Posted on 11/01/2013 11:06:41 PM PDT by Cincinatus' Wife
CARACAS, Venezuela — Venezuela has quietly seized control of two oil rigs owned by a unit of Houston-based Superior Energy Services after the company shut them down because the state oil monopoly was months behind on payments.
The seizure took place Thursday after a judge in the state of Anzoategui, accompanied by four members of the local police and national guard, entered a Superior depot and ordered it to hand over control of two specialized rigs to an affiliate of PDVSA, the state-owned oil producer.
PDVSA justified the equipment’s expropriation, calling it essential to the South American nation’s development and welfare, according to a court order obtained by The Associated Press. Company workers were instructed to load the rigs, known as snubbing units and used to repair damaged casing, onto trucks to be deployed at “critical wells” elsewhere, according to the document.
“It was like a thief breaking into your house, asking for the keys to the safe and then expecting you to help carry it away,” Jesus Centeno, local operations manager for Superior in the city of Anaco, said by phone. “Their argument was that we were practically sabotaging national production.”
(Excerpt) Read more at fuelfix.com ...
No different from what the entire Middle East did to all of the US and British oil companies. They never did any drilling or exploring themselves. They just stole the equipment from others.
Too bad they didn’t sabotage the equipment.
The Venezuelans will destroy it anyway.
Since this pits collectivists and thieves against Americans with jobs who do stuff, we know how the Osama administration’s going to come down on this one.
A pilot rent-a-toilet program, which was started in 2011 in Havana province, now has been expanded to the entire island.
It allows the rental of state-owned bathrooms to private persons who hold government licenses as “public bathroom attendants” — one of 182 categories of self employment permitted by the government.
Details of the change were contained in a seven-page resolution signed by Minister of the Economy and Planning Adel Yzquierdo Rodriguez and published in the latest edition of the Official Gazette.
Cuban President Raúl Castro has been pushing to make the island’s Soviet-styled economy more efficient, largely by allowing more private enterprise and cutting government spending and payrolls, since he officially succeeded brother Fidel in 2008.
The number of public bathrooms in Cuba is unknown. Most are presumed to be in cities and towns, and many are known to be in dire condition.
The price for using a toilet, urinal or washbasin will be one Cuban peso, or about four U.S. cents, according to the regulations. Prices for additional services such as “perfumes, talcum powders, cosmetics, soap, showers, among others, are set by supply and demand,” although the renters must notify the municipalities of the services they offer.
Renters must pay for the water and electricity used at residential rates and guarantee “quality, hygiene and good customer service,” the regulations added. Toilet facilities cannot be subleased or used for any other activity.
The complicated process require technicians from communal services departments of municipal governments, working with current bathroom attendants, to study the activity at each site in order to establish its potential revenue.".......
He’ll, they probably got permission and encouragement from Obama.
Well, can’t say that was not unexpected! Geez, do those companies expect to make a profit at the local Government’s expense? Dream on..
Yes, they are at fault also.. Either only drill in countries that allow free enterprise or go home..you can’t lose there. Do I feel sorry for you, no...you bought and paid for your own farm!
The Great ObamaNation is taking how to notes. Coming soon to an oil patch near you.
Absolutely correct. Just like Francisco D’Anconia in Ayn Rand’s “Atlas Shrugged” when he blew up his copper mines that had been nationalized.
Good point. Venezuelans doing jobs americans cannot do. Apparentlynwe are slated to be colonized and it is ok by Bush.
US owned oil platforms seized by a foreign nation on the high seas?
Sounds like we need to use up some old ammunition...
....But never mind, Obama is president. Expect it to happen again,and more like it.
Actually, places like Saudi Arabia, paid and paid decently. That doesn't mean the seven sisters wanted to sell, but they were bought not stolen. That is why those same companies are still doing joint ventures with Saudi Aramco in other countries.
Yeah, the US government would NEVER sell you a lease, charge you for an environmental study and permits, then prevent you from drilling and producing.
Oh wait...
The are not platforms and they are not in international waters, or any waters at all.
They are Snubbing units which are used to repair damaged wells on land. Not oil production equipment nor drilling equipment. Still valuable equipment but specialized repair equipment.
If you use a translator program:
http://www.lostiempos.com/diario/actualidad/economia/20131102/venezuela-expropia-a-petroleras_233802_506666.html
Can Superior collect by suing Citgo?
D’Anconia didn’t blow up the mines. That was the oil tycoon.
So where will Venezuela send their mud for refining?
Back in the 60's American geologists WERE in Saudi Arabia. One of those geologists was a neighbor of mine. While they were overseas I babysat their cat, Poor Pitiful Pearl, a stray that the geologist inherited when someone in the Kingdom THREW the cat over into his yard one day. That cat landed in FAT CITY, was rescued and brought back to the USA and lived the "life of reilly" until its death 16 years later.
The Arabs were incapable of that technology as they were some of God's poorest people on the planet...just poor Bedouins living in one of the two WORST climates on earth.
Their water comes from the mountains between Yemen and the KSA: BRACKISH and warm. YUCK. It flows under the sand to the Gulf, the fresh water coming out right there between KSA and Bahrain. There are PEARLS there, fresh water pearls, very valuable and odd shaped. Bahraini pearls fetch ENORMOUS sums of money in New York. I have a matching bracelet, earrings and necklace of those pearls.
God gave the earth's poorest a pot of gold. The "Empty Quarter," (Rub' al Khali) in the KSA hasn't been touched yet. It's said that the KSA has 200+ years more of petroleum and its buddy in spurting, natural gas.
Sounds like a Democrat-run operation.
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