Out of the Energy Labyrinth - Uniting Energy and the Environment to Avert Catastrophe
By David Howell & Carole Nakhle

Paperback. 216 x 138mm. 224 pages. 978 1 84511 538 8. May 2007. Order via e-mail: tps.ibtauris@thomson.com or online at www.ibtauris.com

The planet is under threat. And that threat comes from energy. So goes the standard argument. But according to David Howell and Carole Nakhle, this reasoning is wrong.

In their provocative and original book, the authors argue that energy can become a tool for environmental protection, that energy and environment are not by definition in conflict with each other and that by pooling energy production and environmental protection ideas energy can be part of a solution rather than the problem.

This book is firmly grounded in reality (given the demands of China, India and other developing economies) and makes specific proposals: a radical rethinking on energy investment strategies; massive incentives to develop alternative fuel technologies; a ground-breaking public awareness strategy to redirect consumers and policy-makers to embrace fundamental (though essentially painless) change in consumption patterns.

The solutions that Howell and Nakhle offer are unapologetically short term. This is because the energy challenges immediately ahead, if not handled right, could undermine all longer term attempts to limit climate change. Their important and novel approach makes this book essential reading for an understanding of today's bewildering environmental debates.

David Howell (Lord Howell of Guildford) was Secretary of State for Energy and later for Transport in the Conservative governments during the 1980s. He is now Shadow Deputy Leader of the House of Lords and Shadow Spokesman for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs. Carole Nakhle is Energy Research Fellow at the University of Surrey, where she obtained her MSc in Finance Studies and her PhD in Energy Economics. A graduate of the University of Saint Joseph, Beirut, she also works as a petroleum analyst.

Note: A chapter from this book "From Venice to St. Petersburg" was published in OGEL 4 (November 2006)

Emerging Chinese Energy Challenge in Africa
Publication date: February 2007
Electronic PDF Version: 857 euro
Printed Version: 679 euro (including shipping)

A report on the massive Chinese challenge in the African oil and gas sector

Emerging Chinese Energy Challenge in Africa This report tracks the reasons behind China's successful rise in Africa's energy sector, once almost the exclusive preserve of Western oil companies. In the short space of six years the Chinese oil presence in Africa has gone from one isolated outpost to a spread that covers nearly half the continent.

The People's Republic of China (PRC) has embarked on an aggressive campaign to capture large parts of the African oil and gas sector. Facing accelerated oil imports by the turn of the 21st century, Chinese policymakers made a strategic decision to diversify and secure energy supplies across the globe, accentuated by the 9-11 crisis which starkly highlighted China's mismatched reliance on unstable Middle East oil supplies.

A "go out and buy" strategy has seen Chinese oil companies move into Africa, Central Asia and South America to secure new energy oil supplies.

The report takes an in-depth look at their modus operandi, the role of the Chinese government in guiding the actions of Chinese oil companies, the institutional support provided to Chinese oil investments in Africa, the role of other governments in facilitating China's entry into African oil sectors, political and strategic reasons underpinning China's entry into specific African countries, and why Chinese oil companies are able to compete so successfully against their Western counterparts.

The report makes the case that Western observers of the Chinese phenomenon fail to take into account the logic underpinning the thinking of Chinese investment decisions which do not reflect market-related criteria.

Those players in the African and international oil and gas sector cannot afford to ignore the Chinese expansion in Africa, and even less to assume that open market forces will determine who will access Africa's energy fields.

PAKISTAN ENERGY LAW ENCYCLOPAEDIA
by Muhammad Arif and Dr. Sohaib Qadar
Kluwer Law International, as part of World Energy Law Encyclopaedia

First time in the history of Pakistan, Mr. Muhammad Arif and Dr. Sohaib Qadar - leading petroleum lawyers have compiled the energy laws of Pakistan in one of their recent work namely "Energy Law Encyclopaedia of Pakistan" which is part of World Energy Law Encyclopaedia.

The main author Muhammad Arif, is an MBA from the University of Strathclyde, Scotland and an LL.M in Petroleum Law & Policy from the University of Dundee, UK and a Post Graduate Diploma in Petroleum Economics from the University of Oxford, and is currently working as Manager, Legal & Commercial for the esteemed Orient Petroleum International Inc. (OPII). Not only is he a visiting Professor at the International Islamic University, Islamabad, but he is also an active ally in if not all but most of the energy law related activities in the country. Energy Law Enclyclopaedia of Pakistan is a result of their over five years undying efforts, hardwork and dedication all in his personal capacity. This is yet another landmark achievement and contribution to the energy sector of Pakistan.

The co-author Dr. Sohaib Qadar is an attorney licnsed to practice law in the US and Pakistan, who holds a Juris Doctor from the University of Cincinnati, USA. He has over 17 years practical experience in the field of petroleum law in Oman, Qatar, UAE and Pakistan, initially as in house counsel for Occidental Petroleum and later as a succesful independent oil and gas legal consultant based in Islamabad. He has recently relocated to Romania to work for OMV, and is involved in negotiations of petroleum agreements in Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan and Azerbaijan.

With their over thirty-five years combine E&P industry experience in the commercial, corporate affairs and legal side of business, the authors have used their inexhaustible knowledge to compile the Energy Laws of Pakistan, which would certainly be an asset whether it is found in the library of an energy company, regulatory authorities or on the desk of a student studying Petroleum law, or a foreign energy company planning to invest into Pakistan energy sector.

RMMLF Publications

The Rocky Mountain Mineral Law Foundation (RMMLF) has many publications that can help you in your field of practice. Some new manuals and best-sellers are listed below. You can download their complete 30-page publications catalog by clicking on this link - http://www.rmmlf.org/pubs/catalog.pdf - or you can request a PDF copy by e-mail (Mark Holland, mholland@rmmlf.org). Development Issues & Conflicts in Modern Gas and Oil Plays (2004) Federal Onshore Oil & Gas Pooling and Unitization (2006) Natural Resources Development in Indian Country ...