Shell and Total Preparing To Loot Iraqi Oil Field Near Syria… What That Garners For The Rich, Who Are Not Like You & I

Crossposted @ My Buffalo River Home

Juan Cole @ Informed Comment provides the following tidbit:

Shell and Total are competing for rights to develop the Akkas natural gas field in al-Anbar Province near the Syrian border. But without a law on the sharing of oil and gas revenues, this foreign involvement is going to look like bank robbery.

Shell and Total are vying to develop a huge gasfield in what was Iraq’s most violent province as a source for exports to Europe.The Iraqi Government held talks with a number of potential companies last week regarding development of the Akkas field in Anbar province, northwest of Baghdad.

Akkas, close to the border with Syria, is thought to contain up to seven trillion cubic feet of gas – up to 6 per cent of Iraq’s estimated total of 112 trillion cubic feet. The field is capable of producing up to 50 million cubic feet a day, but this could be raised to 450 million cubic feet per day if developed further.

The Iraqi Government is keen to get the field operational as quickly as possible, using nearby Syria as an export route to Europe to restore revenues. A statement from Shell said that the Iraqi Oil Ministry had asked Shell to undertake “a long-term production test”. Total was unavailable for comment, but is also understood to be interested.

This is unlikely to make the cost of the gas for your automobile even one penny cheaper, but it DOES provide benefits for a select few, who you don't know, and WILL NEVER have the 'privilege' of meeting:

Dubai unveils 'fashion island' United Arab Emirates
January 9, 2008


Dubai Infinity Holdings has unveiled Isla Moda, a mixed-use development that will be located on The World, which it claims to be the world's first dedicated fashion island. The development will combine a fashion resort, themed residential villas, haute couture boutiques and luxury hospitality facilities. World-renowned fashion designers will be instrumental in designing each element of the development. [In Full]

It will be located here, on Dubai's new 'Continent':

Design of new "continent" finalized
Posted by: hipstomp on Monday, June 18 2007

It's not every day we get to tell you the final design phase of a new continent is underway, but today's one of those days.

The architects of Dubai's "The World" project, a series of man-made islands in the shape of Earth's continents, announced today that OQYANA-WORLD FIRST, the island community in the shape of Australasia, is undergoing its final design steps.

Over 50 consultants from around the world have been working on issues from engineering and ecology to security and water quality. [In Full]

Dick Cheney and his Halliburton buddies are all set...

How about you?

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