BloggingStocks http://www.bloggingstocks.com BloggingStocks http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/media/feedlogo.gif BloggingStocks http://www.bloggingstocks.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[Oil tanker attack could affect the price of oil as security costs mount]]>http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2008/11/18/oil-tanker-attack-could-affect-the-price-of-oil-as-security-cost/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2008/11/18/oil-tanker-attack-could-affect-the-price-of-oil-as-security-cost/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2008/11/18/oil-tanker-attack-could-affect-the-price-of-oil-as-security-cost/#commentsFiled under:

In something that sounded straight out of the movies, the world learned Monday about the hijacking of the MV Sirius Star over the weekend. The oil-rich supertanker was attacked and hijacked by Somali pirates in deep water in a brazen move that left even Navy Adm. Michael G. Mullen, chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, "stunned."

In addition to carrying about $100 million in cargo, the supertanker has a crew of 25 different nationals. It was seized on Saturday, far to the south of the NATO patrolled zone, about 450 nautical miles southeast of Mombasa, Kenya, according to the U.S. Navy. The pirates took the ship to a Somali port known as a hub of pirate activity. The difference between this attack and other recent ones is that usually pirates attack within 200 miles of shore and go after much smaller vessels.

This is a cause of alarm since, as Navy commanders put it, it "represents a fundamental change in pirates' ability to hijack bigger vessels farther out at sea." It gets even scarier. If pirates have managed to attack this supertanker, there's no reason to believe they couldn't hijack LNG tankers. Liquefied natural gas is highly volatile and if a tanker explodes, it would equal fifty Hiroshimas. If an LNG tanker was hijacked, it could end up at the hands of terrorist.

Continue reading Oil tanker attack could affect the price of oil as security costs mount

Oil tanker attack could affect the price of oil as security costs mount originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 18 Nov 2008 15:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>inthenewsKenyaNATOoilpiratesSirius StarSiriusStarSomaliaTue, 18 Nov 2008 15:15:00 EST<![CDATA[An emboldened Russia is oil market's latest concern]]>http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2008/08/22/an-emboldened-russia-is-oil-markets-latest-concern/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2008/08/22/an-emboldened-russia-is-oil-markets-latest-concern/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2008/08/22/an-emboldened-russia-is-oil-markets-latest-concern/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Just when there are signs that emerging market demand (and institutional investor frenzy) have eased in the oil markets, up pops an old friend: geopolitical risk.

Moreover, this time the old friend, 'Middle East Tensions,' brought along his long/lost cousin, 'Enboldened Russia.'

Russia's re-appearance on the international stage takes the form of a major power, not a geopolitical power capable of projecting force globally as during the Soviet era, but the gradation is minor as it relates to the oil market, so says economist Richard Felson.

"Russia has the capacity to create a remarkable amount of distress in the oil markets. It can use oil exports and natural gas as a lever against Europe and the world, and its territorial threats to Central Asia and Eastern Europe are also cause for legitimate concern," Felson said.

Oil fell $3.03 to $118.15 per barrel Friday at mid-day after Turkey restored oil flows through the Caspian Sea pipeline, Bloomberg News reported Friday. The Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline moves oil from Azerbaijan through George to Turkey's Mediterranean coast. Oil flows were stopped earlier this month after Russia invaded Georgia.

The other, major energy commodities also fell sharply Friday at mid-day on the Baku pipeline news. Unleaded gasoline plunged 11 cents to $2.93 per gallon, heating oil declined about 10 cents to $3.19 per gallon, and natural gas declined 14 cents to $8.11 per million BTUs.

Russia: a threat to the west's oil?

Further, Felson said Russia's action "have caused the west to re-evaluate the global oil and energy equation" to account for the new - - and unexpected - - Russia wild card.

"Whereas before the prevailing view was incorporation of Russia into the oil and energy markets and as a net-plus for production and supplies, long-term, the new view is guarded," Felson said. "Not only are supplies from Russia now viewed as liabilities, but the west now has to ask, 'what other oil-rich areas might Russia might try to threaten?' And what about it's natural gas relationship with Germany?" [Russia supplies about 20% of Germany's natural gas.]

Continue reading An emboldened Russia is oil market's latest concern

An emboldened Russia is oil market's latest concern originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 22 Aug 2008 15:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>AzerbaijanBaku Tbilisi Ceyhan pipelineEUEuropeEuropean UnionGeorgiaGermanyNATOnatual gasoiloil pricesoil shockPolandRussiaUkraineUnited StatesFri, 22 Aug 2008 15:03:00 EST<![CDATA[Elbit Systems: Dutch win could be NATO springboard]]>http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2008/01/27/elbit-systems-dutch-win-could-be-nato-springboard/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2008/01/27/elbit-systems-dutch-win-could-be-nato-springboard/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2008/01/27/elbit-systems-dutch-win-could-be-nato-springboard/#commentsFiled under: , ,

The news today the Israeli defense company Elbit Systems (NASDAQ: ESLT) signed a $40 million deal with the Royal Netherlands Army (RNLA) is not just the latest in a string of new deals for Elbit, but could help the company penetrate the NATO countries as well.

Elbit Systems will supply systems to the RNLA's ground forces that will include enhanced tactical computers (ETCs), incorporating tactical communication devices, and data communication software. The systems will be installed in more then 1,800 of the RNLA's vehicles, including tanks, armoured vehicles, and others. The project involves extensive cooperation with the Netherlands MoD's C2 Support Centre.

Commenting on the deal, Bezhalel Machlis, Corporate VP & General Manager Land Systems & C4I Division, Elbit Systems said: "Winning the tender to supply Battlefield Management Systems to the Netherlands MoD constitutes another step in establishing our position as leader in the C4I fast growing and developing market. Elbit Systems' BMS systems are in use today by over 20 militaries worldwide and we view this contract awarded by the Netherlands MoD, a leading country in NATO, as a springboard to potential future business in this market."

Elbit has been signing deals all over the place, but if they can crack NATO member countries defense budgets, this stock will soar higher.

Aaron Katsman is the lead Portfolio Manager and Managing Director of America Israel Investment Associates, LLC. and Senior Editor of IsraelNewsletter.com. DISCLOSURE: Writer has a position and is long ESLT. He has no positions in any other stock mentioned as of 1/27/08

Elbit Systems: Dutch win could be NATO springboard originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sun, 27 Jan 2008 10:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>battlefield managent systemsBezhalel MachlisdefenseElbitElbit SystemsESLTisraelNATONetherlandsRNLARoyal Netherlands ArmySun, 27 Jan 2008 10:40:00 EST