Iraq and the Politics of Oil

Iraq and the Politics of Oil

Author: Gary Vogler

Publisher: University Press of Kansas

Published: 2017-12-01

Total Pages: 328

ISBN-13: 0700625062

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Was the Iraq war really about oil? As a senior oil advisor for the Office for Reconstruction and Humanitarian Assistance (ORHA) and briefly as minister of oil, Gary Vogler thought he knew. But while doing research for a book about his experience in Iraq, Vogler discovered that what he knew was not the whole story—or even the true story. The Iraq war did have an oil agenda underlying it, one that Vogler had previously denied. This book is his attempt to set the record straight. Iraq and the Politics of Oil is a fascinating behind-the-scenes account of the role of the US government in the Iraqi oil sector since 2003. Vogler describes the prewar oil planning and the important decisions made during hostilities to get Iraqi oil flowing several months ahead of schedule. He reveals how, amid the instability of 2006 (largely fueled by the arrogance of early US decisions), the fixing of the Bayji Refinery contributed significantly to the success of the oil sector in the Sunni part of northern Iraq during and after the surge. Vogler gives us an expert insider’s view of the largest oilfield auctions in the history of the international oil industry, and his account shows how US Forces’ focus on a single Iraqi point of failure in 2007 was a primary factor in the record productions and exports of 2012 through 2017. But under the successes so deftly chronicled here, a darker political narrative finally emerges, one that reaches back to the decision to go to war with Iraq. Uncovering it, Vogler revises our understanding of what we were doing in Iraq, even as he gives us a critical, close-up view of that fraught enterprise.


Book Synopsis Iraq and the Politics of Oil by : Gary Vogler

Download or read book Iraq and the Politics of Oil written by Gary Vogler and published by University Press of Kansas. This book was released on 2017-12-01 with total page 328 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Was the Iraq war really about oil? As a senior oil advisor for the Office for Reconstruction and Humanitarian Assistance (ORHA) and briefly as minister of oil, Gary Vogler thought he knew. But while doing research for a book about his experience in Iraq, Vogler discovered that what he knew was not the whole story—or even the true story. The Iraq war did have an oil agenda underlying it, one that Vogler had previously denied. This book is his attempt to set the record straight. Iraq and the Politics of Oil is a fascinating behind-the-scenes account of the role of the US government in the Iraqi oil sector since 2003. Vogler describes the prewar oil planning and the important decisions made during hostilities to get Iraqi oil flowing several months ahead of schedule. He reveals how, amid the instability of 2006 (largely fueled by the arrogance of early US decisions), the fixing of the Bayji Refinery contributed significantly to the success of the oil sector in the Sunni part of northern Iraq during and after the surge. Vogler gives us an expert insider’s view of the largest oilfield auctions in the history of the international oil industry, and his account shows how US Forces’ focus on a single Iraqi point of failure in 2007 was a primary factor in the record productions and exports of 2012 through 2017. But under the successes so deftly chronicled here, a darker political narrative finally emerges, one that reaches back to the decision to go to war with Iraq. Uncovering it, Vogler revises our understanding of what we were doing in Iraq, even as he gives us a critical, close-up view of that fraught enterprise.

Fuel on the Fire

Fuel on the Fire

Author: Greg Muttitt

Publisher: The New Press

Published: 2012

Total Pages: 433

ISBN-13: 1595588051

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"First published in Great Britain by The Bodley Head, London, 2011"--T.p. verso.


Book Synopsis Fuel on the Fire by : Greg Muttitt

Download or read book Fuel on the Fire written by Greg Muttitt and published by The New Press. This book was released on 2012 with total page 433 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "First published in Great Britain by The Bodley Head, London, 2011"--T.p. verso.

Oil and Politics in My Life

Oil and Politics in My Life

Author: Tariq E Shafiq

Publisher: E-Kutub Ltd

Published: 2021-02-18

Total Pages: 62

ISBN-13: 1780585551

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This booklet provides a summary of the author’s Book, which is based not so much on research of Iraq’s past and present or the international oil industry but on the author’s first-hand experience over six decades in the techno-economics and concessionary affairs of the oil industry at large and specifically in Libya, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, complemented by his published papers and rich library books used as references. The author intends to provide history and a perspective of Iraq’s oil and gas development for the owners of the resource, the Iraqi nation, for the oil and gas industry at large and last, but not least, for the colleagues at the Ministry of Oil (MoO) and the Iraqi National Oil Company (INOC) who were involved, often at great cost to their health and reputations.


