Part: Will China's coalbed methane projects a new energy-billionaire?

Part: Will China's coalbed methane projects a new energy-billionaire?

Even the enemies of Randeep S. Grewal admire his business savvy. Few might be surprised when the CEO of Green Dragon one day on the list Forbes magazine shows the billionaires. His company recently shares on the London Stock Exchange AIM, starting with a market capitalization of US $ 525 million, was quite bold stroke, a few eyebrows. Green Dragon placed a bit more than 4.5 million shares to increase less than 5 percent of outstanding shares of the company to $ 25 million. Randeep Grewal kept the remaining 95.2 percent of Green Dragon for himself

noticed after the approval of the company on the AIM market Grewal. "2007 promises to be an important year for CBM and its contribution to the Chinese energy supply to be ... This list is an important and timely milestone in our growth driven strategy. " The last time Grewal stooped to deal with the minor annoyances of the capital markets, he personally bought all the shares of Greka Energy Corp, then traded on the NASDAQ. Shareholders loved him - he 69 percent premium for their shares paid in the year 2003, Greka delisted from NASDAQ and deregistered with the US Securities Commission.

Since then, it has been difficult to track Grewal latest achievements, but based on the price of oil, his privately owned fiefdom is likely flush with cash. In a 2002 press release Grewal revealed the then publicly owned Greka Energy 800 million barrels of recoverable heavy heavy oil, which is ideal as feedstock for his asphalt refinery. This year Greka the throughput was 3400 barrels of asphalt per day. According to ABC News, the state of California paid $ 359 / ton for asphalt - up 61 percent last year. High fuel prices are driving major oil companies from the crude oil to squeeze more gasoline production. Definitely Grewal simply gets wealthier with every new barrel of asphalt or crude oil his company produces.

At least Green Dragon Gas will now publicly traded on shareholder participation. But, only a few shares available to the public. Grewal may be generous at the end of the day to the shareholders, but he did not with his shares this early in the game goodbye. In its filing statement with AIM, the company introduced that a further issue of shares to raise additional cash would come as a last resort, or sensitively explained, ". ... As in the circumstances" Grewal would offer initially on debt financing and other measures before shareholders additional liquidity.

It is no coincidence, the share price of GDG, which opened for trading at US $ 5.56 / share quickly rose to a current altitude from $ 6 , 60 / share. A close study of Grewal last company explains the high confidence in Green Dragon Gas. Do not be confused with the aforementioned energy Grewal who now Greka Integrated, Green Dragon Gas is called, is the parent company of Hong Kong-based Greka Energy. They hold five CBM production-sharing contracts with the Chinese government CUCBM (China United Coalbed Methane Company). Green Dragon The contracts are on massive tracts of land (more than twice the size of Rhode Iceland) that could accommodate potential 16.5 trillion cubic meters of methane gas.

After Green Dragon Gas website, Grewal is also chairman and chief executive of the Greka Integrated resident in California, a company that described as "involved in heavy oil and gas transportation, refining, real estate and interest energy properties and refining assets. "It's Santa Barbara County 'largest onshore oil company with holdings in Bakersfield, orange County and the Los Angeles basin, Greka almost 70 onshore production, processing and transportation facilities in Santa Barbara (CA) is working and the Santa Maria asphalt refinery. It's the same, the

produced 3400 barrels of asphalt in 2002 every day

While others talk a good game, Grewal draws in energy game. In his last published interview which we were able to dig (August 2001), Grewal explained exactly how he planned Greka to make energy a success story, ie selling oil or product asphalt and then sell asphalt, depending on the price. And then he did. In a July 2002 Press release Grewal mentioned his company long-term activities in China would have. And now it does - through Green Dragon Gas.

unabashedly In explaining the company's business during his 2001 interview, Grewal boasted: "We are $ profitable at 10 oil We are $ profitable at 30 oil, we are profitable at $ 2 gas, and we.. are profitable $ 16 gas. "He called his asphalt plant" a natural hedge vary in commodity prices. "It also provides consistent cash flow. And there is no doubt Grewal is always profitable with crude oil selling around $ 70 / barrel.

