РФ и Македония заключили соглашение о сотрудничестве по "Южному потоку"

http://www.warandpeace.ru/ru/news/view/82130/

A new shiite energy axis to come?? well this could be so...

Lebanon a new El Dorado for gas and oil business

Recently i have been watching amazed how world media has given a massive coverage to recents new discoveries of gas and oil fields in Lebanon, and no wonder this country is launching its 3rd edition of Oil and Gas Summit this coming december, to promote itself as a new El Dorado for the oil and gas business in the mediterranean. I was amazed as well as how many international and state oil companies have decided to invest in this new frontier of energy field such as PETROBRAS, CNPC, CHEVRON, EXXONMOBIL, and the likes, giving a new fresh air to this everstanding war scenario like always has been the lebanese territory, but this time in a positive way. Many things remain uncertain on how they are going to be settled and solved like the border issues between Lebanon and Israel (on how borders and oil and gas blocs will be delineated since Israel is experiencing its own energy boom as well), the consolidation of a solid lebanese government that could reinforce and bring securiy for a long term to all the contracts signed with the IOC´s and NOC´s and the reduction of the political instability now coming from Syria, the role that Hezbollah will play in this new energy geopolitical arena, and what could be the position adopted by the OPEC countries on a situation like the one Lebanon is living now that has oil and gas. What are the stance that Washington could take towards Beirut and the energy business? Umm this could be a balancing act between Tel Aviv and Beirut for the White House on which energy environment to boost and support the most, having Hezbollah in the middle of all this.... Besides all these issues, and many more to come, i think that Lebanon might be the new El Dorado in the energy international cartography.

whats next for lebanon? oil wealth or balkan style future again?

Now that lebanon was poised to discover considerable amounts of oil fields and reserves specifically gas and having many ioc's participating in licensing processes with caretaker government (well its a shame lebanon can have every once in a while a functioning and lasting government) just as that brilliant moment was beginning, syrian affairs meddle again into lebanese future a big one though as it seems, and all that because the hezbollah decided to kinda take justice for its own and protect bashar government against the opposition (lets face it syrian internal affairs have nothing to do with lebanese internal dynamics but disgracefully always has to be in the middle of the iran usa syria and israel struggle for power of influence) and once again sectarianism of shia sunni threatens to destabilize the traditional quietness of lebanese society dreaming of a brilliant future now it knows has enough oil and gas reserves but i hope syrian instability wont overshadow lebanon growing presence in the energy international scene.. so what should we expect for the lebanese people a brilliant oiled future or a once again balkanized-bantustanized country which can only have "caretakers" as formal authorities to lead lebanon toward a better future...

a turkish spring?

The recent protests at taksim square in istambul against prime minister tayyip erdogan by an ever growing number of angered people showing discontent with erdogans allegedly authoritarian turn in his government show that besides all the strength that turkey has displayed and waved all through the middle east and the world as a heavyweight it could be at the very beggining of its own version of an arab or "turkish style" spring with very damaging consecuences for the poweplays in the region and more important for the role and position that will have turkey in the washington strategy for the shaking middle east which has no foreseeable and clear view of whats going to happen when situations like in syria (with its spoiling skirmishes in many zones in lebanon) dont have a clear end for the benefit of the white house and what happens now in turkey could be interesting to see how it will be covered by the world western leaned media, plus how will be the stance towards this situation by regional powers like saudi arabia, qatar, iran, russia, israel and how will this affect all the autonomy that mr erdogan seemed to achieve for turkey in the eurasian geopolitical spectrum and one imperative question is if these protests are really provoked from overseas elements i.e washington, iran, moscow and plus which could be the implications for the ongoing syrian showdown and in general the new geopolitical puzzle thats still shaping up the new middle east all i can say is this an interesting turn of events in turkey..

US Shale Gas Production by state

Russia oil output hits near post soviet record in April 2013