Category Archives: oil

Offshore

Posted on 5 January 2018 by Laleh Khalili

In one of the most significant environmental decisions the Trump administration has taken, a ban on offshore drilling was lifted on 4 January 2018.  The New York Times reported: While the plan puts the administration squarely on the side of … Continue reading →

Posted in environment, infrastructure, oil, political economy | 1 Comment

Dangers of crewing an oil tanker

Posted on 5 January 2015 by Laleh Khalili

Associated Press reports that jets belonging to the Libyan government bombed a Greek-owned tanker, killing two crew members: A military spokesman for Libya’s internationally recognised government says its fighter jets bombed a Greek-owned tanker ship because it had no prior … Continue reading →

Posted in Middle East, militaries, oil, political economy, transport, war | Leave a comment

Pulp fictions

Posted on 28 December 2014 by Laleh Khalili

pulp fiction   n. fiction of a style characteristic of pulp magazines; sensational, lurid, or popular fiction. 1928   Decatur (Ill.) Herald 10 Aug. 6/5   Wood-pulp fiction commands a price of two—sometimes three—cents a word (The Oxford English Dictionary) I sometimes … Continue reading →

Posted in capital accumulation, Middle East, oil, readings, war | 1 Comment

More amazing maps

Posted on 7 November 2014 by Laleh Khalili

The British Library Map Collection includes this amazing map: They explain the controversy around this map: … in the 1970s in Britain, suffering from the  Middle East oil embargo, with economic malaise and high unemployment, it was argued as such. There … Continue reading →

Posted in oil, the sea | Leave a comment

Carbon Capital in Motion

Posted on 2 November 2014 by Laleh Khalili

I have already written about ships as workplaces, and of workers held captive on ships.  Now, the NY Times reports on a massive floating refinery which is going to look for fossil fuels in the Indian Ocean.   The ship is … Continue reading →

Posted in capital accumulation, environment, infrastructure, oil, political economy, ships | Leave a comment

Oil and logistics

Posted on 16 October 2014 by Laleh Khalili

Fascinating piece from Guernica magazine about how more and more ex-soldiers and military logistics firms are going into the oil business: This concentration of former service members owes partly to the fact that military training makes many uniquely suited for … Continue reading →

Posted in capital accumulation, infrastructure, logistics, militaries, oil, political economy, transport | Leave a comment