Arab Oil, in the sixth world. Options

[Sir_Psycho]

So who's got their hands on oil in the 70's? According the Shadowrun there must still be plenty of it to go around.

Specifically, do middle-eastern countries and corps still own a big slice of the crude pie, or is it completely owned by other corps. I know from various fluff that Saeder-Krupp has their eyes and hands all over the middle east, especially because of the oil factor.

Also, I've seen write-ups of many corps. We all know the megas. And we know a lot of the minor corps from Europe and America like Kvaener-Maersk, Proteus AG, Universal Omnitech, Zeta Impchem, etc. But what about middle eastern A and AA corps?

So where's the paydata, chummers?

[Inquisitus2100]

Forgiving the whole and my general unwillingness to consult canon, I have a feeling that looking to the Arabian peninsula for oil in 2070 may not be so realistic (like goblinization, but I digress). Current consumption of oil (not taking into account growth in markets like China or India, or future exploration significantly increasing the projected reserves in producing countries) will likely bankrupt traditional suppliers (Not just Middle Eastern countries, but OPEC staples like Canada and Venezuela as well as existing oil fields in the Gulf of Mexico and of America's Pacific Coast) well before the 2070s. Indeed, it would seem that the Sixth World's future oil powers will be entities based in the remains of countries Russia and Brazil which have large, and largely untapped, oil reserves. Also, Foreign Affairs ran an article about large oil and natural gas reserves being discovered/made available in the Arctic Circle in the last quarter or two. Unless of course you really have your heart set on using the oil producing countries of the Middle East as a setting, I think that many of these locales may take your campaign in an different direction. Failing that there are always popular hooks like space mining and a new oil-like substance (sort of like orchalium) that has largely subsumed the role that "normal" oil plays...

[Ed_209a]

In 2070, the Arabian peninsula will be home to two general types of countries: The ones that invested and diversified wisely in the teens and twenties, and the ones that did not.

The wise ones will be relatively untouched post-peak oil, but the others will likely be in a state of economic collapse, and likely political chaos.

[DWC]

In 2070, the Arabian peninsula will be home to two general types of countries: The ones that invested and diversified wisely in the teens and twenties, and the ones that did not.

The wise ones will be relatively untouched post-peak oil, but the others will likely be in a state of economic collapse, and likely political chaos.

Sounds about right. There's Israel (who's an Ares puppet state) and Dubai (who even now have laid the groundwork for transitioning from an oil based economy to being a world finance center), and "everyone else". With Saeder-Krupp's massive advances in underwater resource exploitation, spearheaded by Trans Oceanic Mining, the economic collapse of most of the middle east is a forgone conclusion, especially given the theoligical war that grips the entire region.

[Pendaric]

as an aside the Trans polar Aluet NAN is noted as haveing oil reserves.

[Sir_Psycho]

I know from reading target: wastelands earlier today that there is some deep sea oil mining run be Ares preying off smaller miners (with warships as backup), and below in the "Gulf of Aztlan" which I can only assume is the Gulf of Mexico there's a lot of deep sea oil rigs.

In 2070, the Arabian peninsula will be home to two general types of countries: The ones that invested and diversified wisely in the teens and twenties, and the ones that did not.

The wise ones will be relatively untouched post-peak oil, but the others will likely be in a state of economic collapse, and likely political chaos.

This struck me as interesting. If peak Oil hits the middle east, do we know of any diversified middle eastern A and AA rated corps? Where is the money in the middle east then?

[Starmage21]

unless there are still gasoline powered vehicles in 3rd world countries. Oil is probobly only seeing use in the 2070s as the source for plastics and other materials. I dont recall Rigger 3 even touching the option for gas powered vees, though SR3 did acknowledge methane powered as an option instead of full-blown electric.

[CanRay]

Most of the vehicles in Arsenal are described as Hybred, with an option on Multifuel Engines that can run on anything that burns.

Makes Moonshining a popular option once more, methinks! I know back in Prohibition, more than one Rumrunner (The ORIGINAL Shadowrunners!) ran his car and himself on the same hooch!

[FlakJacket]

...and Dubai (who even now have laid the groundwork for transitioning from an oil based economy to being a world finance center), and "everyone else".

Except that Dubai no longer exists in Shadowrun. It got subsumed into Saudi Arabia when it became Arabia along with Yemen, Oman, Kuwait, the rest of the United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Bahrain in 2055 I think it was. Now of course that's not to say that it wont be one of the more developed areas of Arabia but losing their sovereignty will of probably blunted that a bit.

[Rotbart van Dain...]

A golden dragon has, too: Fatima Petrochemicals, a S-K subsidary.

[Wesley Street]

Except that Dubai no longer exists in Shadowrun. It got subsumed into Saudi Arabia when it became Arabia along with Yemen, Oman, Kuwait, the rest of the United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Bahrain in 2055 I think it was. Now of course that's not to say that it wont be one of the more developed areas of Arabia but losing their sovereignty will of probably blunted that a bit.

You're thinking of the United Arab Emirates as a whole. Dubai still exists as a city and major financial center according to Shadows of Asia and Runner Havens.

