Biotech Values

[OakesCS]

OT] A true global market for NG?

sort of. i agree with the WSJ article. Australia and other countries have certainly developed NG resources for export (LNG). The Gorgon field is certainly advantageously placed for Oz. However, with prices and resources in the US being as they are the possibility of significant LNG imports to the US are marginal at best and I don't think the US has significant export capability at the moment. Building it would entail the same problems as building new refineries. Gorgon has technical problems (e.g. transport to mainland for processing and compression) but its location is nearly optimal from a marketing and local population perspective.

The Persian Gulf has the biggest NG reservoirs in the world and until recently those resources were stranded. The owners are starting to monetize those resources not just thru NG as fuel exports but thru more profitable chemicals manufacturing. Historically, this has been a good chunk of US exports (one of the few sources of positive net revenue) so this will be another blow to the "heavy industry" part of the US economy and will put further margin pressures on US refineries.

regarding one of your previous questions: I can't substantively reply to your questions about specific companies and projects unless it's public domain. don't want to get myself in trouble.
regards,
Charlie