National Oil Research Articles

ІМПЛЕМЕНТАЦІЯ СТРАТЕГІЇ ІМПОРТОЗАМІЩЕННЯ В СУЧАСНИХ РЕАЛІЯХ ГЕОЕКОНОМІЧНОЇ НЕСТАБІЛЬНОСТІ

The article discusses the dependence of European countries on imports of Russian oil and gas, which caused instability in supply chains and could trigger the destruction of the global financial system, against the background of the war in Ukraine. The main positions of the impact of the sanctions regime on global trade flows were highlighted. As Ukraine fights for survival, Western governments are taking steps to punish Russia. They’re aware that by doing so, they could heighten the conflict’s impact on their own economies. In this way, the sphere of sanctions had revealed the weaknesses of the national oil regime of the European Union from Russia and gas. According to the European Central Bank, the shock of gas regulation by 10% could reduce eurozone GDP by 0.7%, which will increase the figure to 40% – the share of European gas coming from Russia – means an economic decline of 3%. Maximum sanctions can lead to unpredictable consequences that lead to a system of global financial destruction with side effects for US and European banks. The Federal Reserve System is moving to sustain growth. But if higher prices lead to inflationary expectations among consumers and businesses, it will lead to the worst-case scenario of monetary policy: the need to tighten even in a weak economy. The pandemic has left the global economy with two key points of vulnerability – high inflation and jittery financial markets. Aftershocks from the invasion could easily worsen both. There’s a threat to growth too. Households spending an ever-larger chunk of their incomes on fuel and heating will have less cash for other goods and services. Plunging markets would add another drag, hitting wealth and confidence, and making it harder for firms to tap funds for investment. It is analyzed how supply chain disruptions can complicate Russia's trade with European countries and how it affects the entire Eurozone region. Against the background of a sharp decline in Russian energy supplies to Europe and the United States, there is a tendency to increase oil and gas supplies to the East and Africa. The article highlights the forecast for Europe and US inflation and identifies its impact on foreign trade policy. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine carries huge risks for a world economy that’s yet to fully recover from the pandemic shock. So it has been determined that the deterioration of the global financial system is accelerating in the context of the slow growth of world trade since the 2008 global financial crisis and the recovery of the world's economies from the shock of the COVID-19 epidemic. Therefore, in order to avoid and mitigate the negative effects on the world economy, the strategies of import substitution policy in the current realities of geo-economics’ instability were conducted and studied.

Upstream oil industry’s perspectives of energy transition

Subsequently to the spread of Covid-19 pandemic, the upstream oil and gas companies are in transition to sustainable investment by adopting Carbon Neutral Strategies. US major oil companies, which had more short-cycle resources than their European counterparts, had been less motivated to invest into renewable energies; in the annual general meetings held in May 2021, however, US majors had to choose more proactive stances to what climate inspired investors proposed, including for example, Exxon’s selection of three external directors of activists’nomination to its board. European majors, who had been ahead of the energy transition curve by taking pragmatic approach of simultaneously investing into natural gas liquefaction and renewable energies, on the other hand, are trying to adjust their strategies to the changing pace of the energy transition, accelerated by the Covid-19 pandemic. Independent oil companies and national oil companies have their own challenges to manage in their respective countries and societies. Every oil and gas company is trying to renew its license to operate while energy transition is casting questions of achieving sustainability and responsibility of investments simultaneously. The challenge responsible upstream oil and gas companies are facing is to achieve the dual targets of balancing carbon neutrality and sustainable investments.

