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Surge in Iraqi Violence Reunites Maliki and Obama

WASHINGTON — With violence spiking again in Iraq , fomenting fears of widening instability in the region, Prime Minister Nuri Kamal al-Maliki pressed President Obama on Friday for American help in fighting Qaeda terrorists in his country’s lawless west. Mr. Maliki said the Iraqi government was “mobilizing our people in order to fight Al Qaeda because it’s good for Iraq and the Middle East.” Speaking after a meeting with the president in the Oval Office, Mr. Maliki said he and Mr. Obama had “similar ideas” on counterterrorism priorities, though he did not offer details on any requests for military equipment or other aid. Other Iraqi officials said the government was appealing for a range of aid, including Apache helicopter gunships and Hellfire missiles , as well as more American intelligence and other forms of counterterrorism support, like reconnaissance drones that would be operated by Americans. “Unfortunately, Al Qaeda has […]

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Iraq exports begin to rise again

Iraq exports begin to rise again Iraq’s exports in October increased by nearly nine percent over September, to 2.253 million barrels per day (bpd), as infrastructure work both onshore and offshore in the Basra Gulf helped output overcome adverse weather in the south and a drop in exports from the Iraq-Turkey Pipeline.Iraqi exports had fallen in September to 2.07 million bpd, a drop of 500,000 bpd from August’s average, due to the partial shut-down of the al-Basra Oil Terminal (ABOT) from early September through late October… This content is for registered users. Please login to continue. If you are not a registered user, you may purchase a subscription or sign up for a free trial .

Posted On : Published By : Tom Whipple
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Nigeria: How My Father Turned Me to a Pipeline Vandal At 14 – Suspect

A 15-year-old boy, who was arrested alongside four others by operatives of the Inspector-General of Police Special Task Force on Anti-Pipeline Vandalism, Thursday, disclosed that he was pestered by his father until he joined the illicit act of pipeline vandalism. The suspect, Sani Musa and others were arrested with 200 kegs filled with diesel allegedly siphoned from a pipeline belonging to the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, along Shagamu/Ibadan expressway. Also recovered was a truck with number plate KMC 111 XW. Their arrest, according to the Assistant Commissioner of Police in charge of the task force, Friday Ibadin, followed a tip-off that some vandals were leaving the NNPC pipeline in Shagamu. Policemen, led by the Sector Commander, Onaghaise Osayande, a Deputy Superintendent of Police, intercepted them. Reinstating the task force’s resolve to curb the menace of pipeline vandals, Ibadin however noted that it would be achieved with the collaboration […]

Posted On : Published By : Tom Whipple
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Hong Kong Finds Switch to Cleaner Fuels Has Flaws

All but one of Hong Kong’s more than 18,000 taxis now burn liquefied petroleum gas, but one smog-causing pollutant soars if those vehicles’ catalytic converters are not regularly replaced. Alex Hofford/European Pressphoto Agency All but one of Hong Kong’s more than 18,000 taxis now burn liquefied petroleum gas, but one smog-causing pollutant soars if those vehicles’ catalytic converters are not regularly replaced. Municipal governments all over the world, particularly in developing countries with rapidly growing fleets of cars and choking air pollution, have been rushing over the last few years to force taxis and buses to switch to burning liquefied petroleum gas and compressed natural gas, frequently offering subsidies for them to do so. But one of the early leaders of the trend, Hong Kong, said on Friday that the city’s shift over the last decade to almost complete dependence on LPG for light commercial vehicles had produced unintended […]

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Oil-Tanker Rates Surge as Chinese Demand for Cargoes Accelerates

Rates for the largest oil-tankers surged as Chinese freight traders led an acceleration in Asian demand for the ships to load Middle East crude, sapping a fleet surplus that made the carriers unprofitable almost all year. A very large crude carrier built 16 years ago was hired today at about 13 percent more than yesterday’s prevailing prices, according to Dynacom Tankers Management Ltd., an Athens-based owner. There hasn’t been a bigger one-day gain in 2013, according to data from the Baltic Exchange , a London-based publisher of freight costs on more than 50 trade routes. Rising demand has cut a capacity surplus to the smallest since June 4, according to weekly surveys by Bloomberg News . Increased bookings by Chinese buyers depleted the excess in the largest loading region, according to Halvor Ellefsen, a shipbroker at Galbraith’s Ltd. in London. VLCCs earned $5,598 a day on average this year, […]

