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Crude oil has been the mainstay of the Nigerian Economy for decades. However, vandalism, oil theft and bunkering are flourishing criminal activities that have impeded the growth of the oil sector and invariably the economic development of the country. The study explored the modes of operation used by vandals and the networks of individuals involved in the vandalization of the oil pipelines in Arepo area of Ogun State, Nigeria. Using largely qualitative method of data collection, 25 participants were purposively selected while opinion were sampled and gathered through in-depth (IDI) and key informant interviews (KII). A total of 15 IDIs was conducted to sample opinions of NSCDC members while 10 KIIs conducted comprised of Arepo community leaders and residents. Successful vandalisation of oil pipelines in Arepo community occurred majorly due to the connivance of the security agents and the sponsors of vandalization (usually influential Nigerians). Some members of Arepo town acted as informants to vandals while they were in return provided with the proceeds of vandalism. Findings further showed that the terrain of buried pipelines influenced successful vandalism operation and impede surveillance. Although vandalism soared higher during raining season, the vandals operated mostly at night. Vandals had uniforms, used hotels as hide outs and made use of encoded words to disguise their operations. Arising from the study’s findings, satellite tracking of geo information system will effectively enhance the policing of the networks of pipelines rather than relying on state agents.

"This article discusses the possibilities and obstacles for a cost-effective implementation of policies that will lead to a significant reduction in global CO2 emissions from the use of oil. The structural conditions and economic consequences of changing national or regional energy systems vary dramatically. In addition, there are a large number of actors with strong interests along the energy value chain that may potentially halt, delay or alter the implementation of the Paris treaty. We analyze these issues by first locating oil in the overall energy system, then identifying possibilities and obstacles at various stages of the oil value chain, and finally by contextualizing global oil by discussing whether and how it may be affected by geopolitics and regional conflict. In brief, our argument is that developments in consumption volumes and patterns will be most important. Market forces are vital, but they are influenced by politics and public policy outcomes. Transportation is the most important sector for oil consumption, with changes in transport behavior, modes and technology being vital drivers. The behavior of investors will be a decisive factor in shaping the production side of the oil system. If investments go down as a response to lasting low oil prices and/or because investors decide to turn to green economy options, the supply of oil will logically shrink. On the other hand, the growth and development aspirations of a rapidly growing population in developing countries are likely to stimulate demand and thus increase exploration, production and subsequently the price. Finally, we emphasize the importance of (geo)politics influencing all aspects of the value chain of oil." (author's abstract)

Recent research has increasingly questioned the link between natural resources and violent conflict while stressing the importance of resource-specific context conditions under which internal conflicts become more likely. This paper engages in a systematic analysis of six of these resource-specific conditions comparing 15 African oil and diamond producing countries. Employing a Boolean logic, the results of our analysis indicate that, typically, a conflict-ridden diamond or oil producer is highly dependent on resources, its revenues are hardly spent on distributional policies and the security apparatus and, moreover, it suffers from intercommunal problems in the producing regions. Little income from resources per capita and substantial production of lootable resources in peripheral regions seem to constitute necessary conditions for civil war. Thus, our findings imply that future theoretical models and empirical strategies should integrate the full set of (resource specific) context conditions. Efforts to raise a more integrative approach combining quantitative and qualitative research designs seem particularly promising.

Hazard Mapping of Industrial Oil Storage in Hussein Dey, Algiers (Algeria). The industrial hazards are a danger to environment. It is the case of the fuel depot of Caroubier in the municpality of Hussein Dey in the outskirts of the capital Algiers. It is a potential danger in this urban area and a real challenge for the local authorities which do not have appropriate tools for risk management. The municipality possesses single maps with colored items corresponding to the identification of spatial risks. The objective of this article is to map the risks generated by fuel depot. This mapping will help us localize the spatial vulnerability to suggest land planning measures.

