6 Global Conflicts That Have Flared Up Over Oil and Gas

Since we are still very dependent in oil and gas for our energy needs, the control for these precious commodities is a common theme for the majority of world conflicts occurring nowadays. Here are the 6 areas of conflict that occurred in the first half of this year.

1. A brewing war between Sudan and South Sudan.

South Sudan has the oil but Sudan (Northern Sudan) has the only pipeline capable of transporting the south’s oil to international markets (and thus generating revenue). The northerners are been demanding exceptionally high “transit fees” ($32-$36 per barrel compared to the common rate of $1 per barrel) for the privilege of bringing the South’s oil to market. Not surprisingly, a conflict occurred between the two countries.

On April 10th, forces from the newly independent state of South Sudan occupied the oil center of Heglig, a town granted to Sudan as part of a peace settlement that allowed the southerners to secede in 2011. The northerners, based in Khartoum, then mobilized their own forces and drove the South Sudanese out of Heglig. Fighting has since erupted all along the contested border between the two countries, accompanied by air strikes on towns in South Sudan. Although the fighting has not yet reached the level of a full-scale war, international efforts to negotiate a cease-fire and a peaceful resolution to the dispute have yet to meet with success

2. Naval clash in the South China Sea

With China claiming all of the South China Sea as theirs, no wonder that conflicts with other claimant countries will occur. China's current conflict is with the Philippines. China is basing their claim based on historical records. It is like Mongolia claiming China as theirs now because it was in the history of Mongolia that they controlled China before or Italy claiming Greece as theirs now because in is in the history of Rome that they owned Greece before. Political maps change. China should accept now that based on International Law of the Sea, the Philippines has the valid claim on the area of conflict now. Besides, even the Philippines has historical record on their claim which dates back in 1700's. China has older historical claim though, the area of conflict was mentioned in their history books that they already knew the area thousands of years ago.

That area btw, is believed to be rich in oil reserves.

On April 7th, a Philippine naval warship, the 378-foot Gregorio del Pilar, arrived at Scarborough Shoal, a small island in the South China Sea, and detained eight Chinese fishing boats anchored there, accusing them of illegal fishing activities in Filipino sovereign waters. China promptly sent two naval vessels of its own to the area, claiming that the Gregorio del Pilar was harassing Chinese ships in Chinese, not Filipino waters. The fishing boats were eventually allowed to depart without further incident and tensions have eased somewhat. However, neither side has displayed any inclination to surrender its claim to the island, and both sides continue to deploy warships in the contested area.

3. Egypt cuts off the natural gas flow to Israel

After the ouster of Mubarak, Egypt is seeking a more independent Egyptian foreign policy that is less beholden to the United States and Israel. Egypt decided to terminate its contract to supply gas to Israel. This will result in energy shortages in Israel, especially during peak summer demand periods. The Egyptian-Israeli gas link was one of the most significant outcomes of the 1979 peace treaty, and its annulment clearly signals a period of greater discord between the two countries.

On April 22nd, the Egyptian General Petroleum Corporation and Egyptian Natural Gas Holding Company informed Israeli energy officials that they were “terminating the gas and purchase agreement” under which Egypt had been supplying gas to Israel. This followed months of demonstrations in Cairo by the youthful protestors who succeeded in deposing autocrat Hosni Mubarak and are now seeking a more independent Egyptian foreign policy -- one less beholden to the United States and Israel. It also followed scores of attacks on the pipelines carrying the gas across the Negev Desert to Israel, which the Egyptian military has seemed powerless to prevent.

4. Argentina seizes YPF

YPF is Argentina's largest oil company and Argentina decided to take a 51% controlling stake in YPF, which is now majority-owned by Spain’s largest corporation, the energy firm Repsol YPF. This definitely did not sit well with Spain. Spain in return announced that it would stop importing biofuels from Argentina, its principal supplier in a trade worth nearly $1 billion a year to the Argentineans.

On April 16th, Argentina’s president, Cristina Fernández de Kirchner, announced that her government would seize a majority stake in YPF, the nation’s largest oil company. Under President Kirchner’s plans, which she detailed on national television, the government would take a 51% controlling stake in YPF, which is now majority-owned by Spain’s largest corporation, the energy firm Repsol YPF. The seizure of its Argentinean subsidiary is seen in Madrid (and other European capitals) as a major threat that must now be combated. Spain’s foreign minister, José Manuel García Margallo, said that Kirchner’s move “broke the climate of cordiality and friendship that presided over relations between Spain and Argentina.” Several days later, in what is reported to be only the first of several retaliatory steps, Spain announced that it would stop importing biofuels from Argentina, its principal supplier -- a trade worth nearly $1 billion a year to the Argentineans.

5. Argentina re-ignites the Falklands crisis

During the Summit of Americas in Colombia, Argentina sought hemispheric condemnation of Britain’s continued occupation of the Falkland Islands (called Las Malvinas by the Argentineans). It won strong support from every country present save (predictably) Canada and the United States. Result of recent seismic surveys of the waters surrounding the islands indicated the existence of massive deposits of oil and natural gas. The fight for Falklands shifted to the gas and oil deposits believed to be present in the area.

