MARCH, 2005

March 30
OPEC governors in Vienna for extraordinary meet; Iraq attending
PLATTS

Poland backs Azerbaijan's WTO, EU, NATO ambitions
AFP

U.S. Supports Kazakhstan's Joining to Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan Pipeline
USACC

Asia bent on having own oil market despite warnings
AFP

DRS Technologies Awarded $49 Million Contract to Upgrade Key Targeting System of U.S. Army Bradley Fighting Vehicles
DRS Technologies (press release)

US Defended Turkey, Jordan's Position over Iraq Embargo Period
Anadolu News Agency

March 29
Turkey ready to assist in safeguarding Caspian oil fields
AssA-Irada

Gazprom and Lukoil Made Strategic Partnership Agreement Until 2014
RIA Novosti

Expert urges UAE to prepare for post-oil days
Khaleej Times

Kuwait to Boost Oil Production
AFP

India seeking long-term oil deals with Saudi
MENAFN

March 28

Ministers lay groundwork for Arab-Latin American summit
AFP

Qatar to back OPEC on higher oil quotas
Bloomberg

Libya Will Offer 44 Plots of Land for Oil Exploration in May
Bloomberg

Sudan signs $400 mln oil field development deal
Reuters

Kuwait mega oil project to cost over 8.5 billion dollars: energy minister
AFP

Oil producers from Dubai to Venezuela are enjoying the boom as prices and profits soar
Cox

March 25

Angola: Outgoing Ambassador Urges Greater Transparency And Donor Patience
IRIN

OPEC to reduced its average crude output to 29.3-mil b/d in March
PLATTS

Russian Oil Companies Failed to Replace Reserves in 2004
MosNews

Peaceful Kyrgyzstan revolt topples autocratic president
Baltimore Sun

U.S. Right Uses Oil-For-Food to Hit UN
Reuters

US accused of rights violations
Reuters

Nnpc to Buy Oil Blocs in Algeria, Gabon, Libya
Daily Champion

March 24

Indonesia Seeks $80 Billion as It Fights Corruption
Bloomberg

Water Becoming More Precious Than Oil in Arab World
VOA

Oil India signs pact to explore crude in Libya
New Ind Press

Construction starts on Kazakhstan-China oil pipeline
Xinhuanet

Rumsfeld concerned on Venezuelan arms purchases from Russia on Brazil trip
Petroleumworld

Mines found near BTC pipeline planted by Russian military
AzerNews

March 23

Nigeria sacks 'corrupt' minister
BBC

Azerbaijan Discloses First Transparency Initiative Reports
Oilfund.az

ChevronTexaco eyes Brazil
Bloomberg

Yukos throws in towel in U.S. court
Houston Chronicle

Facts and figures on Central Asia
AP

Energy Watch
UPI

Southern Kyrgyzstan Under Opposition Control
New York Times

Russian group Tatneft signs oil prospecting deal with Syria
AFP

March 22

Nigerian president scolds MPs over corruption
Reuters

Libya "needs economic reform," IMF
afrol News

Demonstrators Gain Ground in Kyrgyzstan
New York Times

Still room to raise oil output: Saudi minister
AFP and AP

Keppel Corp Unit Gets S$84M Conversion Job
Keppel Corp. (press release)

In Nigeria Oil Majors Reject Federal Government's Proposal On Crude
Daily Champion

March 21

China, India and Brazil Stay Outside New Transparency Rules for Miners & Drillers
Resource Investor

TI welcomes Cameroonian commitment made at London EITI
Transparency International (press release)

Crude Oil Falls After Saudis Say OPEC to Boost Output Again
Bloomberg

Kuwait to post record surplus on high oil
MENAFN

The Long-Term Global Benefits Of Higher Oil Prices
Petroleumworld

Ghana: Deregulation of Petroleum Will Encourage Capital Flight
Public Agenda

March 18

Watchdog Group Calls for Anti-Corruption Crackdown in Global Construction Sector
World Bank (press release)

Transparency Can Alleviate Poverty
World Bank (press release)

Surge of Interest in Odessa-Brody Oil Pipeline
Interfax

Kuwait, US in oil dispute
AFP

Watchdog Hails Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe Measures
Financial Gazette

Nigeria's Oil Killing Fields
Scoop New Zealand

Energy Watch
UPI

Norway's Statoil to invest $100 million in Venezuela in 2005
Petroleum World

OPEC ready to pump more than 30 million bpd in fourth quarter
Petroleum World

March 17

Anti-Corruption Group Targets Construction, Procurement
United States Department of State (press release)

Wolfowitz nomination a shock for Europe
Financial Times

Why graft thrives in postconflict zones
Christian Science Monitor

Oil Reaches Record $57.50 on Concern Demand Will Outpace Supply
Bloomberg

Alaska opened for oil drilling
The Australian

March 16

OPEC debating oil production strategy
Petroleumworld

U.S. backs Kazakhstan-China gas pipeline
Washington Times

Petroleos de Venezuela SA exec tells National Petrochemical & Refiners Association of plans for three refineries
OGJ online

British firm audits Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, other oil companies
Vanguard