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U.S. rail petroleum delivery up 20.1 percent from previous week

WASHINGTON, Nov. 1 (UPI) — The American Association of Railroads said 14,152 carloads of petroleum and petroleum products were carried on U.S. rail systems during the past week. The industry trade group said that equated to about 9.9 million barrels of oil and marked a 20.1 percent increase from the previous week. The AAR said a cumulative 578,885 carloads, or 405 million barrels of oil, were delivered by rail as of Thursday, a 34.4 percent increase from the same time last year. An accelerating pace of oil production in the United States has placed a burden on existing pipeline capacity, industry officials say. U.S. oil production has increased in part because of gains from states including Texas and North Dakota. The AAR said its total for U.S. operations excludes deliveries from Canadian National Railway Co. and Canadian Pacific Railway. Chinese officials release badly faked photo Pamela Anderson looks unrecognizable […]

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AAA: U.S. gasoline prices for October lowest since 2010

WASHINGTON, Nov. 1 (UPI) — The U.S. average price for a gallon of gasoline in October was cheaper than last year but an Illinois refinery fire caused regional woes, the AAA said. A monthly survey published Thursday showed gasoline prices in all 50 states were down from a year ago. Alaska, Utah, Arizona and California had the largest declines with prices, on average, 41 cents lower than last year. Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio and Michigan had the smallest decreases, with an average 7.7 cent decline from last year. AAA spokesman Michael Green told UPI motorists in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan and Ohio were experiencing higher gasoline prices, though, because of a fire last week at a Citgo refinery in Lemont, Ill. “It is possible that consumers in the Great Lakes region will pay higher prices in the days ahead as suppliers compensate for reduced refinery production,” he said. Gasoline prices Friday […]

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Shell to drill again off Alaska's Arctic coast

WASHINGTON, Nov. 1 (UPI) — Oil giant Shell will make another attempt to drill for oil off Alaska’s arctic coast. Simon Henry, Shell’s chief financial officer, announced the decision Thursday during a teleconference with reporters to discuss the company’s third-quarter earnings, the Houston Chronicle reported. Those earnings were nearly a third lower than for the same period in 2012 Shell has devoted nearly $5 billion and eight years of work for its arctic oil exploration off Alaska’s coast in the Chukchi and Beaufort seas. The Kulluk, Shell’s drill ship dedicated to its Beaufort operations, ran aground off Alaska New Years Eve while being towed to Seattle following the 2012 exploration season, which was marked by equipment failures and extreme weather. Shell in February announced what it called a “pause” in its Alaska drilling program for 2013 to prepare equipment and said it planned to resume drilling activity “at a […]

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Shell to drill again off Alaska’s Arctic coast

WASHINGTON, Nov. 1 (UPI) — Oil giant Shell will make another attempt to drill for oil off Alaska’s arctic coast. Simon Henry, Shell’s chief financial officer, announced the decision Thursday during a teleconference with reporters to discuss the company’s third-quarter earnings, the Houston Chronicle reported. Those earnings were nearly a third lower than for the same period in 2012 Shell has devoted nearly $5 billion and eight years of work for its arctic oil exploration off Alaska’s coast in the Chukchi and Beaufort seas. The Kulluk, Shell’s drill ship dedicated to its Beaufort operations, ran aground off Alaska New Years Eve while being towed to Seattle following the 2012 exploration season, which was marked by equipment failures and extreme weather. Shell in February announced what it called a “pause” in its Alaska drilling program for 2013 to prepare equipment and said it planned to resume drilling activity “at a […]

Posted On : Published By : Tom Whipple
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U.S. Energy Rigs Gain Four to 1,742, Baker Hughes Says

(Corrects gas rig move in second paragraph.) Rigs targeting oil and natural gas in the U.S. increased by four this week to 1,742, according to Baker Hughes Inc. (BHI) Oil rigs rose by 19 to 1,376, data posted on the company’s website show. The gas count fell 16 to 360, the Houston-based field services company said. Miscellaneous rigs rose one to six. The total count gained for the second time in seven weeks. Rigs have fallen from 1,800 a year earlier as producers use new technologies to shorten well-boring time and boost productivity in shale formations. The improvements have driven crude output to the most in two decades, helping the U.S. meet 86 percent of its energy needs in the first seven months of 2013, on pace to be the highest annual rate since 1986. “Technological advances have led the way to the widespread use of new oil and […]

Posted On : Published By : Tom Whipple