At an April 15th-16th Summit of the Americas in Cartagena, Colombia -- the one at which U.S. Secret Service agents were caught fraternizing with prostitutes -- Argentina sought fresh hemispheric condemnation of Britain’s continued occupation of the Falkland Islands (called Las Malvinas by the Argentineans). It wonstrong support from every country present save (predictably) Canada and the United States. Argentina, which says the islands are part of its sovereign territory, has been raising this issue ever since it lost a war over the Falklands in 1982, but has recently stepped up its campaign on several fronts -- denouncing London in numerous international venues and preventing British cruise ships that visit the Falklands from docking in Argentinean harbors. The British have responded by beefing up their military forces in the region and warning the Argentineans to avoid any rash moves.

6. U.S. forces mobilize for war with Iran

We know very well that oil is the driving force for this conflict.

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reply to post by wavemaker


There is so much to be uninformed about...bunch of evil crooks..good post by the way

reply to post by SarnholeOntarable


The fight for energy is starting. We need to find cheap alternative sources of energy soon or more conflicts will happen in the near future.

Its amazing how much pain and suffering greed can create.

What a bunch of spoilt, greedy, selfish brats people are these days who will gladly kill for money.

reply to post by wavemaker


Would you think me crazy if I were to say that WWI was a war over oil?

A History of Oil - 'Oil, Smoke and Mirrors'



“Your good war, your just war has always been presented as a one off, a discreet event no more connected to other wars than consecutive productions of the same musical because all the ‘just war’, ‘humanitarian’ arguments begin to unravel if ever a war is seen to be part of a continuous foreign policy that has remained absolutely consistent for decades.” - Rob Newman (History of Oil)

At least 100 years ago they had the good grace to not make it so damn obvious!

reply to post by LiveForever8


Nope, I would not. Even WW2 was really about resources rather than the evil Nazis. The Nazi's took over everyone to get at their resources. The Japanese bombed the us because we had a petrol embargo against them. Both Germany and Japan's strategy involved getting at oil fields so no, I don't think you are crazy-You are right.

It's Peak Oil baby. You think those was were bad, wait until you see the next one.

Originally posted by wavemaker
reply to post by SarnholeOntarable

 

The fight for energy is starting. We need to find cheap alternative sources of energy soon or more conflicts will happen in the near future.

Well, get ready for the war I say. Humans are silly. Bottom line:Most american's don't believe this. In the back of their minds they know oil has an end, it's just they don't think it's in their lifetime so they don't care. I find it telling the defense department does though.
www.defense.gov...
They are the biggest buyer of fuel on the planet and have been looking for alternatives to save money.

Israel has a massive natural gas deposit that will run through cyprus to be run into Europe the "Leviathan" field, the greeks will be wealthy beyond their wildest dreams, if they actually knew or this were reported widely, but alas all we hear maybe how broke they seem and how they can't get out of it! CRS report from 01/20111

reply to post by antonia


I was taught in the 80's in HS that the germans had discovered a form of synthetic oil that became a major threat to Oil producers and global power politics, by a Italian history professor that had lived in Europe during WW2. I have my suspicions that their maybe something actually to this story and or science and theory that has been suppressed for obvious reasons.

Direct conversion of coal to synthetic fuel was originally developed in Germany.

In 1953 the new Republican-led House Appropriations Committee ended funding for the research and the Missouri plant was returned to the Department of the Army. In 1979, after the second oil crisis, the U.S. Congress approved the Energy Security Act forming the Synthetic Fuels Corporation and authorized up to $88 million for synthetic fuels projects. In 1986, during the 1980s oil glut, President Reagan signed into law the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985 which among other things abolished the Synthetic Liquid Fuels Program. It's estimated that over 40 years the various efforts at creating synthetic fuels may have totaled as much as $8 billion.

Synthetic Liquid Fuels Program

But the larger point is that if there was 1930s technology that was efficient and sufficient enough to fuel the massive German war machine with synthetic gas and oil, we are likely capable of utilizing our advanced technology to move past our dependence on oil (biotic or abiotic).

Whatever Happened to Nazi Synthetic Gas and Oil Technology? Scarcity Scams Examined

reply to post by bubbabuddha


All these hidden technologies should come out now before our world leaders start destroying each other due to greed and selfishness.

reply to post by bubbabuddha


That's not a secret, the germans only did it because they had no other access. The problem with coal conversion is that is is costly and inefficient. They eventually had to look for other sources which is why they moved into the middle east. Coal conversion produces a low grade crude that's hard to refine. Furthermore, coal is a finite resource as well.

You forget libya?

reply to post by wavemaker


Global conflicts?

How can the end of a supply contract be considered a global conflict?

There's not one case that can be considered global.

Where did those guys get their definitions? Or am I using the wrong ones?

Right this is all the elite policy of pay attention to the wars and ignore Tesla some more.
The policy defeated Tesla and the human race since electric power to the people became
elite business and the improvements were suppressed. We had WWI and WWII to hold
back the tide which just generated another elite from Germany with the top technology
that puts pressure on the old elite to continue making wars.