The Department of European Studies and International Relations
Would like to invite you to the
Research Seminar
OIL WARS, THE ENDGAME
By
Dr. George Georgiadis
PhD in Industrial Chemistry with a specialization in the Oil and Gas industry. Currently he is researching petroleum’s impact on the world’s economies. He is a part time lecturer of a private university in Cyprus and Associate Professor at Huddersfield University. He has also delivered numerous professional training courses overseas both technical and business orientated
Wednesday, March 23rd, 2016
11:30 – 13:00
Room: M115 Conference Room, Millennium Building (1st floor)
University of Nicosia
Chair: Michalis Kontos
Abstract
One of the unique properties that make hydrocarbons high-quality transportation fuels’ is their energy density, that dwarfs other energy sources. The challenge facing this industry is that fossil fuels are found in some of the most hard-to-reach places where supply exceeds local demand. Transporting and selling them on the open market potentially can increase a nation’s wealth, but moving the crude oil and gas from the oilfield to the refinery, is in many cases challenging. This finite and valuable commodity, even in the earliest years of the industry, was often the link in the value chain that was the source of profit, competitive pressure and at times conflict!
The Arab spring in 2011 in Tunisia, following Bouazizi's self-sacrifice, sparked protests in Algeria, Libya, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Yemen, Egypt, Syria, & Morocco. The protests in Sudan led to the partition of that country. Syria was not immune either to these protests and the President of Syria, Bashar al-Assad, gave a speech, blaming the uprising on foreigners.
Great riches await those who own and control this resource and the race to control it has already begun back to the late 19th century when such giant figures that included Rockefeller, the Nobel’s and the Rothschild’s were competing to build the infrastructure to transport it from the rich oil fields of Baku, to the developed world.
This presentation will look at the history of oil and how its pursuit has resulted in some cases in a reduction in peoples’ real wealth, in some cases their livelihood and at times their lives.
R.S.V.P. – Tel: 22841600, Email: [email protected]
