Foreign Policy Blogs

The Geopolitics of Oil

China and India Establish “Oil Buyers’ Club” to Counter OPEC

China and India Establish “Oil Buyers’ Club” to Counter OPEC

    On June 11, major Chinese and Indian oil companies started a formal meeting in Beijing, discussing the establishment of an “oil buyers’ club” to negotiate better prices with OPEC countries. The chairman of China’s biggest energy company China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC), Wang Yilin, and the chairman of refiner Indian Oil Corporation both […]

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Energy Could Keep U.S.-Russia Ties On Ice

Energy Could Keep U.S.-Russia Ties On Ice

By 2020, the U.S. could become the world’s third-largest LNG producer, cutting into Russia’s natural gas exports revenues and further weakening its economy.

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Libyan Oil: A Bittersweet Return?

Libyan Oil: A Bittersweet Return?

Libyan oil coming back online could jeopardize a fragile production cut deal orchestrated by producers cartel OPEC to rebalance the global oil supply glut.

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Stability in Libya Remains in Doubt

Stability in Libya Remains in Doubt

Many had hoped that the overthrow of Muammar Qaddafi in 2011 would herald a new era for Libya. Yet, five years later, stability remains a long-off goal.

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Libya: Still a Fractured Land

Libya: Still a Fractured Land

Disagreement over how money from the country’s oil, which represents 98% of government revenue, should be distributed is paralyzing Libyan peace efforts.

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Saudi Arabia and the End of the Rentier State

Saudi Arabia and the End of the Rentier State

With a young, restless population and decreased oil revenues, Saudi Arabia needs to abandon its rentier economic system and build a more sustainable model.

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Why We Should Not Abandon Saudi Arabia

Why We Should Not Abandon Saudi Arabia

Beset by challenges ranging from the collapse in oil prices, to the spreading instability in the region, to criticism from its longtime allies in the United States, Saudi Arabia is facing its most difficult test in decades. But the kingdom has the means to overcome these difficulties, and also has the will to seize a unique opportunity to carry out important reforms.

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The Five Oil Exporters Most Affected by Currency Devaluation

The Five Oil Exporters Most Affected by Currency Devaluation

Devaluation is the word of the day in oil exporting countries. Whether it is the Nigerian naira, the Venezuelan bolívar, or the Russian rouble, low oil prices are wreaking havoc in oil exporting economies and on their national currencies.

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A Public Private Partnership for Iran’s New Petroleum Contract?

A Public Private Partnership for Iran’s New Petroleum Contract?

Can public private partnership provide a solution for the financing of energy infrastructure projects, at a time when Iran is facing declining revenues as a result of years of crippling sanctions?

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How Will The Saudi-Iranian Conflict Affect Oil Markets?

How Will The Saudi-Iranian Conflict Affect Oil Markets?

The recent Saudi-Iranian clash is unlikely to affect oil markets for now, but the redistribution of political power between Saudi Arabia and Iran, along with the US disengagement from the Middle East might have long-term consequences for the region’s stability and global oil supply trends.

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The shadow of a Malacca Dilemma on an Iranian Hormuz Dilemma

The shadow of a Malacca Dilemma on an Iranian Hormuz Dilemma

Whoever controls the strait of Hormuz also control Iran’s oil security.

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From oil to nuclear energy: a Lausanne Accord between Iran and the P5+1

From oil to nuclear energy: a Lausanne Accord between Iran and the P5+1

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and his Iranian counterpart Mohammad Javad Zarif will meet again on March 15 in Lausanne for the final stretch of international negotiations on the Iranian nuclear program.

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The BRICS Under Cheap Oil

The BRICS Under Cheap Oil

The rapid rise in the value of the U.S. dollar and the effect of new riches in the U.S. energy market has left many adversaries of the U.S. with serious future financial issues

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Investing in a Gulf Free of Oil Dependence

Investing in a Gulf Free of Oil Dependence

The daunting reality for the United States and close allies in the Persian Gulf is that their economy has not transitioned away from oil dependency yet.

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Cheap Oil and Missed Opportunities

Cheap Oil and Missed Opportunities

OPEC’s recent decision to keep production at its current levels lead to the realization by many investors that the current oil price may become the new norm.

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