Save: a savior in sight

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Tamoil: selling the family silver

Following confirmation by the Libyan government that 60% of state owned Tamoil is up for sale, the bidding process for the stake has begun in earnest. With refining capacity and significant distribution networks in the Italian and Swiss markets up for grabs, the offer will be attractive to buyers hoping to benefit from the favorable market conditions in the oil sector.

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Libya: the new oil frontier

The media spotlight has fallen on Libya and the activities of international oil companies there after the release on compassionate grounds of al-Magrahi, the man held in connection with the bombing of Pan Am flight 103. However, despite the controversy caused by his release, it should be remembered that the companies have been active in Libya since US-led sanctions ended in 2004, and before.

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UK's dependence on foreign gas to double

Natural gas is a vital element of the UK's energy mix but production peaked in 1999 and there are concerns that the country is now becoming over-reliant on foreign gas. Production is in rapid decline but the availability of additional sources, particularly from Libya, could reduce market volatility and push prices down, which would be beneficial for importers.

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Trouble in North Africa threatens Europe's fuel supplies

As revolution sweeps through the Middle East and North Africa, the region's economic stability is increasingly at risk. It took only two days for Libya to descend into full-scale civil war, and Algeria remains on high alert. While the political mayhem is a threat to Europe's post-colonial legacy, Libya and Algeria stand out from the rest due to Europe's dependence on their oil and gas resources.

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Africa: a great hope for oil producers but a forgotten continent for global media

Recent media coverage of the social unrest in Tunisia, Egypt, and Libya has referred to a "Middle Eastern crisis." However, these important oil producing nations are firmly African. The oversight is indicative of a broader media tendency to ignore similar problems taking place across Africa, where a number of elections throughout 2011 could further threaten the continent's oil and gas production.

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