Download Free Oil Titans Book in PDF and EPUB Free Download. You can read online Oil Titans and write the review.

A Brookings Institution Press and Chatham House publication Ninety percent of the world's oil reserves are entrusted to state-owned companies. Originally created as political instruments, these so-called national oil companies (NOCs) face new demands amid today's dwindling oil reserves and simmering social pressures. Increasingly, state-owned oil firms—particularly in the Middle East—are having to balance the political demands of their governments with the need to be commercially competitive. In this ground-breaking new volume, Valerie Marcel draws on unprecedented access to the politicians, engineers; and businessmen directing five Middle Eastern state oil companies to shed light on one of the most secretive segments of the international oil industry. The author tells the stories of Saudi Aramco, Kuwait Petroleum Corp., the National Iranian Oil Co., Sonatrach of Algeria, and the Abu Dhabi National Oil Co.—oil titans which together produce one quarter of the world's oil and hold half of the world's known oil and gas reserves. Dr. Marcel explains the complex bond between each state and its oil company, tracing the relationship's evolution from the politically charged days of foreign concessions to today's world of profit-driven decisionmaking. Drawn from over 120 interviews with company executives, middle managers, and oil-ministry officials, the author identifies a number of surprising new trends in these companies' strategy, and she paints a picture of their nascent sense of corporate identity. The book provides rare, up-to-date insight into how state-owned companies are striking a balance between their national mission and their commercial needs. The book also provides an insider's guide to these companies' unique culture. Executives and researchers in the region—both inside and outside the oil industry—will find it a valuable tool for understanding business in the Middle East.
Despite ongoing efforts to find alternatives, oil is still one of the most critical—and valuable—commodities on earth. This two-volume set provides extensive background information on key topics relating to oil, profiles countries that are major producers and consumers of oil, and examines relevant political issues. Aside from air and water, oil is perhaps the most valuable natural resource. Oil supplies the tremendous energy needs of the modern world. What exactly is "oil," where does it come from, how does it get consumed, and who is using it? This encyclopedia provides clear answers to these questions and more, offering students entries on the fundamentals of the oil industry and profiles of the countries that play a major role in oil production and consumption. Volume 1 presents topical entries on critical concepts, key terms, major oil spills and disasters, and important organizations and individuals relating to the oil industry. Entries define terms such as "barrel" and "reserve," cover incidents such as the BP oil spill, and explain the significance of organizations such as OPEC. The second volume spotlights specific countries that are major producers, consumers, exporters, and importers of oil, from the United States to Russia to Saudi Arabia to Venezuela. Each profile shows readers the importance of oil in that country through a brief background history, data on its oil usage or production, information about major trading partners, and an explanation of political issues.
Ownership and Control of Oil examines government decisions about how much control to exert over the petroleum industry, focusing on the role of National Oil Companies in the production of crude oil since the nationalizations in the 1970s. What are the motives for which some producing states opt for less and NOT more control of their oil production sector? When can International Oil Companies enter the upstream industry of producing states and under what conditions? The diversity of policy choices across producers provides the stage for this investigation: different theoretical explanations are confronted, with the empirical evidence, with the aim of finally proposing an interdisciplinary framework of analysis to explain who controls oil production around the world. This book is intended for both specialists and general readers who have an interest in the issue of government control of the petroleum industry. Due to its multidisciplinary approach, the book is aimed at a large academic public composed of scholars of Political Science, International Political Economy, Comparative Politics, and Middle East Area Studies. Moreover, this book should be relevant to international consultants, industry professionals and decision-makers in countries assessing their experience with existing control structures as well as the many countries in the process of joining the ‘petroleum club’ of oil producing nations.
World acclaimed scientist Vaclav Smil reveals everything there is to know about nature's most sought-after resource Oil is the lifeblood of the modern world. Without it, there would be no planes, no plastic, no exotic produce, and a global political landscape few would recognise. Humanity’s dependence upon oil looks set to continue for decades to come, but what is it? Fully updated and packed with fascinating facts to fuel dinner party debate, Professor Vaclav Smil's Oil: A Beginner's Guide explains all matters related to the ‘black stuff’, from its discovery in the earth right through to the controversy that surrounds it today.
This book explores the economic challenges involved in managing hydrocarbon wealth in the Caspian region, and looks at how to design an optimal energy policy. The book draws on the Author's experience in dealing with the governments of the region, and her knowledge of the role of major companies in the area.
National oil companies (NOCs) play an important role in the world economy. They produce most of the world's oil and bankroll governments across the globe. This book explains the variation in performance and strategy for NOCs and provides fresh insights into the future of the oil industry.
Maximilian Kuhn investigates one of the most pressing, yet neglected subjects in the field of global energy politics: the integration of the Iranian gas market. Possessing the world’s second-largest proven natural gas reserves, Iran is a hypothetical energy giant-in-waiting. Yet over three decades of internal divisions, coupled with crippling international sanctions, have left Iran unable to capitalize on its vast energy potential. Increasing global demand for natural gas and a government in constant need of finding new sources of revenue to meet the needs of a fast-growing population should lead Iran to eventually become a large-scale gas exporter. How this could take place and what the implications for global gas markets would be are the central research questions tackled by this study. The study allows a look beyond international politics, Iranian political decision-making, investment laws, and pipeline games.
The intent of this book is to educate the reader about the vast complexities of the oil and gas industry and to motivate involvement in domestic oil and gas development, production and refinement. Explains the industry in non-technical language for an average person.
This book makes two central claims: first, that mineral-rich states are cursed not by their wealth but, rather, by the ownership structure they choose to manage their mineral wealth and second, that weak institutions are not inevitable in mineral-rich states. Each represents a significant departure from the conventional resource curse literature, which has treated ownership structure as a constant across time and space and has presumed that mineral-rich countries are incapable of either building or sustaining strong institutions - particularly fiscal regimes. The experience of the five petroleum-rich Soviet successor states (Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, the Russian Federation, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan) provides a clear challenge to both of these assumptions. Their respective developmental trajectories since independence demonstrate not only that ownership structure can vary even across countries that share the same institutional legacy but also that this variation helps to explain the divergence in their subsequent fiscal regimes.