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Politics : Sioux Nation -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Travis_Bickle who wrote (89235)	11/19/2006 11:46:10 AM
From: Wharf Rat	Respond to of 361022

Is an Oil Pipeline Behind the War in Afghanistan? by Bill Sardi Testimony before the US Congress is circulating on the internet. It pertains to a proposed oil pipeline through Central Asia that is applicable to the current war in Afghanistan. On February 12, 1998, John J. Maresca, vice president, international relations for UNOCAL oil company, testified before the US House of Representatives, Committee on International Relations. Maresca provided information to Congress on Central Asia oil and gas reserves and how they might shape US foreign policy. UNOCAL's problem? As Maresca said: "How to get the region's vast energy resources to the markets." The oil reserves are in areas north of Afghanistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan and Russia. Routes for a pipeline were proposed that would transport oil on a 42-inch pipe southward thru Afghanistan for 1040 miles to the Pakistan coast. Such a pipeline would cost about $2.5 billion and carry about 1 million barrels of oil per day. lewrockwell.com ================== OIL AND CASPIAN OFF-SHORE DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY AND PIPELINES POLICY After Russia, Kazakhstan was the second largest oil-producing republic in the former Soviet Union at the time of its collapse, with production of about half a million barrels per day (bbl/d) in 1991. Kazakhstan has significant petroleum reserves. Proven oil reserves as of today are 30 bln barrels. Its possible hydrocarbon reserves, both onshore and offshore, dwarf its proven reserves, with estimated possible reserves-mostly in the Kazakh sector of the Caspian Sea-of between 60 billion and 100 billion barrels. Some estimates say that the offshore Kashagan field alone may contain up to 50 billion barrels of oil. Kazakhstan’s vast natural resources are projected to provide 2-3% of the worlds expected oil demand within the next decade. Following its independence in 1991 Kazakhstan opened up its oil sector to investment and development by foreign energy companies. International projects have taken the form of joint ventures with Kazakhoil (now KazMunaiGas), the national oil company, as well as production-sharing agreements (PSAs), and exploration/field concessions. Although Kazakhstan's oil production dropped to just 415,000 bbl/d in the first few years after the collapse of the Soviet Union, the massive level of foreign investment by almost all global oil majors (Chevron-Texaco, Exxon Mobil, Shell, TotalFinaElf, British Gas, Statoil, Eni-Agip, Philips Petroleum etc.) into Kazakhstan's oil sector over the past 11 years has helped the country boost its oil production from 530,000 bbl/d in 1992 to more than 1 mln bbl/d in 2005. In addition to a number of major oil fields recently coming on-stream, including North Buzachi, Sazankurak, Saztobe, Chinarevskoye and Airankol, fields such as Alibekmola, Urikhtau, and Kozhasai set to begin producing shortly. Kazakhstan will increase its oil production significantly in the next decade. Kazakh oil production is expected to reach 1.4 mln. bbl/d in 2006, 2 mln. bbl/d by 2010, and as much as 3 million bbl/d by 2015. Most of this growth will come from three enormous fields: Tengiz, Karachaganak, and Kashagan. Kazakhstan has significant natural gas potential too. Its proven gas reserves are 3 trillion cubic meters and projected gas reserves are 5 trln. cubic meters. Kazakhstan also expects a lot of oil associated gas. It is believed that every new ton of oil will bring 1000 cubic meters of gas (with 100 mln. tons of new oil it is about 100 bln. cubic meters of gas). Hence important is the task of rational utilisation of gas not only by its re-injection but through exports and internal use (liquification, development of internal gas pipeline infrastructure). The main focus in future hydrocarbons production development in Kazakhstan is on the Caspian Sea which has, particularly Kazakhstan’s sector of the Sea, enormous potential. In addition to the huge off-shore Kashagan field (biggest world discovery in the last 30 years) there are up to 100 more off-shore potentially prospective fields in Kazakhstan’s sector. Hence the great importance Kazakhstan’s Government gives to its Caspian sector development. kazakhstanembassy.org.uk