Iran's comeback wish list
Iranian Oil Minister Bijan Zanganeh has revealed and ranked the preferred Western oil majors the government would like to welcome back to the country next year if international sanctions are lifted.
According to Reuters, he named the following in order: Total SA, Royal Dutch Shell, Italy's Eni, Norway's Statoil, BP, Exxon Mobil and ConocoPhillips.
Both Total and Shell previously defied US sanctions by investing in Iranian onshore fields in the 1990s, while a Conoco project in the country was blocked by US President Bill Clinton in 1995.
Zanganeh reportedly confirmed he would like to see Asian investment in Iran's oil industry too but revealed that talks were underway with the European players.
An Iranian oil official reportedly said Zanganeh would meet with senior executives of Western oil companies - including Eni and Shell - tomorrow.
East Timor drama
The East Timorese government is expected to launch a case through a Netherlands-based international arbitration process today that could scrap the Sunrise LNG project-supporting 2006 Certain Maritime Arrangements in the Timor Sea treaty with Australia.
East Timorese Prime Minister Xanana Gusmao's dismay at Australian Security Intelligence Organisation raids on the lawyer and ex-Australian Secret Intelligence Service "whistleblower" who is supporting the case is being covered around the globe, with Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott asked for an explanation.
The Timorese challenge is centred on evidence that ASIS officers spied and planted listening devices in walls of its government's cabinet room in 2004 - giving Australia an unfair advantage in the CMATS talks.
ASIS has wide ranging powers including authority to spy on foreign states to serve Australia's economic interests.
North Sea evacuations
Reuters reports that Talisman Sinopec has closed its North Sea-based Buchan Alpha platform yesterday on the back of UK-issued storm warnings.
It also reported that ConocoPhilips moved 157 people off its Ekofisk field in the Norwegian sector of the sea yesterday while BP evacuated 120 people off the Valhall oil field.
