My study of Iran in Bolivarian Venezuela’s oil sector is just out in the May 2012 edition of Energy and Geopolitical Risk-published by MEES: Middle East Economic Survey. You can read it here: Venezuela_Iran_failed_energy_alliance-Geopolitical-Risk-May-2012-3.
Many thanks to those of you in Venezuela and elsewhere who provided first-hand information, and to E&GR’s editor.
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Fascinating article. I’d only add a couple little bits of colour. For example, after all the Iranians in Petropars were sent home prior to 2008, the assistant who remained in Venezuela was Venezuelan. And the company president traded off, one month in Venezuela, one month in Iran. I became aware of this shortly after Bloomberg wrote that Petropars was planning a giant joint venture oil company with PDVSA. I kept constantly calling the offices, but no one was ever there. That’s when I realized the whole thing was vapourware.
Also very nice way to gloss the supposed terror links. You get it just right.
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Thanks much for your note on your blog and link to here, Steve. It is much appreciated — and, as you point out there (at. http://settysoutham.wordpress.com), the way you have done it is a good example of how to refer readers to another blog as verses simply reprinting-in-entirety.
(… I misunderstood you point about the head of Petropars … now I got it! )
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No no, it wasn’t the head of Petropars, it was his assistant. She was Venezuelan. The head guy was Iranian, but was indeed spending every second month in Iran by mid 2008.
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Gotcha! I misunderstood your point.
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