Israeli gas discoveries and shale gas potential

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Subject: Israeli gas discoveries and shale gas potential

The Israeli’s have made some very large oil and gas discoveries in the off-shore Mediterranean Sea, but the major western oil companies like Royal Dutch Shell are not interested in investing in this new frontier. Wonder why ? How about fear of retaliation by Islamic terrorist groups and boycotts by Arab countries?

We can guess why Royal Dutch Shell won’t go near Israel – the company’s historical antisemitism during its association with Hitler and the Nazis.

Israel has massive potential in its oil shale resources, almost as much as the US and China. Perhaps as much as Saudi Arabia. Israel could in fact, in the next 20 years, become a serious exporter of oil and gas.

What is interesting here is that new drilling technologies are threatening to open up vast new reserves of oil and gas world wide and that could signal the end of OPEC’s pricing power in the international oil and gas markets. How would OPEC react ?? Who knows really, but it is clear that loss of that power would curtail their ability to set world prices and could spell the end of a 40 year gravy train. That in turn could set the stage for a great deal of political turmoil within the major OPEC producers as they begin to feel the financial squeeze.

ATP strikes gas in Israel, shares jump‎

Gazprom Wants In On Offshore Israeli Natural Gas, Should Investors …‎

The End of OPEC Despotism‎

Canada, Israel broadening energy ties‎

Exploration group announces new gas find off Israel‎

Israel’s Emergence As Energy Superpower Making Waves | Via …

Who would have thought? Any bets the Palestinians will try to claim their share of these riches ?

The following article illustrates my point:

War and Natural Gas: The Israeli Invasion and Gaza’s Offshore Gas …

Lebanon has now made claims on Israel’s largest off-shore gas discovery and the Iranians are threatening armed conflict if the Israeli’s attempt to develop what they claim are Lebanese resources.

Even more interesting, Egypt recently decide to stop selling natural gas to Israel. This is a consequence of a more radical political climate in Egypt and the recent political unrest. Egypt was supplying about 40% of Israel’s energy needs.

AFP: Egypt scraps Israel gas accord

And Turkey is opposed to development of gas finds in the waters off-shore of Cyprus. They have expressed their unhappiness in a very truculent manner:

Turkish Warships Shell Narrow Water Between Israeli, Cypriot Gas …

Israel’s Gas Bonanza

Leviathan gas field – Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Turkey’s natural gas supply fails temporarily; Israel discovers more …

 New Natural Gas Field in Israel on Lebanese Border Stokes Conflict …

Insight: Israel gas finds launch navy into troubled waters | Reuters

Netanyahu OKs key defenses for gas fields – UPI.com

Israel’s Undersea Gas Bonanza May Spur Mideastern Strife …

Vast gas fields found off Israel’s shores cause trouble at home and …

What is happening in Israel is part of a much bigger change that is sweeping through the oil and gas industry, one that will have major world wide political and economic ramifications. It is clear that the vast new energy resources that are being discovered and developed worldwide come as a consequence of dramatic improvements in exploration and drilling technologies, both conventional and unconventional. The developments are going to be a huge game changer in the world’s political and economic relationship with the oil rich countries of the mid-East. The political and economic influence of these regimes will eventually decrease dramatically. That shift is already beginning to happen.

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