Spratly Islands, new tensions with China, higher oil prices

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-13257263

Thanks for posting that.

I brought this subject up on a few forums back a number of years ago This is exactly the thing that most worried many of us working over in SE Asia. China has historcally claimed ALL of the Spratly islands that 6 other countries also lay claim to portions of (and look closely, many of these 'islands are NO WHERE near China). When they make such a move as this to 'reclaim' them, who is going to be asked by these other smaller countries to help them protect their particular claims to those Spratlys that lie just off their coast? Who is going to stand up to big China? You know who.

Watch this closely. It could be the next big friction point between China and the US...maybe not right away, but in the near future. WOW

....and remember we no longer have our big naval base in the Philippines (Subic Bay)

Shipping Disruptions and/or War

Good point about the oil situation raising the bar. Of course you do realize that some major oil is found in the Brunei area. And that one of the biggest gas finds in the world was in the Indonesian Spratly known as Natuna.

This whole situation could eventually erupt into a war over the natural resources of the South China Sea. And then think about the fact that any conflict and military tensions there could affect mid east oil shipments; "The South China Sea region is the world's second busiest international sea lane. More than half of the world's supertanker traffic passes through the region's waters."

http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/war/spratly-oil.htm

http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/library/report/1998/art5-sp8.htm

Note: I brought this subject up back in 2008:
http://www.boatdesign.net/forums/open-discussion/crude-oil-absolute-must-see-program-21427-81.html#post215941

...and in 2005
http://www.yachtforums.com/forums/16006-post38.html

Its beginning !!

have you been watching the news lately on that new rig the Chinese have moved into Vietnam waters, and the aggressive stance they are taking in Philippines reef waters.

More conflict to come....

This won't be funny !!

An older news article

And you wonder why China is building an even bigger naval force,...including major aircraft carriers.

QUANG NGAI (VNS) — Fishermen from Ly Son Island off Viet Nam's central coast are still casting their nets around the Hoang Sa archipelago, their traditional fishing ground, despite the presence of an illegal Chinese oil rig in the area.

China set up the rig with the aid of a large number of vessels, including warships, last weekend. Viet Nam has said the move seriously violates Viet Nam's sovereignty over the Hoang Sa (Paracel) archipelago and its jurisdiction over its exclusive economic zone and continental shelf.

The act is also said to violate Viet Nam's sovereignty over its waters and threatens local fishermen's operations.
Fishermen upset with Chinese rig - learningenglish - VietNam News

The Chinese Haiyang Shiyou-981 oil rig that has been illegally moved to Vietnamese waters. The brazen violation of Viet Nam's sovereignty threatens the livelihoods of local fishermen, who are demanding its removal.- File photo Xinhua

The $1 billion Chinese oil rig that has Vietnam in flames Wash Post article

Another reason for concern to the pleasure boater.

What if you were a buyer of one of the popular Diesel Duck trawler vessels built in HK, and you wanted to do a sea trial, or start you adventure home by sailing over to the Philippines (which many do). Do you really want to traversing this area in a year or so when real potential conflict breaks out

Natuna

I just noticed that the dotted lines on that map I posted in the original posting didn't really reach southward enough,....they didn't seem to include the island(s) of Natuna which are also in dispute between Indonesia and China.

I bring this one up as it is the site of what is believed to be the largest gas field in the world. Big problem though, the gas comes out as a mixture of something like 75% CO2. You just can't release that surplus CO2 to the atmosphere without causing a possible nuclear winter around portions of the world.

But someone is eventually going to go after this. Better hope they have the technology to do it, a proper safety record, and the finances.

Actually I do think it has been brought to their attention in a very abrupt manner,... with some of the horric smog problems they are experiencing in a number of their own cities.

So no I do not think they would purposely release this on the world. And it would be a world wide problem.

Interestingly the solution is likely finding an economical feasible way to compress the CO2 and put it back into the ground. That is the same technology we need to keep our coal-fired power plants working here in the USA. Good technology that needs more work / development.

The additional problem in Natuna is all those huge compressors that would be needed to be on offshore platforms....EXPENSIVE to build and maintain....and be Typhoon proof