Suchergebnisse

Abstract
The main official reason given by the Allied powers for invading Iraq in 2003 was to destroy Iraq's alleged Weapons of Mass Destruction. There was hardly any mention of the role of oil in the war. Iraq's crude oil reserves are among the five largest globally. This fact did not escape the attention of allied politicians. The Chilcot Report made it clear that public statements on the war should focus on the Weapons of Mass Destruction, and that no mention should be made of oil interests, in order not to antagonize Iraqi public opinion and raise the suspicion that the war is about western control of Iraq's oil. The Report revealed that scores of meetings took place between UK government officials and leading British oil firms such as BP and Shell to ensure that the firms received a sizeable share of the upstream contracts following the war. The Report also showed concerns raised by British officials of US attempts to stop Russia's negative position towards the war in the UN Security Council by promising upstream oil contracts to Russian firms. British officials also complained that the United States kept the oil file strictly under its domain, particularly after the war ended. The Report documents beyond doubt the role of oil interests in the war, despite the fact that the subject was not raised publicly by the Allied officials.

The discovery of shale oil and gas in North America (the United States and Canada) is considered a 'game changer' in the global petroleum industry. It provides an opportunity for the United States to achieve the energy self-reliance it has sought since the 1970s. It is also expected to allow the United States, the largest petroleum consumer and importer globally, to focus its attention on maximizing the economic benefits and comparative advantages of becoming a self-reliant energy state. It could also enable the United States to reprioritize its strategic interests, sharing responsibility for the security of the oil export routes in the Gulf with its European and Asian allies, rather than shouldering that task almost single-handedly, as is presently the case. However, realization of the advantages that North American shale oil and gas discoveries are purported to bring about will depend on whether the depletion rate can be slowed down and minimized and on whether the cost of production can remain competitive compared with that of conventional hydrocarbons. It will also depend on whether the United States will allow a large percentage of its shale petroleum to be exported, rather than be consumed domestically.

The essay questions whether it was necessary for Iraq to award fifteen giant and super-giant oil fields to International Oil Companies (IOCs) all at once and asks whether it would have been better for Iraq to award these contracts gradually, considering that the country is suffering
from a fragile political system, a corrupt and inefficient civil service and a lack of security.

The Arab oil industry provides on a steady basis approximately 20 million b/d of crude oil, compared to the global consumption of around 85 million b/d. Arab oil producers are committed to ensure stable oil markets and to balance global supply and demand, despite the many political crises in the region. The industry faces many challenges: dealing with stringent environmental standards, and providing the finance for its maintenance and expansion to meet rising world demand, as well as integrating its activities with the local economies through enhancing research and development, training and providing employment for nationals.