Posted on 12/21/2006 5:36:38 PM PST by Proud_USA_Republican
The Kremlin has moved decisively to take back ownership of Russia's oil-and-gas assets, taking effective control of Royal Dutch Shell's Sakhalin-2 project and issuing a chilling warning to BP about its future in the country.
President Putin personally oversaw the signing of a deal in which Shell will hand over control of Sakhalin to Gazprom, while a key Kremlin official warned BP that it has no choice but to accede to Russian demands with its latest project, or face crippling sanctions. Shell and its Japanese partners accepted a $7.45bn (£3.8bn) cash payment for a stake of 50pc plus one share in the project in the far north-east which was until yesterday the biggest single foreign investment in Russia.
(Excerpt) Read more at telegraph.co.uk ...
Commie economics 101. We invite you to build it and then we seize it.
Back in the '70s when Russia was really communist, it was a good place to do business. Knowing that the free world was reluctant to trade with them, the Russkis always paid their bills, and on time. Guess Putin isn't a good communist or a good Russian.
A lot of American business would like to do business in and with Russia, but there's that trust thing that the Ru skies don't quite get..
Now that's a contradiction in terms.
WOW _ I NEVER SAW THIS COMING
Not at all. There are plenty of good Communists -- Lenin, Stalin, the Rosenbergs, etc. The only way to tell if a Communist is good is to take his or her temperature -- if it is the same as the room temperature, then it's a good Communist.
I heard that out of the Kremlin these days, they are calling their form of government "sovereign democracy".
These commie jackoffs are going to learn the hardway down the road what happens when you base your entire countries economy around exporting one thing and screw over everyone who tries to do business with you in the process.
Sovereign democracy? Isn't that just about what Norway has? It works for them and their North Sea oil. But compared with Russia, they're a tidy manageable country. (So far. Not counting the muslims who want to overrun the place.)
Russia could find many other bottom feeder oil companies like Elf, out of france, to come in and run and maintain their equipment.
Elf would be tripping over their french wangs to get in there and do business after losing all their Saddam deals. So would Chinese companies.
I predict these Kremlin controlled energy assets will not produce as much as they could, but will still produce enough to make them successful and profitable ventures.
As long as oil prices stay high, Russia will prosper some.
The Russian have never maintained their oil field equipment. One reason they brought in Shell and BP is to build new facilities and to maintain the fields and equipment. Let Shell and BP pull out and within 10 years their oil output will drop 75%.
Do business with the Russians at you own risk.
P.S. Forget about contracts, contracts of any language is of little use.
"Cold War II: This Time It's Laughable!"
So they want to play again? Putin will be lucky to stay solvent six months.
I don't think it'll take that long for them to ruin everything.
Really? I highly doubt that. If they haven't learned from the failure of dozens of countries over almost the last 100 years, they aren't going to learn now.
Guess the free world needs constant reminders what happens when you do business with commie thugs like Putin and Co. ==
Putin isn't no commie. He just capitalist. He takes possesion of country wealth given away during 90th. I agree that it was done with apllying of bully tactics but Russia no needs no more to give away her tresure for penny.
When those Shell, BP and so on signed absolutely non-profitable contracts with Russia in 1990th what did they think that it will continue forever? They robbed Russia now Putin stop this.
Russia could find many other bottom feeder oil companies like Elf, out of france, to come in and run and maintain their equipment.
I predict these Kremlin controlled energy assets will not produce as much as they could, but will still produce enough to make them successful and profitable ventures.
As long as oil prices stay high, Russia will prosper some. ==
That is correct assumption. If we both kno wthat the only russian tresure is oil and gas how so you wonder that Russia doesn't allow no foreigneers to profit on it?
WOW _ I NEVER SAW THIS COMING==
Really?! But I did for lonh time.. Accually I just thought that Putin will take 100% of Sakhalin-2. He took just 50 so maybe he will take other half little later.
It is just principle. Russia won't allow no "damn" foreigneers to profit form her treasure:). Just opposite all foregneers are today is "free cow for milking":). It is russian way of capitalism. The quickest and easier way to make money on everything! Absolutely everything.. The grim part that the people supports such way. Putin rate arises 5% more today. I guess his rate is about 90% already..
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