Venezuela has provided about 11% of U.S. oil imports, roughly 1.2 mb/d.   Two trends are putting that supply at risk.  The first is Venezuela’s increased commitment to sell its oil to Cuba, to China, and to other non-Japanese Asian countries.  This commitment may be partially one of political comradeship, but it also is based on Venezuelan debt to certain Asian countries. The second is the decline in Venezuelan production that has come from the increasing financial chaos and expropriation activities caused by its virtual dictator, Huge Chavez.  I think …

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Ever since oil lifted over $50 I’ve been saying that speculation is the cause.   Actually, the lower dollar (caused by speculation) is a good part of the cause and inflation speculation is the rest.   What is not driving oil up, it seems, is actual supply and demand.  That’s the assumption in the market, anyway, and it’s probably correct. But there are some fundamentals influencing oil to the upside that are worth noting.   One is Nigeria and the other is Venezuela.   Both have collapsing governments and economies that have been well …

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I’ve owned Petrobank (PBEGF), a TSE oil junior, at $50, sold it as the market tanked, and over the past few months I’ve been buying it again in greater quantity in the teens.  It’s now just over $20.  I’ve been impressed with management’s apparent ability to successfully execute a standard “exploration and production” strategy as exemplified by its Bakken and it’s Columbian programs.  Beyond that, I’m fascinated with the huge speculative upside potential of the technologies it has developed for harvesting heavy oil more economically and environmentally.  

The stock may not …

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PetroBank Energy and Resources Ltd. (TSX:PBG), which plans to expand its foothold in Alberta‘s oilsands next year, will be able to do so at half the cost of other operators thanks to its patented technology, the company‘s vice president for heavy oil said Monday.

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Two of the most interesting ways to play growth and consolidation in the North American wind sector are Canadian  Independent Power Producers (IPPs) with attractive pipelines of projects, good forward-looking revenue visibility because of their exposures to Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) with credit-worthy customers, and attractive take-over targets. These two companies are: Boralex (BRLXF.PK) and Canadian Hydro Developers (CHDVF.PK). read full post

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