Book Synopsis Oil and Politics in My Life by : Tariq E Shafiq

Download or read book Oil and Politics in My Life written by Tariq E Shafiq and published by E-Kutub Ltd. This book was released on 2021-02-18 with total page 62 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This booklet provides a summary of the author’s Book, which is based not so much on research of Iraq’s past and present or the international oil industry but on the author’s first-hand experience over six decades in the techno-economics and concessionary affairs of the oil industry at large and specifically in Libya, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, complemented by his published papers and rich library books used as references. The author intends to provide history and a perspective of Iraq’s oil and gas development for the owners of the resource, the Iraqi nation, for the oil and gas industry at large and last, but not least, for the colleagues at the Ministry of Oil (MoO) and the Iraqi National Oil Company (INOC) who were involved, often at great cost to their health and reputations.

Geopolitics and Energy in Iraq

Geopolitics and Energy in Iraq

Author: Robert E. Ebel

Publisher: CSIS

Published: 2010

Total Pages: 66

ISBN-13: 0892066032

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Part of this paper addresses the issue of the March 7, 2010 national election; the selection of a prime minister; and whether the promise held by the election will be fulfilled. If not, will the country return to the sectarianism conflicts that characterized its past/ Senior Iraqi officials fear that the troop drawdown could well result in a power vacuum to be filled by insurgents. The report also addresses the issue of the Iraq oil and gas sector, including security of the critical infrastructure, the role that sector has played over the years, its current position, and the prospects held for achieving a place in the world oil market commensurate with its reserves in the ground. Iraq continues to be the great unknown in terms of future world oil supply and is likely to remain so for the near term at least, if not longer should political constraints remain. The report concludes with a look at the electricity sector and the general public unhappiness with inadequate supplies.


Book Synopsis Geopolitics and Energy in Iraq by : Robert E. Ebel

Download or read book Geopolitics and Energy in Iraq written by Robert E. Ebel and published by CSIS. This book was released on 2010 with total page 66 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Part of this paper addresses the issue of the March 7, 2010 national election; the selection of a prime minister; and whether the promise held by the election will be fulfilled. If not, will the country return to the sectarianism conflicts that characterized its past/ Senior Iraqi officials fear that the troop drawdown could well result in a power vacuum to be filled by insurgents. The report also addresses the issue of the Iraq oil and gas sector, including security of the critical infrastructure, the role that sector has played over the years, its current position, and the prospects held for achieving a place in the world oil market commensurate with its reserves in the ground. Iraq continues to be the great unknown in terms of future world oil supply and is likely to remain so for the near term at least, if not longer should political constraints remain. The report concludes with a look at the electricity sector and the general public unhappiness with inadequate supplies.

The Politics of Oil

The Politics of Oil

Author: Dag Harald Claes

Publisher: Edward Elgar Publishing

Published: 2018-11-30

Total Pages: 296

ISBN-13: 1785360183

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The Politics of Oil brings together legal studies, economics, and political science to illustrate how governments gain and exercise control over oil resources and how political actors influence the global oil market, both individually and in cooperation with each other. The author also investigates the role of oil in preserving regime stability, in civil wars and in inter-state conflicts, as well as discussing the possible implications for the oil industry from policies to combat climate change.


Book Synopsis The Politics of Oil by : Dag Harald Claes

Download or read book The Politics of Oil written by Dag Harald Claes and published by Edward Elgar Publishing. This book was released on 2018-11-30 with total page 296 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Politics of Oil brings together legal studies, economics, and political science to illustrate how governments gain and exercise control over oil resources and how political actors influence the global oil market, both individually and in cooperation with each other. The author also investigates the role of oil in preserving regime stability, in civil wars and in inter-state conflicts, as well as discussing the possible implications for the oil industry from policies to combat climate change.

