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Dear Sir,

On today's front page, you have an article about the announcement of improved prospects for oil production at the Kashagan oil fiels in Kazakhstan ("Kazakh oilfield set to smash forecasts"). By featuring this prominently, and focusing on the best sounding news (the 25% increase in expected peak production) as opposed to the lower 10% increase in overall production, or to the increased costs and the new delays in prodcution start up), it would seem that your goal is to reassure your readers that the risk of dwindling oil supplies which you allude to has again receded rather than providing information and perspective.

For instance, the announced production increase over the whole life of the field is equal to less than 20 days of world consumption, and the maximum production level of the field will amount to less than 2% of total production at its peak - i.e. significant volumes for the field's owners, but hardly enough to change the oil balance in any meaningful way. And this for the only large field discovered in the least 30 years.

Similarly, the article ends up with a quote from Mr Stanislaw about how "the field pulls the center of gravity away from Russia and the Middle East" which is wildly exagerated and quite simply ludicrous. Kashagan's production will represent less than a sixth of the production of either Saudi Arabia or Russia at any time in the future, and will only have a marginal impact on the global oil balance.

It is a pity that such basic elements of context have not been included in your article.



In the long run, we're all dead. John Maynard Keynes
by Jerome a Paris (etg@eurotrib.com) on Mon Nov 27th, 2006 at 04:57:01 AM EST
Dear Sir,

On today's front page, you have an article about the announcement of improved prospects for oil production at the Kashagan oil fields in Kazakhstan ("Kazakh oilfield set to smash forecasts"). By featuring this prominently, and focusing on the best sounding news (the 25% increase in expected peak production) as opposed to the lower 10% increase in overall production, or to the increased costs and the new delays in production start up), it would seem that your goal is to reassure your readers that the risk of dwindling oil supplies which you allude to has again receded rather than providing information and perspective.

For instance, the announced production increase over the whole life of the field is equal to less than 20 days of world consumption, and the maximum production level of the field will amount to less than 2% of total production at its peak - i.e. significant volumes for the field's owners, but hardly enough to change the oil balance in any meaningful way. And this for the only large field discovered in the least 30 years.

Similarly, the article ends up with a quote from Mr Stanislaw about how "the field pulls the centre of gravity away from Russia and the Middle East" which is wildly exaggerated and quite simply ludicrous. Kashagan's production will represent less than a sixth of the production of either Saudi Arabia or Russia at any time in the future, and will only have a marginal impact on the global oil balance.

It is a pity that such basic elements of context have not been included in your article.

The LTE makes your diary easier to understand, by the way.

Those whom the Gods wish to destroy They first make mad. -- Euripides
by Migeru (migeru at eurotrib dot com) on Mon Nov 27th, 2006 at 05:08:46 AM EST
[ Parent ]
Thanks and thanks.

In the long run, we're all dead. John Maynard Keynes
by Jerome a Paris (etg@eurotrib.com) on Mon Nov 27th, 2006 at 05:35:36 AM EST
[ Parent ]
Dear Sir,
On today's front page, you have an article about the announcement of improved prospects for oil production at the Kashagan oil fields in Kazakhstan ("Kazakh oilfield set to smash forecasts"). By featuring this prominently, and focusing on the best sounding news (the 25% increase in expected peak production) as opposed to the lower 10% increase in overall production, or to the increased costs and the new delays in production start up), it would seem that your goal is to reassure your readers that the risk of dwindling oil supplies which you allude to has again receded rather than providing information and perspective.

[For instance, t][T] he announced production increase over the whole life of the field is equal to less than 20 days of world consumption, and the maximum production level of the field will amount to less than 2% of total production at its peak [ - i.e.][. These are] significant volumes for the field's owners, but hardly enough to change the oil balance in any meaningful way -- and this for the only large field discovered in the least 30 years.

[Similarly, t][T] he article ends up with a quote from Mr Stanislaw about how "the field pulls the centre of gravity away from Russia and the Middle East" which is [][a] wildly exaggerated and [quite simply] ludicrous [][claim]. Kashagan's production will represent less than a sixth of the production of either Saudi Arabia or Russia at any time in the future, and will only have a marginal impact on the global oil balance.

It is a pity that [such basic elements of context have not been included in your article.][your article did not place the announcement in its proper context.]

As ever, [x] means delete "x", [x][y] replace "x" with "y" and [][x] means insert [x].

by Colman (colman at eurotrib.com) on Mon Nov 27th, 2006 at 06:49:01 AM EST
[ Parent ]
Now sent with your edits.

In the long run, we're all dead. John Maynard Keynes
by Jerome a Paris (etg@eurotrib.com) on Mon Nov 27th, 2006 at 08:40:35 AM EST
[ Parent ]
<PN>Then one typo remained.</PN>

*Lunatic*, n.
One whose delusions are out of fashion.
by DoDo on Mon Nov 27th, 2006 at 08:44:26 AM EST
[ Parent ]
...and this for the only large field discovered in the l[e]ast 30 years.

Last.

*Lunatic*, n.
One whose delusions are out of fashion.

by DoDo on Mon Nov 27th, 2006 at 08:42:51 AM EST
[ Parent ]
I got that one.

In the long run, we're all dead. John Maynard Keynes
by Jerome a Paris (etg@eurotrib.com) on Mon Nov 27th, 2006 at 08:46:01 AM EST
[ Parent ]
Hmm... Some time has passed and I still can't see why you would change the US conventional English spelling of the word "center" to "centre." :)

A patriot must always be ready to defend his country against his government -- Edward Abbey
by serik berik (serik[dot]berik on Gmail) on Mon Nov 27th, 2006 at 07:23:43 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Geographic location of both writer and reader? US spelling is valid in USA Canada(?) Mexico Philippines Japan South Korea Taiwan Guam Marshall Islands Liberia and Israel, UK spelling is valid in UK EU CH non-EU Scandinavia + NATO (as US concession to UK) NZ AUS Hong Kong most of Eurasia including India Egypt Nigeria and China to spite Taiwan...?

"Ignoring moralities is always undesirable, but doing so systematically is really worrisome." Mohammed Khatami
by eternalcityblues (parvati_roma aaaat libero.it) on Mon Nov 27th, 2006 at 08:02:42 PM EST
[ Parent ]

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