Prioritizing the Logistics Management Factors Affecting Company Performance: Case Study of ADNOC

This paper presents a study to prioritize the logistics management factors influencing the performance of the oil and gas industry in the UAE. The study discovered 56 logistic elements classified into seven groups: Logistics Information System; Transport Management; Inventory Management; Order Process Management; Information Flow Management; Logistics Agility; and Logistics Integration Capabilities. To rank these factors, Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) employees completed a questionnaire survey. The survey data was analysed descriptively, and the elements were ranked based on the mean score and standard deviation of each individual factor. According to the findings, the most critical logistic factor for the Logistics Information System (LIS) group is the accuracy of the logistics information system. The most critical logistic factor for the Transport Management (TM) group is Routing and scheduling; the most important logistic factor is size requirements for the Inventory Management (IM) group. The most critical logistic factor for the Order Process Management (OPM) group is top management support, while for the Information Flow Management (IFM) group; the most critical logistic factor is quantifying the level of detail of information packages. The Agility of Logistics Service (ALS) group is increasing the speed of the supply chain to improve customer service. Finally, the Logistics Integration Capabilities (ICL) group shares service information with LSSC members. These findings will be useful in assisting logistics parties in improving their services for the benefit of the company's performance.

Mediation Model of Logistics Service Supply Chain (LSSC) Factors Affecting Organisational Performance

This paper presents the modelling of significant Logistics Service Supply Chain (LSSC) factors affecting oil and gas industry performance in the UAE. Data collection involved the projects of Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC). The model consisted of six independent constructs, one mediator’s construct and one dependent construct. The six independent constructs are Transport Management; Inventory Management; Order Process Management; Information Flow Management; Agility of logistics service and Integration capabilities of logistics. The mediator construct is logistic information, and the dependent construct is organization performance. The modelling used the AMOS-SEM approach, which indicates the graphical interaction of the factors toward the company performance. The data used to develop the model was gathered through the structured questionnaire survey amongst the selected respondents from the ADNOC oil and gas company in UAE, with a response rate of 90%, indicating strong participation from the population. Total 379 questionnaire forms were collected and used for analysis. The model was constructed according to the conceptual model and assessed at the measurement and structural level of the model. All the individual measurement models achieved the threshold criteria while the structural model reached the required fitness index. Then the model was run for hypothesis testing and found that four of the paths which are Transport Management; Inventory Management; Order Process Management; Information Flow Management have achieved a significant level. Also, Logistics Information Systems has not mediating effect to the relationship of Logistics Service Supply Chain (LSSC) factors affecting oil and gas industry performance in the UAE. This model contributed to the body of knowledge in presenting the relationship of factors affecting the performance of logistics in the oil and gas industry. It is hoped that the oil and gas practitioners can gain from this model to be applied in their profession.

Gazprom Neft Courts Middle East NOCs With Digital Technologies as it Seeks Bigger Role in the Region

Far from the Siberian gas fields that it is best known for producing, Gazprom Neft—the oil-focused subsidiary of Gazprom—is taking steps toward a larger footprint in the Middle East. The Russian oil company said it wants to open doors in the region by opening up its portfolio of advanced technologies to national oil companies (NOCs) there. To that end, Gazprom Neft chose this year’s SPE Annual Technical Conference and Exhibition (ATCE) held in Dubai to showcase half a dozen proprietary developments, some of which remain in the R&D phase while others are being used companywide. They included an in-house-developed hydraulic fracturing simulator, drilling advisory and automation software, a new material for drill bits, and digital twins for its facilities. Each represents a major investment of time and resources, but the majority state-owned Gazprom Neft said it doesn’t necessarily want cash from those who might use the fruits of its labor; it wants relationships. “We are not a sales company, we are an oil and gas company,” said Roman Sokolov, the manager of international technology scouting and commercialization at Gazprom Neft. Speaking from the company’s booth at the industry conference, he explained that Gazprom Neft is looking to exchange experiences with other operators “rather than commercializing in the traditional sense. “Essentially, we are open to partnerships and that’s why we are here—to show [what] we have in our portfolios and see what people are offering,” he added. Unlike several of the largest US and European oil companies, Gazprom Neft’s Middle East exposure today is relatively modest. It operates a single development, the Sarqala field in the Kurdistan region of Iraq, where production is reported to be about 33,000 B/D. In 2019, however, Gazprom Neft began its quest to enter the growing UAE market by inking a wide-ranging collaboration agreement with the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) spanning everything from joint assessments of concession blocks to sharing digital technologies. At ATCE, the Gazprom Neft delegation made clear it wants to build stronger ties with other NOCs too, including Dubai’s Dragon Oil and Abu Dhabi’s Mubadala Petroleum. Gazprom Neft’s new friendship campaign comes against the backdrop of economic sanctions that the US and members of the European Union imposed on Russia following its military actions against Ukraine in 2014. As a result, Russian energy companies have been forced to rely more on domestic innovation to keep pace with international rivals on things such as the digital revolution and shale production. This is of course a position that is somewhat familiar to the Russian oil and gas story. As many remember, it was Russian engineers working inside the then Soviet Union who are credited with making key advances in horizontal drilling during the Cold War in the 1960s.