Steve Chase, Santa Barbara County deputy energy director, the Greka refinery (Greka and has participated in fining - see below) governs, calling the company's business. "absolutely brilliant" Chase praised Greka in a newspaper article New Times to explain the company's profitability ", oil not sold either high or low, but asphalt. If you are an oil company with an asphalt refinery, you can sell into two different markets. If oil Chase praise, Grewal the path to success is low, you can use it to make asphalt. If it is high, you (only) for sale. "

Despite having been without a few car wrecks along the way. In the years 2002 and 2003, his company was cited for more than 70 injuries, the oil spills and gas included versions, according to the Santa Barbara News-Press Gazette . the prosecution of the country filed felony charges against Greka after an explosion near the asphalt refinery injured two workers. Greka opted for civil penalties of $ 200,000.

in November 2005, lost Greka Integrated his injury-of-contract lawsuit against a former safety manager, Gary Lowery. in June this year imposed the US Environmental Protection Agency, the company $ 127,500 for "unauthorized disposal of waste water oil refinery in the injection wells, the system, in violation of federal safe Water Act drink." has this Greka over $ 700,000 paid settlements since Grewal took the company private. life is a bit annoying to be less problematic, if an oil for much more than $ 30 / barrel is sold. Especially when the same oil was profitable at 10 $ / barrel.

Grewal to China turned to build his fortune

Randeep Grewal came in the energy markets as chairman and chief executive of an oil and gas horizontal drilling company, Horizontal Ventures. During the energy bear market began Grewal sent a series of mergers and acquisition of oil and gas facilities, to his first Greka Energy Corp. out He knew where to find deals and deftly began his energy empire assembly. Horizontal drilling is integral to coalbed methane development, Grewal brings back to where he started - as a gas drilling company.

have

suffered Also on the way, two of Grewal companies bankruptcies. Last November, Saba Enterprises, formerly Greka Energy Corporation, filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy, after two creditors won judgments $ 19.5 million Euro. In his petition, the company announced it had no assets. The total creditor shortfall could rise to more than $ 24 million. In 1999, another company of which Grewal a director Sabacol was - a subsidiary of Saba Petroleum, was released following the sale of its assets to work 11 bankruptcy after it travels through methods chapter.

Life is also filled with many second chances. This time, however, through Greka Energy (Hong Kong) and Green Dragon Gas (GDG), Grewal owns what might someday become a multi-billion dollar gas project. Smith & Williamson, Green Dragon rated IPO emission the company at $ 973 million, depending on their success GDG estimated methane gas in place and the wellhead price at time of delivery in the restoration.

Until recently, coalbed methane was treated as a hazardous waste product, the miners killed in tunnel explosions. In China, depending upon whose numbers you believe, 4000-6000 miners die every year. Best of all was methane an unwelcome byproduct of coal mining, which released the Chinese in the atmosphere exacerbates an already atrocious air pollution crisis.

When the Chinese CBM began to realize was a larger percentage of the US gas production has, they wanted to develop their own vast resources. Finally, the Chinese pragmatists. Why pay through the nose to import LNG, when that methane every throw? In 2004, coalbed methane accounted for 8 percent of US gas production. This is mandated in its energy mix in the eleventh five-year plan for the role of gas the same percentage number China. And as we have mentioned in previous articles, China has idled as much as 40 percent of its gas-fired plants because it could not obtain sufficient gas supplies.

methane or C4, which is a more pure gas than conventional gas, is found within the carbon lattice of coal at a molecular level. The less "sweet" natural gas that is found in more conventional fields, generated by hydrocarbon source rocks and trapped in a porous and permeable reservoir rock, such as carbonate reserve or sandstone. Water pressure holds coalbed methane in place, the new drilling technology needed to efficiently extract.

coalbed methane extract, a company drills wells into the coal seam and then punching and breaking the coal seams. Increasing this process permeability by water able to be pumped out of the coal seam. During this de-watering process, the pressure of the gas in place keeps reducing. This pressure differential vents the gas through the fracture systems into the well. Voila! What had miners were killed and China's atmosphere pollute now to power could be used gas-fired power plants.

Copyright © 2007 by StockInterview, Inc. All rights reserved.

What does the Portuguese passport to Goans?