Oil and Democracy in Iraq

Oil and Democracy in Iraq

Author: Robert Springborg

Publisher: Saqi

Published: 2012-07-15

Total Pages: 81

ISBN-13: 0863568874

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This is the first major study of the alternatives confronting Iraq as it seeks to rebuild its vital oil industry while simultaneously constructing a new political system. A key challenge facing the country is to allocate the revenues oil generates in a way that avoids economic and social instability. Reviewing the present status of the industry, the authors - including Clement Henry, Massoud Karshenas, Roger Owen, Mona Said and John Sfakianakis - use comparative analysis to suggest how it might best be rebuilt. Oil and Democracy in Iraq is an important and timely assessment of Iraq's oil industry. 'Springborg's observations help understand the current stalemate in (or failure) to define the legal and administrative setting needed to undertake a real reconstruction of the national oil industry.' -- Maritza Cricorian, Istituto Affari Internazionali 'This book is exemplary, setting forth clear alternatives, as well as cautionary tales from the experiences of other states, and indeed of Iraq itself in an earlier incarnation.' -- Charles Tripp, School of Oriental and African Studies


Book Synopsis Oil and Democracy in Iraq by : Robert Springborg

Download or read book Oil and Democracy in Iraq written by Robert Springborg and published by Saqi. This book was released on 2012-07-15 with total page 81 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This is the first major study of the alternatives confronting Iraq as it seeks to rebuild its vital oil industry while simultaneously constructing a new political system. A key challenge facing the country is to allocate the revenues oil generates in a way that avoids economic and social instability. Reviewing the present status of the industry, the authors - including Clement Henry, Massoud Karshenas, Roger Owen, Mona Said and John Sfakianakis - use comparative analysis to suggest how it might best be rebuilt. Oil and Democracy in Iraq is an important and timely assessment of Iraq's oil industry. 'Springborg's observations help understand the current stalemate in (or failure) to define the legal and administrative setting needed to undertake a real reconstruction of the national oil industry.' -- Maritza Cricorian, Istituto Affari Internazionali 'This book is exemplary, setting forth clear alternatives, as well as cautionary tales from the experiences of other states, and indeed of Iraq itself in an earlier incarnation.' -- Charles Tripp, School of Oriental and African Studies

Oil and World Politics

Oil and World Politics

Author: John Foster

Publisher: James Lorimer & Company

Published: 2018-09-25

Total Pages: 282

ISBN-13: 145941344X

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Petroleum is the most valuable commodity in the world and an enormous source of wealth for those who sell it, transport it and transform it for its many uses. As the engine of modern economies and industries, governments everywhere want to assure steady supplies. Without it, their economies would grind to a standstill. Since petroleum is not evenly distributed around the world, powerful countries want to be sure they have access to supplies and markets, whatever the cost to the environment or to human life. Coveting the petroleum of another country is against the rules of international law — yet if accomplished surreptitiously, under the cover of some laudable action, it's a bonanza. This is the basis of "the petroleum game," where countries jockey for control of the world's oil and natural gas. It's an ongoing game of rivalry among global and regional countries, each pursuing its own interests and using whatever tools, allies and organizations offer possible advantage. John Foster has spent his working life as an oil economist. He understands the underlying role played by oil and gas in international affairs. He identifies the hidden issues behind many of the conflicts in the world today. He explores military interventions (Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya, Syria), tensions around international waterways (Persian Gulf, South China Sea), and use of sanctions or political interference related to petroleum trade (Iran, Russia, Venezuela). He illuminates the petroleum-related reasons for government actions usually camouflaged and rarely discussed publicly by Western politicians or media. Petroleum geopolitics are complex. When clashes and conflicts occur, they are multi-dimensional. This book ferrets out pieces of the multi-faceted puzzle in the dark world of petroleum and fits them together.


Book Synopsis Oil and World Politics by : John Foster

Download or read book Oil and World Politics written by John Foster and published by James Lorimer & Company. This book was released on 2018-09-25 with total page 282 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Petroleum is the most valuable commodity in the world and an enormous source of wealth for those who sell it, transport it and transform it for its many uses. As the engine of modern economies and industries, governments everywhere want to assure steady supplies. Without it, their economies would grind to a standstill. Since petroleum is not evenly distributed around the world, powerful countries want to be sure they have access to supplies and markets, whatever the cost to the environment or to human life. Coveting the petroleum of another country is against the rules of international law — yet if accomplished surreptitiously, under the cover of some laudable action, it's a bonanza. This is the basis of "the petroleum game," where countries jockey for control of the world's oil and natural gas. It's an ongoing game of rivalry among global and regional countries, each pursuing its own interests and using whatever tools, allies and organizations offer possible advantage. John Foster has spent his working life as an oil economist. He understands the underlying role played by oil and gas in international affairs. He identifies the hidden issues behind many of the conflicts in the world today. He explores military interventions (Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya, Syria), tensions around international waterways (Persian Gulf, South China Sea), and use of sanctions or political interference related to petroleum trade (Iran, Russia, Venezuela). He illuminates the petroleum-related reasons for government actions usually camouflaged and rarely discussed publicly by Western politicians or media. Petroleum geopolitics are complex. When clashes and conflicts occur, they are multi-dimensional. This book ferrets out pieces of the multi-faceted puzzle in the dark world of petroleum and fits them together.

