Opportunities for Petroleum Company Leadership in Host Nations Sustainable Petroleum Economic Development Business

Abstract

Abstract This paper examines the dynamic international political economic environment in which petroleum exploration and production companies must operate when considering investments in the economically transitional nations of the former Soviet Union or developing nations. In this period of critical global changes low oil prices is only one factor with which petroleum companies must be concerned in their investment decisions Other factors include the transition from a Dipolar world to a multipolar world of free trade zones, the general malaise of the international economy, public and political recognition that nations and industries can no longer practice environmental "beggar-thy-neighbor" policies, and the rejection of aggregate national economic growth policies for sustainable economic development policies in both the developed and developing world This paper focuses on actions which investing petroleum exploration and production companies can take in order to gain a leadership role in the sustainable petroleum economic development business, to work with host countries’ regulations, and to develop a cooperative environment with host countries so that both the investing company and the host country can progress, not just survive.