What does the Portuguese passport to Goans? Has

opened The Portuguese passport certainly a great opportunity for door Goans who are lining up for the past few decades to secure for themselves, not just a Portuguese passport, but a ticket to Portugal and thus to Europe in search of a better standard of living.

Goa, the smallest state of independent India was ruled by the British is not the case with the rest of India was, but by the Portuguese dominion over this land from 1510 to 19 December 1961 instead . During this time the Portuguese to Goa brought not only their colonial domination, but also their religion, their culture, their language, their cuisine, their way of life and essentially an extension of Portugal from Goa.

If Goans liberation achieved in 1961, there were many Goans who were eager to retain their Portuguese citizenship, which has become obsolete by the Indian army following the acquisition of Goa. All Goans were automatically considered as Indians and Goans these had applied for Portuguese nationality to flee to Portugal and to reside there, which their properties and structures in Goa leaving.

Meanwhile Portugal also India's violent liberation of Goa in the United Nations opposes and against him in these forums by the year 1975, when joined and accepted that Goa was an integral part of India Portugal. However, because Goa was liberated from India, it was extended from Portugal discretion of their civil rights to citizens from the Indian Goa, Daman and Diu, which were under their occupation and who tried this citizenship.

As such, the Portugal has to grant legislative citizenship Goans Parliament, would those looking for this status and formulates an application procedure for Goan acquire Indians such citizenship, if desired. First, the answer is to this was subtle of Goans and there was a trickle of applicants. But after Portugal part of the European Union suddenly Goan eyes and hopes were brightened. So the queues began at the Portugal Embassy in New Delhi in the nineties. Soon Portugal opened its Consulate in Goa and the queues simply increased and shifted in the Portuguese Consulate in the Goan capital Panaji, where people from Goa Daman and Diu flocked in large numbers to records and documents to meet the requirements in pursuit of a Portuguese passport and a ticket to Europe.

to seek the essence of this whole desire of Goans a Portuguese passport, is the fact that Portugal, which is a relatively poor country by European standards has become a part of the European Union and is entitled to enjoy the benefits who are entitled Europeans in this union. These include, without moving a visa in the other country and to work in countries like the UK, France and Switzerland without a visa must. The opportunities in these countries are known to be much greater than that in Portugal and the main reason for Goans is to apply for citizenship in order to remain finally and to be working in the richer countries of the European Union due to Portuguese citizens.

Goa, which in India's economic food from tourism and mining a relaxed tourist destination is mainly. Goans therefore do not have other business resources in addition to tourism and mining to take advantage in minuscule Goa. As such Goans over the years have preferred abroad in search of greener pastures and countries in the Gulf region, Europe and Canada have therefore been active travel of interest. Even cruise lines have to carry a special nostalgic place in Goa heart .. There are entire villages and towns in Goa, whose inhabitants are in cruise lines and it is almost a true dynastic continuity through the generations in the footsteps of their ancestors in the shipping industry.

This scenario was the Portuguese passport like a breath of fresh air. You do not need other qualifications other than having to be Goan and it opens up great opportunities for Goans, the other is had limited to menial jobs. However, note that in the UK, knowledge of English is an important part of the success. Without in English is fluent, life can be quite difficult in the UK in order to survive. Some Goans who have not been up to the mark, it found difficult and updated to meet these standards, to carve a niche in the UK. There is also a fair presence of Goans in countries like France, Germany and Denmark

For Goans Portuguese passport has therefore opened a world of opportunities for economic improvement and has infused therefore the pounds and the Euro Goan houses their default enriching back to live in Goa. In the meantime, to acquire the queue and the endeavor of the new Portuguese passport Goans continued with enthusiasm to this day.

Mobsters in America - Stephanie St Clair - The Queen of the Harlem numbers racket

Mobsters in America - Stephanie St Clair - The Queen of the Harlem numbers racket

She was chased from the Harlem numbers racket of Dutch Schultz, but Schultz was from a gunshot wound dying Stephanie St . Clair, had the last laugh.

Stephanie St. Clair was born in 1886 in Marseille, an island in the eastern Caribbean. At the age of 26, she immigrated to New York City and settled in Harlem. Almost immediately, they hooked up with the Forty Thieves, a white band that existed since the 1850s. There is no record of what St. Clair for the next ten years, but it's safe to say its relations with the Forty Thieves are considering, but a notorious gang shake-down, which she did everything legally.