World's thirst for oil makes falling output worse
Financial Times

Saudi Arabia demands OPEC boost output, signals it could act alone
AFP

March 15

Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipe construction delayed
Baku Today

OPEC could raise its output ceiling, Saudi push for an increase
Petroleumworld

IMF sees no issue preventing programme with Angola
Reuters

LUKoil Closing $1Bln Caspian Deal
Bloomberg

Sonoran Energy Update on Operations
Sonoran Energy (press release)

Energy Watch
UPI

Intelligence Watch
UPI

Venezuela seizes land from British firm
AFP

March 14
Russia’s Lukoil Reaches Agreement on $1Bln Oil Venture With Kazakhstan
MosNews

Blair targets corruption in Africa plan
Guardian

Turkey-Syria Cover Operations in Kurdistan Iran’s Nuclear Possession to Undermine Kurdish Independence
Kurdistan Observer

OPEC expected to maintain production quota after meeting in Iran
AFP

Contracts Awarded
Washington Post

March 11
India in Asia’s corrupt Top 5, but China poses biggest threat
Reuters

IMF Executive Board Concludes Article IV Consultation With the Socialist People's Libyan Arab Jamahiriya
IMF (press release)

Sudan: Billions Needed for Initial Recovery And Development
IRIN

IEA's Mandil says would support OPEC keeping 27-mil b/d ceiling
Platts

Iranian President Khatami arrives in Venezuela on 3-day visit
AFP

Oil prices retreat from highs
AFP

March 10
IMF funds to Nepal in jeopardy?
IANS

Foreign Investors Cite Corruption as Russia’s Biggest Woe
MosNews

World Bank official urges Sudan to reform banking system
PANA

World Bank takes a bashing
Manila Times

Nigerian foreign debt payments hang in balance
Reuters

Japan allocates $1.8m grant
AssA-Irada

With speculative fever high, oil prices hit fresh highs
AFP

March 9
Foreign investment in Iran’s oil industry on the rise despite U.S. sanctions
MNA

OPEC Output Up 290,000 Barrels Per Day in February, According to Platts
Petroleumworld

Blair Targets Corruption In Africa Plan; Commission Also Recommends Doubling Aid
World Bank (press release)

AtaHolding to invest over $78m in Azerbaijani economy in 2005
AssA-Irada

Energy Watch
UPI

Committee for Joint Action Insists On Lower Petroleum Taxes
Ghanaian Chronicle

March 8
New oil, gas fields discovered in Iran
Persian Journal

5 African Countries Get $56m OPEC Fund
This Day

Itsekiri Give Chevron-Texaco Ultimatum
Vanguard

Kuwait acts to grab oil market share; Demand to hit 120m bpd
KUNA

Saudi Arabia insists oil prices unrealistic
Daily Star

March 7
Nigerian Minister of Finance Indicts Western Firms on War Against Corruption
Vanguard

Oil Price May Hit $80 Per Barrel, OPEC Warns
This Day

US to switch oil providers if Venezuela cuts supplies: US ambassador
AFP

Failure of IMF and World Bank in Fmr USSR: Uncommon Poverty of the Commonwealth
Global Politician

Porous borders, poor cooperation fuel smuggling
Messenger

Surging oil prices limit OPEC options: analysts
AFP

Iran Tells US, Europe To Back Off Or Suffer Oil Shock
AFP and Reuters

March 4
Unocal assets seen ripe for takeover
MarketWatch

World Bank Approves Documents On Its Intervention in Angola
Angola Press Agency

Kiev Fights Uphill Battle Against Culture of Graft
Moscow Times

“It is Necessary to Show That Development Aid is Used Efficiently:” James Wolfensohn
noticias.info

Kazakhstan is to get ready for 150mln tons of oil recovery
KAZINFORM

Oil prices flirt with new record highs as speculators move in
AFP

Venezuela devalues currency by 10.7 percent
AFP

March 3
U.S. Criticizes UN Nuclear Watchdog Over Iran Program
Bloomberg

Egypt to sell its oil firms stake
MENAFN

M’sian-Korean firm looks to ship oil pipeline parts to UAE
Star Online

Nigeria: Oil Majors Threaten to Halt Offshore Investment
This Day

Energy Watch
UPI

March 2
OPEC with a new oil basket
Petroleumworld

Congo: Invest Oil Revenues in Public Sector, NGOs Tell Government
IRIN

Kirchner declares end to moratorium on debt repayment
AFP

Caspian pipeline to be expanded
UPI

EFCC Recovers $5m From Vodacom Scam
Daily Champion

Indian oil giant awarded Egypt deal
MENAFN

March 1
Schroeder: Oil prices must become transparent
DPA

Five countries agree to pursue new nuclear energy technology
AFP

60 Oil Blocks for Offer in 2005 Licensing Round
This Day

Russian Oil After YUKOS: Implications for the United States
Heritage Foundation (research report)

OPEC signals it wants high oil prices
AFP

Total buys its way into Qatar-ExxonMobil mega project
AFP

Yukos asks US court to reconsider its bankruptcy bid
AFP

China, Iran, Russia and Venezuela are making all kinds of oil deals
VHeadline