaken Luxembourg in 2010.

Oil production will not long remain at peak levels ... as oil fields are projected to be mostly depleted by 2023.

However, large natural gas reserves have been located off Qatar's north-east coast.

Qatar's proved reserves of gas are the third-largest in the world...

1991 ... North Field gas development. 

1996 ... Qatargas ..... began exporting liquefied natural gas (LNG) to Japan.

Further phases of North Field gas development costing billions of dollars are in various stages of planning and development.

[wikipedia]

----------------------------------------------

This is embarrassing, but I didn't even know Qatar existed.

It sure sounds important to the US.

Also, I think 'liquified natural gas' is what hydraulic fracturing or fracking is all about (I think).

Quick check:

Anti-fracking activists rally with opponents of LNG export ...
Free Speech Radio News ‎- 9 hours ago
That's leading anti-fracking groups to form an alliance with opponent of LNG export terminals. Melinda Tuhus reports from D.C
...

[I've not read the Free Speech Radio New's story, so I haven't linked.  It's just what come up on my Google.]

Fracking is why the Ukraine is also important to the US - as well as strategic/military regional importance in the Ukraine.