Oil and National Identity in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq

Oil and National Identity in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq

Author: Alessandro Tinti

Publisher: Routledge

Published: 2021-11-29

Total Pages: 192

ISBN-13: 1000479595

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Examining the interplay between the oil economy and identity politics using the Kurdistan Region of Iraq as a case study, this book tells the untold story of how extractivism in the Kurdish autonomous region is interwoven in a mosaic of territorial disputes, simmering ethnic tensions, dynastic rule, party allegiances, crony patronage, and divergent visions about nature. Since the ousting of Saddam Hussein, the de-facto borders of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq have repeatedly changed, with energy interests playing a major role in such processes of territorialisation. However, relatively little research exists on the topic. This book provides a timely, empirical analysis of the intersections between extractive industries, oil imaginaries, and identity formation in one of the most coveted energy frontiers worldwide. It shines a light on relations between the global production networks of petro-capitalism and extractive localities. Besides the strained federal relationship with the Iraqi central government, the transformative effects the petroleum industry has had on Kurdish society are also explored in depth. Moreover, the book fills a gap in the literature on Kurdish Studies, which has devoted scant attention to energy-related issues in the re-imagination of Kurdish self-determination. This book will be of great interest to students and scholars of the extractive industries, energy studies, conflict studies, Middle Eastern politics, and political ecology.


Book Synopsis Oil and National Identity in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq by : Alessandro Tinti

Download or read book Oil and National Identity in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq written by Alessandro Tinti and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2021-11-29 with total page 192 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Examining the interplay between the oil economy and identity politics using the Kurdistan Region of Iraq as a case study, this book tells the untold story of how extractivism in the Kurdish autonomous region is interwoven in a mosaic of territorial disputes, simmering ethnic tensions, dynastic rule, party allegiances, crony patronage, and divergent visions about nature. Since the ousting of Saddam Hussein, the de-facto borders of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq have repeatedly changed, with energy interests playing a major role in such processes of territorialisation. However, relatively little research exists on the topic. This book provides a timely, empirical analysis of the intersections between extractive industries, oil imaginaries, and identity formation in one of the most coveted energy frontiers worldwide. It shines a light on relations between the global production networks of petro-capitalism and extractive localities. Besides the strained federal relationship with the Iraqi central government, the transformative effects the petroleum industry has had on Kurdish society are also explored in depth. Moreover, the book fills a gap in the literature on Kurdish Studies, which has devoted scant attention to energy-related issues in the re-imagination of Kurdish self-determination. This book will be of great interest to students and scholars of the extractive industries, energy studies, conflict studies, Middle Eastern politics, and political ecology.

Crude Power

Crude Power

Author: Øystein Noreng

Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing

Published: 2005-12-20

Total Pages: 303

ISBN-13: 0857711792

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Many people in the world today believe Bush's war against Saddam Hussein is only about oil. Iraq has the second biggest petroleum reserves in the Middle East, and America's relations with its prime supplier Saudi Arabia have turned sour in the wake of 9/11. Invading Iraq, so many argue, is merely colonising an oil field. Oil has transformed the world and remains the most important resource of our age. It has made the wealth of millions of people - from Venezuela to Norway via the Persian Gulf - and holds their futures in its fortunes. The Middle East is the earth's greatest petroleum depot. It is also the most explosive region in the world today. Now more than ever, with the global economy under severe threat, oil is of prime geopolitical concern. Crude Power provides a comprehensive analysis both of the world's dependency on Middle Eastern oil, and of the very dangerous way politics and economics play themselves out in the oil game - as producers and consumers tug at each others' interests. It is a tug of war: Oystein Noreng explains what all concerned are fighting for. Placing OPEC (the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries) into its wider world context, he examines in detail how shifting oil prices affect everything from international trade balances to inflation rates. In the current political climate of the Middle East and Central Asia, with anti-Americanism and the threat of terrorism in such countries as Saudi Arabia running high, oil holds the future of the world economy as well as thousands of lives in its hands. Crude Power is an indispensable book for anyone concerned with the fate of the world today, and that most important of issues: the interplay of power and money in the Middle East and beyond.