The Nexus Between Communication Ethics and Quality Assurance: A Mediating Role of Ethical Behaviour in Abu Dhabi National Oil and Gas Companies

The purpose of this study is to investigate the mediating role of ethical behaviour on the relationship between communication ethics and quality assurance in Abu Dhabi oil and gas companies (ADNOC). This study is quantitative using a cross-sectional survey and 369 questionnaires useable from managers of ADNOC. The study utilized statistical techniques to analyze the collected data with partial least square structural - equation modelling (PLS-SEM). Also, the finding of this study showed that empirical data demonstrates a significant contribution to how mediation effects of ethical behaviour affect the relationship between communication ethics and quality assurance in ADNOC. The results of the constructs of mediating role of the ethical behaviour indicated that there were positive and significant relationships between communication ethics and quality assurance because, the mediating role of ethical behaviour contained sixteen items which include four dimensions, which are: (a) Equality/Justice (‘adl عدل), (b) Honesty (Amanah/Siddiqoh أمانة و صدق), (c) Fairness (Safaah صفاء), and (d) Integrity (Istiqomah اساقامة). Therefore, the results of this study provide some insights to the managers of the quality assurance in Abu Dhabi oil particularly, and gas companies in general.

Investment Analysis for Largest Heavy Oil Field in Indonesia Under Indonesia’s Gross-Split Production Sharing Contract (PSC)

XYZ field is largest heavy oil field in Indonesia, located in ABC Block PSC that will be managed by a National Oil Company (NOC) under new form of PSC, the Gross-Split PSC for 20 years starting August 2021- August 2041. This research aims to assess the investment analysis of XYZ field to find the best investment alternative that will give highest financial return for NOC. Data used are mostly secondary data that author retrieve from internal and external sources. Result from strategic approach show that ABC Block, especially XYZ field has a competitive advantage therefore NOC should maximize its investment in ABC Block. The result of economic evaluation show that Alternative-3 (Combination Program) is best alternative due to highest NPV value.

Nationalization, Oil and Political Regime: a Comparative Analysis of the Experience of the Soviet State and Latin American Countries

Introductions. Oil production is historically an important part of government revenues in many developing countries. The Gulf monarchies are traditionally considered as typical ‘rentier states’, while the Soviet Union is usually not classified as a Petro-state, although the USSR was an important oil producer for the global economy. The Soviet Union created a unique economic model, which was based on the administrative command methods of the national economy operation. Unlike the capitalist countries of the developing world, the Soviet Union did not create giant national oil companies to manage its oil resources, but the absence of such companies did not prevent Soviet oil industry from becoming an important source of revenue for the Soviet state. Methods. The article is organized as a comparative analysis of the Soviet Union, Mexico, and Venezuela, three countries, the governments of which nationalized their oil industries at some points in the 20th century. Results and Discussions. The article shows that oil revenues played an important role in the collapse of the political regimes of all three countries after the dramatic decrease of international oil price in 1986.

