Black gold out of the cold

Article Abstract:

The former Soviet Union has oil reserves that rival those of the Middle East. In 1998, offshore drilling investment in the newly independent Soviet republics is foreseen to reach around $7 billion. By the year 2000, this figure is expected to surpass the combined spending for oil exploration in the Middle East, West Africa and the Mediterranean. The vastness of the region's oil resources is illustrated by the fact that Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan alone have estimated reserves eight times greater than the North Sea's estimated reserves of 4.5 billion barrels. Drilling rights have been awarded mostly to small outfits and individual prospectors rather than to large multinational companies such as Royal Dutch/Shell and British Petroleum. However, oil giants are trying to make up for their slow entry into the market by investing huge amounts of money in remaining opportunities.

PETROLEUM AND COAL PRODUCTS, Petroleum, Petroleum and Coal Products Manufacturing, Industry Overview, Foreign investments, Petroleum industry, Natural resources, Natural gas exploration, Soviet Union, Former Soviet Union, Oil and gas exploration, Petroleum exploration

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Promise me the moon

Article Abstract:

There is a growing number of contenders to property rights in space, despite a provision in the 1967 UN Outer Space Treaty which states that the bodies of the solar system are for the benefit of mankind and that no country could exercise territorial rights over them. Among those prominently claiming ownership of celestial bodies are Dennis M Hope, a former car salesman and military doctor from California, who has filed claims for the planets with the UN General Assembly, the US and the USSR. Many private companies, among them SpaceDev, also plan to build space rockets and establish mining operations in space. The increasing number of claimants has caused concern among the world's major powers over the dire possibilities of allowing private companies to explore space unregulated.

Analysis, Right of property, Property rights, Space industrialization

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Bar wars

Article Abstract:

Three international conglomerates vie for control of the global ice cream industry. Unilever and Nestle have long been considered as the major powerhouses in the industry until Mars decided to enter the market with its own line of products. Unilever, which realizes 3.6 billion pounds sterling for its hand-held ice cream products, is known for its Wall's ice cream brand that is made in 19 countries. It makes ice cream in more than 50 nations and even manages an Ice Cream Academy. The company has been significantly affected by Mar's entry after Mars successfully pled its case against Unilever's freezer exclusivity contract with the European Union. The case is anticipated to set a precedent in other European countries where Unilever and Nestle dominate.

Ice cream and frozen desserts, Ice Cream and Frozen Dessert Manufacturing, Ice Cream, Management, Dairy products industry, Unilever Group, Ice cream industry, Mars Inc., Nestle Company Ltd.

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