Book Synopsis Crude Power by : Øystein Noreng

Download or read book Crude Power written by Øystein Noreng and published by Bloomsbury Publishing. This book was released on 2005-12-20 with total page 303 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Many people in the world today believe Bush's war against Saddam Hussein is only about oil. Iraq has the second biggest petroleum reserves in the Middle East, and America's relations with its prime supplier Saudi Arabia have turned sour in the wake of 9/11. Invading Iraq, so many argue, is merely colonising an oil field. Oil has transformed the world and remains the most important resource of our age. It has made the wealth of millions of people - from Venezuela to Norway via the Persian Gulf - and holds their futures in its fortunes. The Middle East is the earth's greatest petroleum depot. It is also the most explosive region in the world today. Now more than ever, with the global economy under severe threat, oil is of prime geopolitical concern. Crude Power provides a comprehensive analysis both of the world's dependency on Middle Eastern oil, and of the very dangerous way politics and economics play themselves out in the oil game - as producers and consumers tug at each others' interests. It is a tug of war: Oystein Noreng explains what all concerned are fighting for. Placing OPEC (the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries) into its wider world context, he examines in detail how shifting oil prices affect everything from international trade balances to inflation rates. In the current political climate of the Middle East and Central Asia, with anti-Americanism and the threat of terrorism in such countries as Saudi Arabia running high, oil holds the future of the world economy as well as thousands of lives in its hands. Crude Power is an indispensable book for anyone concerned with the fate of the world today, and that most important of issues: the interplay of power and money in the Middle East and beyond.

Pipe Dreams

Pipe Dreams

Author: Erin Banco

Publisher:

Published: 2018

Total Pages: 0

ISBN-13: 9780997722949

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"A fascinating and revealing dive into the murky world of oil contracts that shape power and politics in Iraq." -- Loveday Morris, The Washington Post Jerusalem bureau chief Iraq sits on top of more than 140 billion barrels of oil, making it the owner of the world's fifth largest reserves. When the United States invaded in 2003, the Bush Administration promised that oil revenue would be used to rebuild and democratize the country. But fifteen years later, those dreams have been shattered. The Iraqi economy has flatlined, millions of people are internally displaced, and international institutions have had to provide billions of dollars in assistance to the country every year. Where did all the oil revenue go? Reporter Erin Banco traveled to oil-rich Iraqi Kurdistan--an autonomous region that holds, according to the regional government, some 45 billion barrels of crude--to uncover how widespread corruption, tribal cronyism, kickbacks to political parties, and the war with ISIS have contributed to the plundering of Iraq's oil wealth. The region's economy and political stability have been on the brink of collapse, and local people are suffering. Based on court documents and on exclusive interviews with sources who have investigated energy companies and their dealings with government officials, Pipe Dreams is a cautionary tale that reveals how the dream of an oil-financed, American-style democracy in Iraqi Kurdistan now looks like a completely unrealistic fantasy.


Book Synopsis Pipe Dreams by : Erin Banco

Download or read book Pipe Dreams written by Erin Banco and published by . This book was released on 2018 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "A fascinating and revealing dive into the murky world of oil contracts that shape power and politics in Iraq." -- Loveday Morris, The Washington Post Jerusalem bureau chief Iraq sits on top of more than 140 billion barrels of oil, making it the owner of the world's fifth largest reserves. When the United States invaded in 2003, the Bush Administration promised that oil revenue would be used to rebuild and democratize the country. But fifteen years later, those dreams have been shattered. The Iraqi economy has flatlined, millions of people are internally displaced, and international institutions have had to provide billions of dollars in assistance to the country every year. Where did all the oil revenue go? Reporter Erin Banco traveled to oil-rich Iraqi Kurdistan--an autonomous region that holds, according to the regional government, some 45 billion barrels of crude--to uncover how widespread corruption, tribal cronyism, kickbacks to political parties, and the war with ISIS have contributed to the plundering of Iraq's oil wealth. The region's economy and political stability have been on the brink of collapse, and local people are suffering. Based on court documents and on exclusive interviews with sources who have investigated energy companies and their dealings with government officials, Pipe Dreams is a cautionary tale that reveals how the dream of an oil-financed, American-style democracy in Iraqi Kurdistan now looks like a completely unrealistic fantasy.