Molecular testing and analysis of disease spreading during the emergence of COVID-19 in Maca\xe9, the Brazilian National Capital of Oil

The Brazilian strategy to overcome the spread of COVID-19 has been particularly criticized due to the lack of a national coordinating effort and an appropriate testing program. Here, a successful approach to control the spread of COVID-19 transmission is described by the engagement of public (university and governance) and private sectors (hospitals and oil companies) in Macaé, state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, a city known as the National Oil Capital. In 2020 between the 17th and 38th epidemiological week, over two percent of the 206,728 citizens were subjected to symptom analysis and RT-qPCR testing by the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, with positive individuals being notified up to 48 h after swab collection. Geocodification and spatial cluster analysis were used to limit COVID-19 spreading in Macaé. Within the first semester after the outbreak of COVID-19 in Brazil, Macaé recorded 1.8% of fatalities associated with COVID-19 up to the 38th epidemiological week, which was at least five times lower than the state capital (10.6%). Overall, considering the successful experience of this joint effort of private and public engagement in Macaé, our data suggest that the development of a similar strategy countrywise could have contributed to a better control of the COVID-19 spread in Brazil. Quarantine decree by the local administration, comprehensive molecular testing coupled to scientific analysis of COVID-19 spreading, prevented the catastrophic consequences of the pandemic as seen in other populous cities within the state of Rio de Janeiro and elsewhere in Brazil.

Developing Future Leaders

The processes of acquiring and managing human capital are critical to achieving success and to gaining and sustaining a competitive advantage. Talent management planning is a means to manage changes in workforce supply and demand and to implement strategies to recruit and retain talented individuals. This study investigates how managers at one of the world's largest energy companies in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) perceive and develop talent management in their organization. The study utilized an exploratory non-probability purposive sampling method of 10 individual managers within Abu Dhabi National Oil Company and its subsidiaries (ADNOC) triangulated with organizational documentation and archived records. The study results are organized under three themes: (1) recruitment and selection strategies; (2) training, education, and professional development; and (3) attractive compensation and benefits packages.

Sustainable Recovery: The Multiple Benefits of Collaboration

The oil and gas industry is recovering along with the health situation and the world’s economy following one of the largest downturns in its 160-year history caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. What comes ahead brings its own challenges. The recent Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s (IPCC) Working Group 1 contribution to the IPCC’s Sixth Assessment Report, Climate Change 2021: The Physical Science Basis, published in August, highlighted the “widespread and rapid acceleration of climate change,” with the 1.5°C threshold reached as early as the end of this decade. The dramatic weather events around the globe this summer (in the Northern Hemisphere) with historical temperature records on the North American Pacific Coast and in the central and eastern Mediterranean regions, and huge fires impacting those regions and others such as Siberia, were a reminder that the transformation is occurring now. In this context, the energy mix that the world uses today needs to evolve to a more rational use through energy efficiency and with a lower carbon content, starting from the use of coal. The oil and gas industry has been pioneering the development of technologies such as carbon capture and underground storage and blue hydrogen. International oil companies and national oil companies rank amongst the largest technology investors in renewables and energy storage. Renewables also have a strong potential in applications such as steam injection. Collaboration among the industry and with other peripheral sectors will be an essential ingredient to accelerate the transformation of the energy sector. I personally started in the oil and gas industry more than 4 decades ago in research and development (R&D) with a large oilfield service company, where I led a team of scientists investigating hydraulic fracturing. One of the projects was related to acid fracturing, which required the injection of a viscous non-Newtonian pad to fracture the formation and keep the fracture open, followed by acid which had a much lower viscosity. The two-fluid displacement inside the fracture led to an instability called viscous fingering. In order to understand the phenomenon, we put together a very diverse team, comprising a mathematician, an astrophysicist, a physicochemist, and a geologist. The team was unable to initially work well together and collaborate. The breakthrough came when a high-level scientist from Boston University, a specialist in critical phenomena, was added as a catalyst to the team. Within a few months, the team managed to develop and validate a model for viscous fingering using diffusion-limited aggregation and fractal theory, and its work was published in Nature and the American Physical Society’s Physical Reviews Journals. The team then developed a new set of models for wormholes created by the injection of acid through matrix acidizing and fracture acidizing which were used to create the required chemistry to ensure effectiveness of the treatments. I remain convinced that if we had not included the diversity of the skills and used a catalyst for collaboration, we would not have cracked the research code so rapidly.