[CircuitBoyBlue]

One model you could look to is what most rich Middle Easterners have done since oil came about: invest the money in foreign corporations. I think it has to do with the under-developed middle class in most Middle Eastern countries, but for whatever reason, the people getting all the oil money have for the most part spent it elsewhere. And with megacorps like in SR, there's no shortage of places to put that money. Given the ridiculous distribution of wealth (or not), there's not a terrible lot of rich people from those countries. But those that are, are extremely wealthy. I would think in SR, those people would just have a buttload of stock in megas, and maybe use that stock to get jobs for their friends and family. Any A or AA corps would probably be subsidiaries of the AAAs.

However, I've only studied the area from a political standpoint, and having had a couple roomates that were among the segment of the population there that gets to travel. I'm bad with economics.

[VagabondStar]

What's the Middle Eastern Elven country called? Do they have oil?

[CanRay]

What's the Middle Eastern Elven country called? Do they have oil?

Don't know if they have Oil or not, but I bet you they're hungry! Not too many Dandelions in that area, I bet!

...

Oh I'm so going to Hell for so many reasons!

[Sweaty Hippo]

Don't know if they have Oil or not, but I bet you they're hungry! Not too many Dandelions in that area, I bet!

...

Oh I'm so going to Hell for so many reasons!

Bah, who needs Dandelions when you've got Nutrisoy?

[Sir_Psycho]

And crude oil.

[Wesley Street]

What's the Middle Eastern Elven country called? Do they have oil?

There's an elven nation in the Middle East? This is news to me. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/question.gif)

[Prospero]

News to me, too. Many ME countries tend to look down on metas.

I do remember one place (I believe the Dubai write-up in Runner Havens maybe) where it was said that the oil in the Middle East is pretty much gone except for a very few hard-to-reach places and most of the world's oil came from Russia and some surrounding areas with some additional from Athabasca, etc.

[VagabondStar]

There's an elven nation in the Middle East? This is news to me. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/question.gif)

Hm. I was looking around, and I couldn't find it. Maybe I was dreaming that one? Entirely possible.


But back to oil...

Would there be other resources or industries that would be built up in Southwest Asia in the 2070s? Dubai has the world's largest hotel (the world's only 5-star). So, would tourism be a bigger draw for the region?

[CanRay]

Maybe they can find something in Tehran. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/vegm.gif)

[knasser]

The emphasis on oil that was made in the Arsenal fluff was one of the more disappointing parts of 4e cannon for me, so far. Shadowrun has always attempted to focus on the things that currently alarm us. That was once technological manipulation of our bodies and increasing corporate untouchability, but now it seems to include wars over oil. That's unfortunate because (a) by 2070, it looks as though oil wont be an economical source of energy and (b) it seems like a regression in technology. SR has established fusion power and probably even the technology for efficient renewable sources such as solar, wind, tidal and geothermal. But mainly it's the fusion that makes the reliance on oil seem strange. Oil / petrol are nice and concentrated forms of energy, but SR also has established cannon technology to store large amounts of energy in light portable forms as evidenced by cyberlimbs, et al, so the energy to weight / volume issue is also taken care of. Oil-based economies are something I play down in my setting.

As to Middle Eastern countries diversifying, it might interest some to know that late last year, the Dubai borse bought nearly a 20% stake in the NASDAQ whilst Qatar (who are a bit competitive) bought about the same in the London Stock Exchange. The money that's heading into pockets of the rich these countries isn't always being spent on pointless horse racing and custom cars. A lot is coming back and being used to buy American and UK businesses. These countries are selling themselves off which I don't think has at all sunk into the public consciousness of their populations yet.

I think by 2070 in the Shadowrun setting, you'd have some great city-states such as Dubai and Abu Dhabi whose primary industry would be finance, possibly research also, maybe some outsourced management work, but that they'd be shining jewels in the desert and there would be a great deal of uncivilised land around them. At least the image of a desert riddled with nomadic arab elves and dragons half-buried in the sand and waiting, with the gleaming silver towers of Doha (Qatar's capital) ever shining on the horizon like a mirage of the the lost city of Erum, is a powerful image.

This is Qatar as is this. I honestly can't think of a more evocative place to run a Shadowrun game at the moment.

[Nkari]

if there where not oil in trhe middle east why whould anyone care about that place, except for solar power perhaps.. ??

[knasser]

if there where not oil in trhe middle east why whould anyone care about that place??

Maybe because they live there?

[Faelan]

There are multiple reasons to care about the middle east beyond oil. 1) Suez Canal - it would really suck if you had to ship good around africa. 2) Centrally located - Europe, Asia, and Africa meet here. This fact alone means it bears watching, controlling it results in major leverage for whoever controls it over similar opponents located elsewhere (i.e. Saeder Krupp vs. Wuxing or any of the Japanacorps). 3) People live there - Product can be sold, and no market should be left entirely uncontested. 4) Jihad - I guess the invasion of Europe in the timeline came from somewhere else. 5) It still has major clout in some corporations. All the oil wealth did not simply evaporate, it had been invested over the years. So you still have some major power players. 6) Solar power, and surprise deserts with a lot of sunlight are ideal for biodiesel production (In my Shadowrun all vehicles (not aircraft they run on genegineered algae produced JP5) are biodiesel/electric hybrids). 7) There are undoubtedly major ley lines crisscrossing the middle east so that makes it interesting to certain factions. Thats all I can think of off the top of my head, hope it helps.

[CanRay]

Not to mention all the holy places in the Middle East. Relics, artifacts, places of Power, and so on.

A lot of religions took a serious blow during the chaos years, and most have a lot of history in the Middle East.