{"id":367,"date":"2008-06-26T15:43:30","date_gmt":"2008-06-26T11:43:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.desertsun.co.uk\/blog\/?p=367"},"modified":"2008-06-26T15:43:30","modified_gmt":"2008-06-26T11:43:30","slug":"seamus-milne-on-iraqs-oil","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.desertsun.co.uk\/blog\/367\/","title":{"rendered":"Seamus Milne on Iraq’s Oil"},"content":{"rendered":"

There is a good reason why Upstream Online<\/em> is popular amongst workers in the oil and gas industry as opposed to say, Seamus Milne of the Guardian<\/em>.\u00a0 Via Tim Worstall<\/a>, here is the latter<\/a>:<\/p>\n

[F]our of the western world’s largest oil corporations are due to sign contracts for the renewed exploitation of Iraq’s vast reserves. Initially, these are to be two-year deals to boost production in Iraq’s largest oilfields. But not only did the four energy giants – BP, Exxon Mobil, Shell and Total – write their own contracts with the Iraqi government, an unheard-of practice: they have also reportedly secured rights of first refusal on the far more lucrative 30-year production contracts expected once a new US-sponsored oil law is passed, allowing a wholesale western takeover. Big Oil is back with a vengeance.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Milne offers no\u00a0source\u00a0for his\u00a0assertion\u00a0that BP, Exxon Mobil, Shell and Total wrote their own contracts, which is odd given that stating as fact something previously unheard-of usually requires evidence of such.\u00a0 But of more interest is what Milne chose to leave out, and what Upstream Online<\/a><\/em> chose to leave in:<\/p>\n

Iraq has published a list of 35 companies that it said are qualified to bid for future oil and gas contracts, a government spokesman said.<\/p>\n

…<\/p>\n

“Up to now, 35 companies have been qualified out of 120 companies that presented their documentation to the oil ministry,” government spokesman Ali al-Dabbagh said at a press conference, Reuters reported.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

35 companies have qualified?\u00a0 So not just BP, Exxon Mobil, Shell and Total, then.<\/p>\n

The 35 companies shortlisted are:<\/p>\n