IMPROVING BIO-OIL QUALITY VIA CO-PYROLYSIS EMPTY FRUIT BUNCHES AND POLYPROPILEN PLASTIC WASTE

The current consumption of fuel oil, especially gasoline and diesel oil, is increasing. Along with the decline in production, national oil production activities encourage efforts to find alternative fuels as a substitute for oil-based energy supplies. Bio-oil is an environmentally friendly alternative fuel for diesel that can be used as fuel. In this study, the raw materials were palm oil empty bunches and polypropylene plastic waste. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of the ratio of raw material for oil palm empty fruit bunches and polypropylene, the effect of co-pyrolysis temperature on the yield of bio-oil and determine the characteristics of the resulting bio-oil. This study used the variable ratio of oil palm empty fruit bunches and polypropylene (100:0, 80:20, 70:30 and 60:40) and co-pyrolysis temperature (400, 450, 500 and 550 °C). The results showed that the highest yield of bio-oil was obtained, namely 41.6% with a ratio of EFB: PP (80:20) at temperature of 450 °C. The characterization of the product obtained was density of 0.891 g/ml, viscosity of 4.18 cSt, pH of 3.38 and calorific value of 43.2 MJ/kg.

E&P Notes (October 2021)

E&P Notes (October 2021)

Recovery of Nigerian Heavy Oil: Application of Steam Flooding

Aims: Nigeria has a lot of conventional and heavy oil resources. Although much of the conventional oil resources have been developed since independence, the heavy oil resources have remained underdeveloped due to low recovery based on primary production and consequently doubts about economic viability based on the current fiscal regime. This paper examines the application of Steam Flooding enhanced oil recovery (EOR) method to suitable Nigerian heavy oil reservoirs, seeks to develop a diagnostic model to predict the performance, evaluates the economics to determine the viability of the EOR method. The development of heavy oil will increase Nigeria’s oil reserves and production.
 Study Design: Data was collected for two heavy oil reservoirs from two oil companies in Nigeria following a Non-disclosure Agreement (NDA).
 Place and Duration of Study: Emerald Energy Institute, University of Port Harcourt Nigeria, 2016 - 2021.
 Methodology: The screening criteria of commercially effective EOR methods were applied to select steam flooding for the studied reservoirs. Design of Experiment (DoE) was used to evaluate the reservoirs and operating parameters and to determine their optimum values, which were then used to predict the performance of the reservoirs. The economics of the steam flood technique endorsed for the reservoirs considered were also evaluated using Discounted Cash Flow Analysis (DCFA).
 Results: These assessments confirmed that steam flooding technique was technically and economically viable for the heavy oil reservoirs considered. The steam flood was observed to have a good recovery efficiency of 24%, as against the waterflooding technique which had 13% OOIP and natural depletion of 9% for the offshore reservoir. For the onshore reservoir, the recovery efficiency was 20% for steam flood, and 4% for natural depletion. The economic analysis showed that even at a worst-case heavy oil price of US$15, the project was viable.
 Conclusion: Steam flooding is viable, can be applied to develop heavy oil reservoirs in Nigeria that meet the screening criteria, and thus increase national oil reserve and production.
 Recommendation: The fiscal policy should be adjusted, especially the petroleum profit tax from 85% to 50% as an incentive to operators and investors to embark on steam flooding and other EOR methods.

