The article states that analysts believe untapped Russian oil reserves may be much larger than current estimates. This leads one to believe a consensus of opinion but you are correct it does not go into details like are most reserves behind pipe, etc.
The text continues that if Russia can figure out its export problems, the world should look out for a gusher of Russian oil.
Russia has figured out its export problems the United States is trying to control the transit of all oil.
The school seige postponed Ptin’s trip to Turkey and discussion of the Trans-Thracian pipeline which it did much to the delight of the United States. #msg- 4014279
The Turkish government cynically announced that they had "discovered" major environmental problems with letting huge oil tankers pass through the Bosphorus straits--the mouth of the Black Sea which they control. In other words, Turkey is threatening to stop oil-tankers from Novorossisk, which quickly made investors wary of building a pipeline that ended in Novorossisk. The Bosporus is a huge trans-shipment point for oil. In 2003, Russia complained bitterly that passage through Turkey was far too slow for Urals crude. Turkey in slowing Russian transit through the Bosporus is guaranteeing the success of the U.S. backed Baku-Tblisi-Ceyhan pipeline. #msg-3600699
The U.S.--and specifically the Clinton White House--was determined to oppose any "north/south" pipelines. The White House adopted a plan, cooked up by long-time ruling class strategist Zbigniew Brzezinski, to create an "east-west" pipe which would bypass both Russia and Iran.
The Clinton White House operated like world class gangsters, pulling strings and making threats--to make all the other pipelines "disappear" and make the Ceyhan pipeline profitable for the western oil capitalists. #msg-3775550
I will post an article found this morning that touches upon some of this.
Here we go: Russia sees US as promising oil export market
Russia is saying you can have the oil but maybe you better think about helping us get it out. That makes sense.
-Am
“Every year, Russia increases its presence on world markets, and in the first place, it considers the possibility of expanding its oil exports to the US oil market,” Mr. Gref said. He noted that the expansion of oil supplies was limited by transport infrastructure.
“The logical development of transport routes in Russia will be determined by those markets to which we will have access to in the medium term,” the Economy Minister added. For its part, the United States should consider the possibility of developing our transport and seaport infrastructure, and it should also confirm the amount of oil supplies it was ready to accept, Mr. Gref said.
Russia sees US as promising oil export market September 21, 2004
MOSCOW - Russia sees the United States as a promising oil export market, Russian Economy Minister German Gref said at a Russian-US seminar on oil transportation and oil markets on Tuesday.
“Every year, Russia increases its presence on world markets, and in the first place, it considers the possibility of expanding its oil exports to the US oil market,” Mr. Gref said. He noted that the expansion of oil supplies was limited by transport infrastructure.
“The logical development of transport routes in Russia will be determined by those markets to which we will have access to in the medium term,” the Economy Minister added. For its part, the United States should consider the possibility of developing our transport and seaport infrastructure, and it should also confirm the amount of oil supplies it was ready to accept, Mr. Gref said.
Earlier on Tuesday, US Ambassador in Moscow Alexander Vershbow said the United States hoped for the expansion of the Caspian Pipeline Consortium project, US Ambassador in Moscow Alexander Vershbow said at a congress of the Eurasian Economic Community today. According to him, the United States is making significant investments in the development of the Tengiz oilfield in Kazakhstan and the Caspian Pipeline Consortium. In particular, American companies ChevronTexaco and ExxonMobil are involved in the project.
Mr. Vershbow said the US’s investments in the project exceeded the country’s main investments in the whole region. In view of this, the ambassador stressed, the US hoped that Kazakhstan and Russia would soon agree on the expansion of the Caspian Pipeline Consortium project. In his opinion, this project will help improve relations between the countries.
Caspian Pipeline Consortium, 1,580km long, connects the Tengiz oilfield in Kazakhstan with a sea terminal in Novorossiysk. It was put into operation in 2001, and its design capacity is 21.7m tons a year. 50 percent of the project is controlled by the state: the Federal Property Fund has a 24 percent stake, KazakhOil – 19 percent, and Oman CPC Co. - 7 percent. The other 50 percent is controlled by private companies – the US’s Chevron Caspian Pipeline Consortium Co. (15 percent), Mobil Caspian Pipeline Co. (7.5 percent) and Oryx Caspian Pipeline LLC (1.75 percent), the Russian-American LUKARCO (12.5 percent), the Russian-British Rosneft-Shell Caspian Ventures Ltd. (7.5 percent), Italy’s Agip International (2 percent), Britain’s BG Overseas Holdings Ltd. (2 percent) and Kazakhstan Pipeline Ventures LLC (1.75 percent).
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