Oil - Page 31

OPEC Concedes Defeat In Anti-Shale Oil War with U.S.

OPEC’s attempt to over-produce crude oil for export to crush prices and bankrupt the American shale-fracking oil boom has failed, according to a draft OPEC long-term strategy report seen by Reuters ahead of the cartel’s policy meeting in Vienna on June 1st.

California Pumpjack (Joel Pollak / Breitbart News)

Miles of SoCal Beach Closed Due to Mysterious Globs of Oil

Strange black blobs of tar-like goo surged on onto southern California’s Manhattan Beach by the thousands, closing down the two-mile area Wednesday while the U.S. Coast Guard and National Ocean and Atmospheric Administration are investigating the source and substance.

Carlsbad Goo (Josh Koonce / Flickr / CC / Cropped)

Evil Is the Islamic State’s Business, and Business Is Good

The New York Times offers a dismaying look at the Islamic State’s financial situation by Sarah Almukhtar: She looks at data from the RAND Corporation and judges that the modern-day Mordor “has revenue and assets that are more than enough to cover its current expenses despite expectations that airstrikes and falling oil prices would hurt the group’s finances.”

AFP PHOTO

Texas Governor Signs Bill Banning Fracking Bans

Texas Governor Greg Abbott has signed into law House Bill 40, which restricts cities and towns from imposing local ordinances that regulate oil and gas drilling, or attempt to ban fracking operations. The new law became effective immediately on Monday, May 18.

abbott_signs_fracking

Dear Ben Carson: Call Me Maybe

Dr. Carson, I know you are smart, very smart. But you know medicine. You need very smart people to advise you on energy policy now, before you address the topic any further. I have a cadre of energy experts that I could make available to you—and any candidate who wants smart energy policy. Call me, maybe?

Ben Carson

Saudi Arabia Has World’s Worst Negative Cash Flow

Saudi Arabia is still rich, but they are burning through their foreign reserve cash at a record pace due to lower oil prices and an unwillingness to cut the domestic spending that ensures the survival of the royal family. With the nation hemorrhaging cash, Saudi Arabia’s total foreign reserves fell by 5 percent, or $36 billion in just the last two months.

King-Salman_AP

ExxonMobil tells the Guardian where to stick it

The Guardian has run a piece attacking ExxonMobil for its stubborn, selfish refusal to stop being an oil business. Here’s how the oil giant responded when asked for a quote: “ExxonMobil will not respond to Guardian inquiries because of its

An Exxon gas station is pictured in Arlington, Virginia

U.S. Oil Prices Fall Below 50 Dollars a Barrel

For the first time since 2009, the price of United States oil fell below $50 a barrel, and Brent crude (West Texas Intermediate crude) fell to a five-and-a-half year low of $51.12 per barrel. That statistic is in great part due to fracking and a global excess in oil supply, combined with OPEC’s refusal to slow its production.

Joshua Lott/Getty Images/AFP

Gas Still Not Cheap by Historical Standards

The recent plunge in gas prices has been welcome relief for many, but today’s price at the pump still isn’t what it used to be in nominal and inflation-adjusted real terms, reports the Wall Street Journal.

AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin

Iran: Saudi Arabia Must Act to Stop Oil Plunge

(Reuters) – Falling world oil prices will hurt countries across the Middle East unless Saudi Arabia, the world’s biggest crude exporter, takes action to reverse the slump, Iran’s deputy foreign minister told Reuters.

John Moore/AP

Greenspan: ‘Coin Toss’ Where Oil Price Will End Up

In an interview with Bloomberg earlier this week, former Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan commented on oil prices and the functionality of the OPEC cartel. Partial transcript as follows: GREENSPAN: OPEC is no longer the modular producer, and as far

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Saudi Arabia Refuses to Slow Oil Production

Despite tumbling oil prices, Saudi Arabia’s oil minister has insisted the country will not slash production in order to keep prices up. Brent crude oil – whose per barrel price is used as a world bench mark – dropped by another

John Moore/AP

GDP: 5 Percent

On Tuesday, the Commerce Department released revised GDP figures that showed third quarter growth at 5%, the strongest third-quarter growth in eleven years.

GDP-rising-AP

Massive Gas Explosion Reported South Of Texas Border

MCALLEN, Texas — A massive gas explosion and fire south of the Texas border forced Tamaulipas authorities to scramble firefighters and emergency personnel. Unlike previous explosions, no injuries have been reported. The explosion took place Wednesday afternoon near the rural

AP Gas Explosion