Iraq Invites Foreign Oil-Firm Offers

The Wall Street Journal ^ | September 25, 2003 | CHIP CUMMINS

[BOBTHENAILER]

VIENNA -- Iraq's oil minister, in his strongest overtures so far to foreign investors, invited international oil companies to pitch investment ideas to Baghdad and said the country's interim government plans to quickly seek outside help in developing its vast but dilapidated petroleum industry.

[BOBTHENAILER]

In related news, Haliburton's executives have indicated their desire to file a lawsuit against Vice President Cheney. The basis of the lawsuit will be the fact that the whole Iraq war was cooked up in Texas (sayeth the Swimmer) and during the Texas sessions Haliburton was promised billions of dollars in no-bid contracts.

[smith288]

Halliburton will win bids...not because of Cheney...but because they are simply hands down the best in the industry.

[BOBTHENAILER]

Another RAT issue bites the Iraqi dust

[BOBTHENAILER]

but because they are simply hands down the best in the industry.

Agrred. A fact lost on the RAT oil patch experts.

They would have hired Martha Stewart's company.

[Madame Dufarge]

Nabeil Hassan al-Musawi, a Governing Council deputy traveling with the minister, said companies from the U.S. and other countries that helped topple Saddam Hussein may be given preferential treatment in contract negotiations in a sign of gratitude

How awful for France and Germany.

[Flint]

This explains why the Raghead Coilition got together yesterday and upped the price of oil. They want to squeeze us for all they can before this source comes on line and prices get back to normal.

[OldFriend]

It seems to me that OPEC expected Iraq to make up the difference with their oil. That there are those in the financial markets that are manipulating the market, selling short, etc etc. and making millions at the expense of confidence is not surprising. Many wish for the corrupt days of Rubin to return.

[LurkedLongEnough]

They would have hired Martha Stewart's company.

Nah, it would be a political scandal to advocate a capitalist company. Maybe Michael Moore would do a better job. </sarcasm>

[conservatism_IS_compassion]

They want to squeeze us for all they can before this source comes on line and prices get back to normal.

. . . which is just another reason we should be tapping our SPR right now, and selling off the (low-grade) petroleum in it. Use the revenue in Iraq, then take sweet light Iraqi crude in repayment. So that it can be processed easily, if ever we have an emergency where we actually need the stuff.

If Iraq remains cordial to the US, we ain't ever gonna need the SPR anyway . . .

[OXENinFLA]

But but but.........The news says Bush has control of the Iraqi Oil, how can this be? <//dripping sarcasm>

[OXENinFLA]

But but but.........The news says Bush has control of the Iraqi Oil, how can this be? <//dripping sarcasm>

[Dog Gone]

Well, let's see. BP is a British company, and the UK certainly helped in freeing Iraq. ExxonMobil and ChevronTexaco represent American interests. Woodside and BHPBilliton could be the Australian companies that benefit.

TotalFinaElf represents the French and Belgian interests. No soup for them!

[adam_az]

TotalFinaElf represents the French and Belgian interests. No soup for them!

Agreed - Don't let the French put their Vichy into our American-invented Vichyssoise

[BOBTHENAILER]

.........The news says Bush has control of the Iraqi Oil, how can this be?

Indeed. Tom Daschle is shocked and saddened by this turn of events.

[BOBTHENAILER]

How awful for France and Germany.

Don't it just make you wanna cry?

[BOBTHENAILER]

I've got it.

Iraq announces all field service contracts will be given to the Franken & Moore Oil Field Services Co.

[Madame Dufarge]

I'm distressed.

[BOBTHENAILER]

Well, let's see. BP is a British company, and the UK certainly helped in freeing Iraq. ExxonMobil and ChevronTexaco represent American interests. Woodside and BHPBilliton could be the Australian companies that benefit.

There ya go....a very deserving list.

[Liz]

Another RAT issue bites the Iraqi dust.

Another one? Oh Lord, when will it ever end? (/sarcasm)

[Tumbleweed_Connection]

This country has the world's second largest oil reserves but in light of sabotage of pipelines and a battered oil infrastructure is currently forced to create an import system in order to reconstruct. Bush is assisting in that area although orginal estimates need to be increased and approved by Congress. Lack of approval not only negates progress in reconstruction but increases import demand. The votes will be interesting.

[anniegetyourgun]

hehehe.....

[BOBTHENAILER]

Lack of approval not only negates progress in reconstruction but increases import demand. The votes will be interesting.

Good point and yes, the votes will be interesting. I'm guessing they will gut the reconstruction money to try and snatch a failure from the jaws of victory.

[RobbyS]

I have heard that the Iraqi reserves may in fact exceed those of Saudi Arabia.

[PsyOp]

Halliburton will win bids...not because of Cheney...but because they are simply hands down the best in the industry.

You're probably right. But that won't stop some frog from writing a book saying the whole reason for 9/11 was a plot by Bush, Cheny, and Haliburton to give us an excuse to invade Iraq and steal the oil (ir did they write that book already?). That, of course will prompt the Democrats to call for a Congressional investigation....

[PhilDragoo]

Oh, I thought it said Foreign Film Offers.

So this means the people who count in Iraq want us there?

Put the Chappaquiddick DWI Killer on suicide watch.

[Billthedrill]

But many major oil companies have said that Iraq's unstable security situation and the lack of a fully recognized government will keep them away for some time no matter what the opportunities may be.

BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA!! (Snork, snork!)

BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!

Right - "there's a fortune in the ground, but we're not going after it until it's safe." Whoever wrote that is evidently unacquainted with oil companies, their histories, and their, er, well-staffed security departments. FWIW, a little bird tells me that DynCorp's hiring. They're not the only ones by far.

[BOBTHENAILER]

Whoever wrote that is evidently unacquainted with oil companies, their histories, and their, er, well-staffed security departments.

ROFLMAO. Also, the writer hasn't ever been in a typical oil patch watering hole and witnessed the normal combative nature of us oil field trash.

[BOBTHENAILER]

So this means the people who count in Iraq want us there? Put the Chappaquiddick DWI Killer on suicide watch.

The sub-captain single handedly raised my Seagram's stock price recently.