Afghanistan drills oil for first time

[Eki]

If somebody thought there wasn't oil in Afghanistan, think again. It was just waiting for the Yanks to come and get it:

http://af.reuters.com/article/energy...67P0F620100826

Afghanistan drills oil for first time in north
Thu Aug 26, 2010 12:57pm GMT
By Sayed Salahuddin

KABUL Aug 26 (Reuters) - Afghanistan, believed to be sitting on top of billions of dollars worth of minerals and energy sources, has extracted oil for the first time and plans to pump a modest 800 barrels a day, officials said on Thursday.

Afghanistan's Mines Ministry plans to open bidding soon for contracts to refine the oil from the rugged Sar-i-Pul province in the north.

"The infrastructure existed there a long time ago. We overhauled them and this is the first time we are extracting oil," said Jawad Omar, a spokesman for the ministry.

Various estimates of Afghanistan's hidden wealth have been made in recent years -- some as high as $3 trillion -- but the challenge of exploiting those resources in a country at war and with little infrastructure has been too daunting for most investors.

Earlier this month, the Mines Ministry announced the find of an oilfield in the north with an estimated 1.8 billion barrels of oil north of Sar-i-Pul. Plans also remain on track for the tender of a 1.6 billion barrel Afghan-Tajik oil block in early 2011.

The north is Afghanistan's key basin for oil and gas. Afghanistan hopes its untapped mineral deposits could help reduce its reliance on Western cash to bankroll its impoverished and aid-reliant economy, and for its soldiers to maintain security when foreign troops begin to withdraw.

Most of Afghanistan's oil needs are met by vast convoys trucked across the borders from Central Asia and Pakistan.

Omar said "a foreign institution" had helped with the Sar-i-Pul extraction but would not give any more information.

[Roamy]

one can only hope. If not maybe we can legalize heroin and tax the sh!t out of it.

[gloomyDAY]

Even more of a reason to fight in Afghanistan!

[veeten]

Reuters

Sayed Anwar Rahmati, the governor of Sar-i-Pul, told Reuters the project had had Americans help but gave no further details.
Both the U.S. Embassy and USAID said they were not aware of who was involved in the project.

Haliburton, quite possibly?...

Not to worry, Wikileaks will probably have the details out before we (and quite possibly others ) know it.

[Eki]

Most Afghans don't understand why there are foreign troops in their country and haven't heard about the original excuse to invade:

http://www.icosgroup.net/modules/rep.../press_release

New field research shows some improvement in negative perceptions of the international presence in southern Afghanistan, but serious challenges remain
92% of respondents in the south were unaware of 9/11 events

That should give some comfort to Americans when someone calls them ignorant, the Afghans are equally ignorant.

[Retro Formula 1]

This landmark find puts Afganistan at 107th in the world ranking.

https://www.cia.gov/library/publicat.../2173rank.html

I don't think the amount spent on the war really justifies this find just yet My kids use more than 800 barels a day playing on their Xbox

[Drew]

This landmark find puts Afganistan at 107th in the world ranking.

https://www.cia.gov/library/publicat.../2173rank.html

I don't think the amount spent on the war really justifies this find just yet My kids use more than 800 barels a day playing on their Xbox

Wait, what? We produce more barrels of oil than Qatar? Where on earth does all of our money go then?

[555-04Q2]

That should give some comfort to Americans when someone calls them ignorant, the Afghans are equally ignorant.

I nearly fell off my chair when I read this post

[Retro Formula 1]

Wait, what? We produce more barrels of oil than Qatar? Where on earth does all of our money go then?

No idea but I know where all of Qatar's profits have gone

Winning world cup bids don't come cheap you know

[markabilly]

Even more of a reason to fight in Afghanistan!

yeah so some ingrate foriegn sob can get rich thanks to the blood of my brothers.....and of course the **** will never even say thanks