In 1922, St. Clair used $ 10,000 of their own money and started first numbers racket Harlem. St. Clair was known to be a violent temper and often for having cursed her subordinates in multiple languages. When people asked her about her heritage in question, she snapped that she was born in "European France", and that they spoke flawless French, in contrast to the French-speaking rabble from the Caribbean. In Harlem they called her Madame St. Clair, but also in the rest of the city, it was just as well known "Queenie".

In the mid 1920s known bootlegger and Stone Killer Dutch Schultz, he decided to cross all political racket in Harlem take wanted. Schultz asked Queenie not too good away backwards, causing the deaths of dozens of Queenies numbers runner. Queenie wore the help of Bumpy Johnson, an ex-con with a hair-trigger temper, to take care of Schultz situation. Johnson went to the city and visited the Italian Mafia boss Lucky Luciano. He asked Luciano it were to speak in Schultz. But it was not able to do much Luciano, because at that time he was one of Schultz 'partners. Luciano suggested that Queenie and Johnson throw Schultz so that it. In fact, a subdivision of Schultz numbers Business This did not sit too well with Queenie, and although Johnson tried was to convince the smart move, she turned down Luciano offer.

Then out of nowhere began Queenie problems it paid off with the police, they look the other way. This was the work of Schultz, who had by his links with Tammany Hall, several politicians in his back pocket, as over half the police in New York City. While Schultz's number runners impunity, runners of Queenie worked through the streets of Harlem, as they are not killed by Schultz "men were to be arrested by the police.

Queenie decided with the power of the press to fight back. in December 1930 Queenie took multiple ads in Harlem newspapers and accused the police of graft, relief camps and corruption. This went on not too good with the local fuzz, and they immediately arrested Queenie found guilty for illegal gambling.Queenie and was sentenced hard work on Welfare island to eight months. After her release, she appeared before the committee Seabury, which was graft in the Bronx and Manhattan Magistrates courts to investigate. Queenie testified that from 1923-1926, they the police in Harlem $ 6000 had paid to protect their runners before the arrest, and that the police had taken their money and arrested anyway their number runners. Schultz has a good laugh over that one have had a month for 6000 $ less than he the bulls happy in New York paid to keep City.

Nothing came of their testimony before the committee Seabury so Queenie decided to plead her case to New York City Mayor Jimmy Walker, who was almost like Schultz crooked. Queenie told Walker that Schultz was to combine pressure on them his gang or. Walker, who was himself investigated by the Seabury Committee replied to leave Queenie from his job as mayor and relocate in the next few years to Europe.

Queenie then with the other black policy number bankers in Harlem pleaded in a battle against Schultz to join their forces. Knowing that Schultz in the government had too much juice, and many shooters in his gang, they turned their homes down.

Bumpy Johnson soon found out that Schultz had put the word on the street that Queenie had to be at first glance, shot. Queenie went into the ground and also refused to go outside to see the light of day. On one occasion, Johnson Queenie had to hide in a coal bunker, under a pile of coal, to save them from Schultz 'people. That was the last straw for Queenie. She sent word Schultz that they would agree to his demands. Schultz sent word back to her that she could stay alive as long as they in their numbers racket Schultz has a controlling interest. Queenie agreed reluctantly.

Schultz had his own run pitch, when he demanded that Luciano and his friends on the killing of special prosecutor Thomas E. Dewey agree that breathing down the neck Schultz. Schultz's proposal was rejected, and when he said he would kill Dewey himself, he was shot in the stomach in the bathroom of a New Jersey restaurant. Schultz lingered in a delirious in a hospital for a few days before he died. As he lay there mumbling inanities, a telegram arrived, saying, "As you sow, so shall you reap." Stephanie St. Clair -

The telegram was sent by the Queen of Harlem.

Queenie finally turned over their rackets to Bumpy Johnson. They fall into oblivion and died in his sleep in 1969.

In 1997 film "Hoodlum" Lawrence Fishburne played Bumpy Johnson, Tim Roth played Dutch Schultz, Andy Garcia played Lucky Luciano and Cicely Tyson Stephanie "played Queenie" St. Clair.