PetroChina talked with XTO, Fort Worth mayor says

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By Jack Z. [email protected] Officials associated with PetroChina, the largest oil and natural gas producer in China, recently visited with Fort Worth-based XTO Energy, an expert on shale-gas development and a subsidiary of Irving-based Exxon Mobil Corp., according to Fort Worth Mayor Betsy Price.Both XTO and Exxon Mobil were mum on the subject when contacted by the Star-Telegram on Tuesday."As a matter of practice, we don't discuss details of such meetings," XTO spokesman Jeff Neu said in an e-mail responding to Star-Telegram questions."PetroChina has been talking with XTO," Price said in a telephone interview with the Star-Telegram on Monday.

Read more here: http://www.star-telegram.com/2011/12/20/3609025/petrochina-talked-with-xto-fort.html#storylink=cpy

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1. Wow! So China is going to buy the Barnett Shale essentially?

Sounds like they're may. China doesn't come sniffing around just on a whim. And no surprise that Exxon Mobil would sell it to them. They're already partners so why not bring'em in.

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2. Tally for FW Mayor's China trip? $1,726.13

Big Oil greaseing the wheels of the insiders. Screw the land owner and public.

Tally for FW Mayor's China trip? $1,726.13 If you’re scratching your head wondering how the mayor can go all the way to China with a security officer and spend less than $2,000, here’s how. Someone else was picking up most of the tab. Airfare from DFW Airport to Taiwan for Price and her security officer were paid by the airport so she could take part in a signing ceremony to promote direct air links between DFW Airport and Taiwan’s Taoyuan International Airport. Airfare between Taiwan and Beijing was picked up by the U.S. Department of Energy, which was sponsoring the energy conference in China she attended. Here’s a breakdown of the costs that will be paid by the city: $915 for the security officer’s hotel costs, plus $611.13 in expenses by both the officer and mayor (taxis, meals, etc.) and $100 each to enroll in an online global registration system to handle international travel paperwork.

Read more here: http://blogs.star-telegram.com/barnett_shale/2011/12/tally-for-fw-mayors-china-trip-1721663.html#storylink=cpy

[sonias]

3. Nice find

Imagine that. A mayor can be bought for under $5K. Oh I'm sure she will protest that this is all in the name of job creation and that she's not "selling out". Yeah right!