The Silver Bear Cafe

A recently declassified CIA document casts new light on some of the most significant geopolitical events of the past quarter century. This document, an Intelligence Memorandum titled "The Impending Soviet Oil Crisis (ER 77-10147)," was issued in March 1977 by the Office of Economic Research and classified "Secret" until its public release in January 2001 in response to a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request. Until now the document has prompted little discussion. MORE>>

On January 18, 2004, Reuters reported that former Malaysian Prime Minister, Mahatir Mohamed, advised Saudi Arabia to demand gold for its oil. For a couple of days, the Internet was all abuzz about the statement, but nothing was written to analyze in depth the possible ramifications of the Saudis actually making that move. MORE>>

If there is any remaining doubt regarding this issue, it should be thoroughly dispelled by the National Petroleum Council's recent Report to Secretary of Energy Spencer Abraham.

The Council's Report, entitled "Balancing Natural Gas Policy � Fueling the Demands of a Growing Economy," presents the results of the most comprehensive assessment of supply and demand of natural gas in the North American market undertaken in many years. To date, it has received surprisingly little attention � despite Alan Greenspan's warning last May regarding the potential threat to the U.S. economy posed by tighter-than-expected natural gas supplies. MORE>>

02.19.04- The Party's Over....Heinberg

02.14.04- Has global oil production peaked?....Francis

02.07.04- China setting up strategic oil reserve....Mackey

02.05.04- A Perfect Marriage....Myers

02.02.04- Get Ready for $50US Oil!!!....Powers

01.26.04- Oil for Gold....Wallenwein

01.17.04- The Hard Truth About Crude....Myers

01.05.04- China's Growth Fuels Global Energy Markets....Dancy

12.19.03- Oil Prices Touch Fresh Nine-Month Peaks....Reuters

12.17.03- North American Natural Gas: The Next Investment Boom....Dancy

12.05.03- Puncturing Natural Gas Myths -- Parts 1- 3....Weissman

12.02.03- Are Iraq’s Oil Reserves As Plentiful As Expected?....Duarte

12.01.03- Iraq oil - the target for years....Quni

11.05.03- "The Oil Game"....Middleton

11.02.03- The Natural Gas Production Treadmill....Powers

10.27.03- Still holding customers over a barrel....Economist

10.15.03- Russia to price oil in euros in snub to US...Evans-Pritchard

10.13.03- World crude-oil prices surge....Reuters

09.25.03- OPEC cuts may crimp economy...John W. Schoen

08.10.03- The End of the Oil Age....Pfeiffer

08.04.03- Are We Having a Natural Gas Crisis?....Powers

08.03.03- Oil prices spurt after Iraq pipeline blast....AFP

08.02.03- The worsening of the Venezuelan crisis....Espinosa

07.31.03- Oil Market Basics....Office of Oil and Gas, Energy Information Administration

07.31.03- World Oil Transit Chokepoints....Sources for this report include: APS Review Oil Market Trends; Australian Financial Review; Business Week Online; Central Intelligence Agency; Energy Compass; Intertanko; Lloyd's List; National Defense Univeristy ("Chokepoints: Maritime Concerns in Southeast Asia"); National Post; Office of Naval Intelligence ("The Strait of Hormuz,"The Suez Canal/Sumed Complex"), Oil Daily; Platt's Oilgram News; Reuters; U.S. Energy Information Administration

04.23.03- Hydrocarbon Man....Myers

04.17.03- Black Gold....Harris

03.29.03- When Bush Comes To Shove....Bonner

03.27.03- Running on Empty....egroups.com

03.26.03- Fossilgate....Hanson

02.26.03- $35 Oil and $1.11 Heating Oil....Powers

02.25.03- Natural-Gas Prices Soar Amid Cold Weather....Gold & Herrick

02.24.03- American Forces Begin Seizing Iraqi Oil Fields....DEBKA

02.18.03- Washington's War on Iraq is the Lynchpin to Controling Persian Gulf Oil....Renner

02.17.03- World's 6th-biggest oil exporter moves to contain potentially crippling oil workers strike....Mbachu

02.10.03- Iraq Oil Output Probably Wouldn't Surge After War....Dow Jones

02.06.03- Kuwait to turn off oil taps if war breaks out....Fairweather