Reactivation of Indonesia's full membership to the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) triggered discussion surrounding global petroleum governance. The country which decided to suspend its full membership at the end of 2008, currently labelled as net oil importer. However, in OPEC terms Indonesia never really left, instead of the organization termed it as a "suspension". Departing from the abovementioned context and perspectives, purpose of this essay is to answer the questions about the significance of the Indonesia's membership reactivation to OPEC, and the strategic context of the reactivation in the current global oil market. In answering these questions, this article draws the dynamics of the relation of Indonesia and OPEC through the history in the first part and explores Indonesia's interests in rejoining OPEC in the second one. In the third part, this essay will explore the possible benefit for OPEC as an organization as well as for its member countries could achieve by approving Indonesia's request to reactivate its membership, despite its status as a net oil importer.

"Big Data is the oil of the new economy" is the most famous citation during the three last years. It has even been adopted by the World Economic Forum in 2011. In fact, Big Data is like crude! It's valuable, but if unrefined it cannot be used. It must be broken down, analyzed for it to have value. But what about Big Data generated by the Petroleum Industry and particularly its upstream segment? Upstream is no stranger to Big Data. Understanding and leveraging data in the upstream segment enables firms to remain competitive throughout planning, exploration, delineation, and field development. Oil & Gas Companies conduct advanced geophysics modeling and simulation to support operations where 2D, 3D & 4D Seismic generate significant data during exploration phases. They closely monitor the performance of their operational assets. To do this, they use tens of thousands of data-collecting sensors in subsurface wells and surface facilities to provide continuous and real-time monitoring of assets and environmental conditions. Unfortunately, this information comes in various and increasingly complex forms, making it a challenge to collect, interpret, and leverage the disparate data. As an example, Chevron's internal IT traffic alone exceeds 1.5 terabytes a day. Big Data technologies integrate common and disparate data sets to deliver the right information at the appropriate time to the correct decision-maker. These capabilities help firms act on large volumes of data, transforming decision-making from reactive to proactive and optimizing all phases of exploration, development and production. Furthermore, Big Data offers multiple opportunities to ensure safer, more responsible operations. Another invaluable effect of that would be shared learning. The aim of this paper is to explain how to use Big Data technologies to optimize operations. How can Big Data help experts to decision-making leading the desired outcomes?

The present paper analyses Russia's relations with six former Soviet republics (Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine), since the fall of the USSR until the launch of the Eastern Partnership (EaP). By using qualitative research methods: discourse analysis, document analysis and press coverage, the author focuses on three main factors that contributed to the alienation of these countries from Russia: "energodiplomacy", trade wars and support of secessionist conflicts, arguing that the rapprochement of this countries with the West, especially with the EU, came not only from the economic reasons but from the need of preserving the state core values.

This paper achieves two things: first, it establishes the existence of a certain pattern of analysis, which I will call an academic canon, of analyzing the problems caused by the oil crises of the 1970's on the economy of Communist Romania. The canon seems to hold that a series of economic decisions taken in the 1960’s and 70’s by the communist leadership concerning the vast expansion of the petroleum industry led to huge problems after the enormous increases in the price of oil at the end of the 1970's, which led to the virtual destruction of the economy and the huge deprivations of the 1980’s, thus helping to explain the popular rejection of the socialist regime. Secondly, it analyzes what the Romanian communist leadership thought of the oil industry and what was their general strategy related to it. The general conclusion of the paper is that a deeper research on the party documents and economic policies leads to a wider understanding not only of the worldview of the Romanian communist leaders, but also to nuances when describing the economic causes of political and social change.

No doubt, one of the perennial problems which has not only defied all past attempts at permanent solution, but has also evoked high emotions on the part of all concerned is the issue of equitable revenue allocation in Nigeria. Thus, the thrust of this paper is an in-depth analysis of the politics of revenue allocation cum resource control. The paper takes a cursory look at virtually all previous attempts at arriving at equitable formula. The paper however, infers that in a deeply plural and divided society like Nigeria a polity that ‘robs Peter to pay Paul’ may eventually be both counter-productive and dysfunctional. The clarion call however is a federal system with fiscal policy that can imbue in the citizenry sense of justice, equity and fairness visà-vis revenue allocation. To do otherwise according to the findings of this paper is to jeopardize all efforts at national cohesion and integration.