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Mix-Ansicht- Neuer Stress mit Saudi-Arabien - Bob, 09.09.2002, 09:26
Neuer Stress mit Saudi-Arabien
-->In Surprise Move, Saudis Bar Western Oil Firms From Key Natural Gas Fields
Monday September 9, 12:19 am ET
In a move with implications both for U.S.-Saudi relations and the profits of Western oil companies, Saudi Arabia has said it won't open its most promising natural-gas fields to the companies, people close to talks on such an opening told The Wall Street Journal.
The move appeared to all but end a yearlong plan by the companies to invest $ 25 billion in Saudi Arabia, in what was billed as a historic reopening of the kingdom's petroleum sector. Saudi Arabia has produced all of its own oil and gas since the 1970s, when it bought out four U.S. oil companies' interests in Aramco. Western oil companies haven't been allowed to produce oil or gas within Saudi borders, though there is some Western ownership of Saudi petrochemical plants.
Besides drilling for gas, Western oil companies were expected, under the plan being negotiated, to build and operate large power, water and petrochemical complexes inside Saudi Arabia.
Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud al-Faisal outlined the kingdom's new stance last week in a letter to the oil-company consortia, led by Exxon Mobil Corp. and Royal Dutch/Shell Group. On the key issue of opening its premier fields to non- Saudi companies, the letter"said 'absolutely not,'" according to one oil- company official.
Instead, the Saudis are offering less-significant regions for natural-gas exploration and production. But the oil companies feel these areas wouldn't yield sufficient income to merit the multibillion-dollar investments they would have to make in desalination and other projects.
The sides haven't begun talks on a scaled-down program. Yet the foreign minister's letter said the Saudis want bargaining to be completed by early October, and are prepared to open the projects to bidding if necessary. With their new offer of less-desirable drilling acreage,"the deal is now either take it or leave it," said a Saudi source.
U.S.-Saudi relations have been under increasing tension in the wake of the Sept. 11 attacks, Israeli-Palestinian violence and U.S. talk of unseating Saddam Hussein. One issue is whether the Saudis are doing enough to thwart terrorism. Another is Saudi unwillingness to cooperate in any U.S. military move against Iraq.
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