PREVENTION OF ILLEGAL FUEL SMUGGLE IN THE BORDER OF EAST NUSA TENGGARA AND TIMOR LESTE

Indonesia is one of the countries with abundant natural resources, this can be seen from the abundant human resources that are able to improve the management of existing natural resources. This is also emphasized in Article 33 paragraph 3 of the 1945 Constitution of the Republic of Indonesia (UUD RI 1945). A different fact is faced by small communities in the border area between Nusa Tenggara Timur Indonesia and Timor Leste. The problem is that the small communities there are not unable to enjoy subsidy relief due to wrong targets but because of smuggling carried out to neighboring countries. In several criminal cases that occurred in the border area between East Nusa Tenggara and Timor Leste, one of them was the Indonesian National Armed Forces (Satgas Pamtas) RI-RDTL East Sector Border Security Task Force, Yonif Raider 408 / Sbh, thwarted the smuggling of thousands of liters of fuel oil. (BBM) in the RI-RDTL border area.There have been many efforts made by the government to improve the welfare of its citizens by utilizing existing natural resources, especially in the oil and gas sector, one of which is in terms of access to energy consumption through fuel oil (BBM) subsidies which are still being debated. Some are of the view that state assistance must be maintained, but on the other hand, they still think that fuel subsidies are still not on target. A different fact is faced by small communities in the border area between Nusa Tenggara Timur Indonesia and Timor Leste. In addition, at the opening of the International Convention on Indonesian Upstream Oil and Gas 2020, which was organized by SKK Migas, the Government also supported the improvement of the investment climate in Indonesia's upstream oil and natural gas (oil and gas) sector, amid a decline in national oil and gas production and sluggish movement of strategic industries due to the the Covid-19 pandemi.

Does naringenin supplementation improve lipid profile, severity of hepatic steatosis and probability of liver fibrosis in overweight/obese patients with NAFLD? A randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, clinical trial.

Naringenin has been reported to have some promising pharmacological effects on the management of obesity and related metabolic complications including non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Therefore, the present clinical trial study was done to assess the effects of naringenin supplementation on lipid profile, aminotransferase levels, severity of steatosis, as well as probability of fibrosis in overweight/obese patients with NAFLD. This placebo-controlled, parallel randomised, double-blind clinical trial study was conducted on 44 eligible overweight/obese patients with NAFLD (naringenin-treated group (n=22), control group (n=22)) referred to the national Iranian oil company (NIOC) Central Hospital, Tehran City, Tehran Province, Iran. Participants were randomly assigned to receive naringenin capsules (100mg) and identical placebo capsules twice a day, before lunch and dinner, for 4weeks. The primary outcomes were improvement of liver steatosis and NAFLD fibrosis score (NFS), and secondary outcomes included changes in levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and lipid profile. Naringenin consumption significantly reduced percentages of NAFLD grades (P<.001), as well as, serum levels of triglyceride (TG) (P<.001), total cholesterol (TC) (P=.01), and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) (P=.02) and increased serum level of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) (P=.02) compared with the control group. Even after adjusting for the confounders, the results were significant. However, there were no significant changes in AST, ALT and NFS. Our findings revealed that daily intake of 200mg of naringenin for 4weeks had beneficial effects on lipid profile and percentages of NAFLD grades as an indicator for the severity of hepatic steatosis. Although, NFS values and serum levels of aminotransferase enzymes including AST and ALT did not remarkably change.

The association between risk perception and knowledge with the behavior of using respiratory protection devices in the four National Oil Products Distribution Company

Introduction: Having a clear understanding of the relationship between risk perception, knowledge, and protective behaviors could play a significant role in occupational risk management. This study aimed to survey the relationship between risk perception and knowledge on the behavior of using respiratory protection equipment in the four National Oil Products Distribution Company. Materials and Methods: In this descriptive cross-sectional study conducted in 2018, 52 workers from the loading and quality control departments of 4 national companies distributing petroleum products in Sabzevar, Bojnourd, Torbat Heydariyeh, and Shahroud participated. Data were collected through a researcher-made questionnaire whose validity and reliability were assessed (CVI: 0.9 and CVR: 0.92 and Cronbach's alpha coefficient was determined to be 0.73), and data were analyzed using SPSS19 software, and descriptive statistics and linear regression were analyzed. Results: More than half of the participants, who were exposed to the chemicals, use RPDs (Respiratory Protective Devices) all the time and when they are exposed to chemicals. While 75% of them reported using RPDs (Respiratory Protective Devices), reduces the quality of their work. In this study, there was not any significant relationship between RPDs behavior with knowledge and risk perception (P &gt; 0.05). However, the association between work experience and RPDs was negatively significant (p= 0.009). Conclusion: The results of this study suggested that only education and knowledge could not promote individual risk perception, improving protective behavior, therefore other barriers such as uncomfortably of RPDs, or their interference with the worker should be considered. To achieve this goal, the safety and health officials of the companies must pay attention to its quality in addition to the correct choice of these devices.

