Profitability Drives Sinopec’s African Oil Investments

02 December 2012

Gabe Collins, “Profitability Drives Sinopec’s African Oil Investments,” China Oil Trader™, No. 10 (2 December 2012). CHINA’S OIL & GAS SECTOR FROM WELLHEAD TO CONSUMER It is important to focus on Chinese NOC’s economic motivations when analyzing their plans for overseas investment in destinations including Africa, Canada, the U.S, and elsewhere. Company managements (both commercial […]

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Posted in Overseas Investment, Upstream0 Comments

Oil Dependency and Military Strategy: The U.S. and China

20 November 2012

Gabe Collins, “Oil Dependency and Military Strategy and Deployments—U.S. and China,” China Oil Trader™, No. 9 (20 November 2012). CHINA’S OIL & GAS SECTOR FROM WELLHEAD TO CONSUMER Trends that give the impression of changes in reliance on a foreign oil source can be powerful shapers of policy, particularly when changing budgets and perceptions of […]

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Posted in Energy Security, Oil Consumption0 Comments

Copper Conflict—Mongolia is Betting That Rio Tinto’s Resolve Will Crash Before Mongolian GDP Does

29 October 2012

Gabe Collins, “Copper Conflict—Mongolia is Betting That Rio Tinto’s Resolve Will Crash Before Mongolian GDP Does,” China Oil Trader™, No. 8 (29 October 2012). CHINA’S OIL & GAS SECTOR FROM WELLHEAD TO CONSUMER Mongolia’s antagonistic stance toward foreign investors risks driving investment dollars into other regions, such as Chile for copper and making Mongolia even […]

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Battery Maker A123’s Bankruptcy Should Help “Charge Up” Global Oil Markets

16 October 2012

Battery Maker A123’s Bankruptcy Should Help “Charge Up” Global Oil Markets Gabe Collins, “Battery Maker A123’s Bankruptcy Should Help “Charge Up” Global Oil Markets,” China Oil Trader™, No. 7 (16 October 2012). CHINA’S OIL & GAS SECTOR FROM WELLHEAD TO CONSUMER What has happened A123 Systems Inc. (“A123”), which makes lithium ion batteries for electric […]

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Posted in Alternative Fuels, Oil Consumption0 Comments

China’s Domestic Oil Production by Region: Winners and Losers

04 October 2012

Quick Note #3 China’s domestic oil production growth has been driven by two regions–offshore and nearshore in the Bohai Gulf (whose production is credited to Northeast China) and by aggressive drilling by Shaanxi Yanchang Petroleum and PetroChina in Shaanxi Province (production credited to Central China).  Between 2004 and 2010, net oil production rose by 14% […]

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China’s Five Largest Oil Producing Provinces and Cities

04 October 2012

Quick Note #2 Tianjin and Shaanxi now produce as much oil as Argentina and Malaysia, respectively. Between 2004 and 2011, China’s domestic oil production increased by 543 thousand barrels per day—roughly 16%. In 2011, China was the world’s 5th largest oil producer, pumping approximately 4 million barrels per day (Exhibit 1). Exhibit 1: China domestic […]

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Xinjiang Coal Development Set to Move Global Coal, Crude Oil, Natural Gas Markets

01 October 2012

Quick Note #1 Xinjiang’s massive–and largely untapped–coal reserves offer China a way to continue using large volumes of coal and do so at a much lower cost than before. Xinjiang’s large and high-quality thermal coal seams often lie close to the surface and can be mined for US$25/tonne or less. This is much lower than […]

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Posted in Energy Security, Natural Gas, Upstream0 Comments

Oil From the Bakken and Eagle Ford Shales Can Enhance Global Food Security

27 August 2012

Gabe Collins, “Oil From the Bakken and Eagle Ford Shales Can Enhance Global Food Security,” China Oil Trader™, No. 6 (27 August 2012). CHINA’S OIL & GAS SECTOR FROM WELLHEAD TO CONSUMER End or reduce the ethanol mandate, make ethanol producers compete on price for their share of the gasoline market, and free up corn supplies by […]

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Posted in Alternative Fuels, Oil Consumption0 Comments

Feeding China’s Energy Appetite, Naturally

11 July 2012

Special Guest Contribution from Kevin Jianjun Tu and David Livingston Once bitten, twice shy. At least, that’s how it’s supposed to work. Ever since CNOOC, one of China’s “big three” national oil companies, made an ill-fated bid to take over Unocal Corporation in 2005, Sino-U.S. energy relations have been marred with mistrust. Foreign acquisitions by […]

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Posted in Natural Gas, Upstream0 Comments

Chinese Oil Traders Will be Big Winners From EU Oil Embargo Against Iran

24 June 2012

Gabe Collins, “Chinese Oil Traders Will be Big Winners From EU Oil Embargo Against Iran,” China Oil Trader™, No. 5 (24 June 2012). CHINA’S OIL & GAS SECTOR FROM WELLHEAD TO CONSUMER China’s May 2012 crude oil imports from Iran hit 524,000 bpd, according to the General Administration of Customs. This is the highest level […]

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Posted in Energy Security, Oil Consumption, Refining, Transport & Storage0 Comments