Perbandingan Pemanfaatan Industri Migas oleh Perusahaan Minyak dan Gas Nasional Petrobras dan Sinopec

National oil and gas companies are an important sector in the national development of a country, both in terms of meeting the needs of energy and industrial raw materials in the country so that their management must be carried out optimally. This study was conducted to determine the comparison of the national oil and gas company owned by Brazil, namely Petrobras and owned by China, namely Sinopec in conducting exploration of the oil and gas industry. The research method used in writing this article is descriptive qualitative. This method aims to describe in general the differences between national oil and gas companies owned by Brazil and China and then focus on certain phases to be able to find some specific aspects intensively and in depth. The data collection technique used is library research from various literatures that are relevant to the subject matter of the research object, in the form of books, journals, and articles from the internet. The data analysis technique used is qualitative with a case study approach. Relevant data were collected and then analyzed qualitatively, namely by connecting one phenomenon to another to draw a final conclusion on the conditions of comparable differences between the two national oil and gas companies from these two different countries in exploiting and exploring natural resources and ensuring their availability. Even though both are present as national oil and gas companies, Petrobras and Sinopec have their own strategies and methods in utilizing the oil and gas industry.

Factors that explain the results of the national oil companies: The impact of the fiscal role on Pemex's results

The difficult situation that Pemex is currently experiencing not only contrasts with the company's trajectory in previous decades, when it became a reference for other Latin American companies in the sector, but also with the expansion and control of the world energy market that has characterised other public oil companies. This paper, our aim was therefore to identify the performance determinants of public oil companies and, specifically, to discuss a factor that has been frequently debated in the specialised literature ―the role that the company plays as an instrument of the national fiscal policy. This work shows how the dynamic relationship established between the State and the company through its role in the national developmental strategy helps to explain company performance in the sphere of production at two different time points in its long history. • NOCs control a large part of the world's energy supply. • NOCs are key players in economies with abundant oil and gas resources. • It is fundamental to contribute to the discussion about the explanatory determinants of the NOCs results. • In the case of Pemex, the tax regime helps to explain its productive performance. • The energy reform has not improved the difficult situation Pemex is going through.

The global oil supply chain: The essential role of non-oil product as revealed by a comparison between physical and virtual oil trade patterns

Holistic evolution of the global oil supply chain is revealed from both physical and virtual oil use perspectives in parallel, distinctively based on inter-regional physical oil trade by oil products and virtual oil trade embodied in both oil and non-oil products during 2000–2015. Due to strengthening oil resource relocation along the complex supply chain from oil-rich regions to oil-scarce regions, time-series changes of oil use at both ends of the global supply chain present distinct profiles. Non-oil products play ever-increasing important roles in international virtual oil trade, against crude oil and oil products. Virtual oil embodied in non-oil products accounts for more than half of major oil importing economies’ total oil trade (USA: 50%, Japan: 63%, China: 58%, Korea: 61%, Spain: 82%). Global trade relations have been diversifying over time. Physical oil trade by oil products dominates the intermediate trade, whereas virtual oil trade by non-oil products leads the final trade. According to the comparative results under the two perspectives, measures to ensure global oil supply security are provided. A long-term prediction of future national virtual oil use till 2040 highlights the necessity of improving oil use efficiency economically to support society development. To tackle with the effects of non-oil products, market-oriented policies requiring concerted efforts of all the economies along the supply chain are illustrated.