Go back in time and be a chaebol

Chapter 2468 The Last Shovel Towards the Petrodollar (Third Update, Please Subscribe)
Who could have imagined that when SEA soldiers appeared at Beirut International Airport, the areas most affected would be Surabaya and Mindanao in Southeast Asia?

In the following days, the local stock market was impacted to some extent, with the index continuing to fall, reflecting market expectations for the future.

However, it's just a temporary fluctuation.

But this does not mean that the world has become calm and peaceful as a result.

After all, this year was destined to be a year of great upheaval for the world.

As the year draws to a close, more and more events are taking place internationally.

For example, the situation in Iran is becoming increasingly tense, to the point that Pahlavi has imposed martial law on the entire country. However, this has not fundamentally solved the problem in Iran, and the region remains unstable.

However, this has little impact on ordinary people; even if it does, that's something for oil companies to consider.

But in the grand scheme of things, this is just one of the most insignificant events that occurred at the end of the year.

The terrorist attacks in London in November shocked and enraged the entire world.

The SEA, together with the United Kingdom, launched the War on Terror.

They deployed aircraft carriers and a large number of troops to Lebanon, vowing to fundamentally eliminate the breeding ground for terrorism.

The whole world is watching this "war on terror." This is the first time people have heard this term. Experts are discussing who the enemy is, who the specific targets of this war are, and even the purpose of the war.

Of course, some claim that the SEA launched this war to gain the initiative in exporting oil to the West—a significant portion of the Gulf's oil needs to be exported to Europe via pipelines through Lebanon.

The Lebanon War changed everything, effectively rendering the pipeline unusable.

This has seriously affected the interests of oil companies, and it is well known that SEA has substantial oil interests in the Gulf.

Therefore, counterterrorism is just a pretext; the real goal is to control the "oil pipeline to Europe."

For oil.

This is almost the original sin of all Western countries' involvement in the Middle East. No matter which country it is, once it extends its reach into the Middle East, it will be labeled with this accusation.

"The Arabian oil pipeline!"

In a conference room at Petronas in Paris, France, the company's president, Dornier, silently smoked a cigar while watching the images projected onto the screen.

He was familiar with this pipeline because... Petrofelder France was also a shareholder in it!

And he's also the founder.

The Arab Pipeline is a large crude oil pipeline connecting Iraqi oil fields.

This oil pipeline is arguably one of the oldest oil pipelines in history. After World War I, Britain and France signed the San Morey Agreement, which divided Mesopotamian oil resources. The agreement stipulated that an oil pipeline would be laid through French-controlled Syria and Lebanon. In exchange, Britain would transfer its 25% stake in the Turkish Oil Company (later the Iraqi Oil Company) to France.

So the French oil company began constructing this pipeline, its crude oil pipeline from Iraq to the port of Sidon in Lebanon, passing through Syria, and is the longest crude oil transport pipeline in the Middle East. The pipeline's main function is to shorten the distance for transporting Persian Gulf crude oil to Europe and the Americas.

"During the Second Arab-Israeli War, Egypt scuttled ships to block waterways, blocking oil supplies and disrupting the transport of two-thirds of the oil needed by Europe. Syria destroyed the oil pipelines of the Iraqi Oil Company that passed through Syria. Saudi Arabia imposed an oil embargo on Britain and France, and Kuwait's oil supply system was also disrupted. Western Europe experienced a 70% shortage of oil supplies, and an oil crisis broke out in Europe."

The slideshow showed the damage to oil pipelines during the war, and Dornier's brow furrowed as he looked at the photos.

As the president of a French oil company, he was no stranger to all of this.

"After the war, the oil pipeline was rebuilt, and for the next two decades, more than 2000 million tons of oil were transported through this pipeline to various parts of Europe. However, the Lebanese civil war that broke out three years ago and the destruction caused by the war have made it possible for the pipeline to supply crude oil to refineries in Lebanon, Syria and Jordan only intermittently. Even so, its normal operation has been severely affected."

Dornier said as his subordinate finished speaking.

“We are all very clear that the oil pipeline will be restarted after peace is restored in Lebanon, which is a good thing for us.”

This is certainly a good thing for French oil companies, after all, that pipeline is their pipeline.

Who wouldn't like it when others are fighting a war and they benefit from it?

"President, although it may seem that way, we all know very well that there is no such thing as getting something for nothing in this world."

Once they control Lebanon, how can they possibly consider our interests?

This is precisely the dilemma facing French oil companies now – if they do nothing, this pipeline, which is extremely important to Europe, will fall into the control of other countries.

This is also the dilemma faced by France.

"So what do we need to do now? We all know very well that the Élysée Palace is not willing to participate in this military operation."

Dornier said this while complaining about the shortsightedness of the Élysée Palace.

"Even though Lebanon is within our sphere of influence, what did Paris do? Nothing. They just watched helplessly as they descended into war and as oil pipelines were destroyed."

Listening to the president's complaints, Lusanke said.

"Therefore, we must contact them immediately. We need to secure our interests by releasing some benefits."

This is essentially cutting off a portion of your own flesh.

But Dornier said with a furrowed brow.

"The problem is, this oil pipeline is so important, why would they possibly share it with us?"

In response to the president's concerns, Lusanke said...

“President, I believe that what they need is not just our pipelines, but Lebanon.”

If Li Yi'an heard these words, he would definitely give Lusangke a thumbs up.

Even though the other party only saw part of it, he at least said something.

This war on terror—it's all about oil.

What counter-terrorism? What regional security? What world peace?

However, it was all just a smokescreen.

“Oil…” Li Yi’an said, drawing a line on the map with a pencil.

That line stretched from Hassa all the way to Lebanon.

"After the war in Lebanon ends, we will build an oil pipeline here. Through Jordan, Syria will eventually reach the port of Saada in Lebanon!"

Looking at the line his father had drawn on the map, Li Yixuan almost immediately connected it to the current situation in Iran, and asked:
"Father, is the construction of this oil pipeline related to the current situation in Iran?"

"Oil pipelines are the cheapest of all means of transporting oil. Of course, they are also directly related to Iran."

Nodding, Li Yi'an explained:
"With this pipeline, we can avoid the risks of the Strait of Hormuz: this is the most direct and primary reason."

The Persian Gulf is a semi-enclosed sea area, and all oil tankers departing from countries such as Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Iraq, and Iran must pass through the narrow Strait of Hormuz.

Li Yi'an pointed to the location of the strait on the map, and the Iran-Iraq War came to mind.

During the Iran-Iraq War, it became a major battleground for "ship attacks," and the safety of oil tankers was severely threatened. One supertanker after another was sunk.

"The situation in Iran is very uncertain. The Shah's rule could be overthrown at any time, and we don't know what direction Iran will take in the future. However, we must take into account the hundreds of millions of tons of oil produced every year. This oil is not only what we need, but also a lubricant for the world economy. If the oil supply is affected, the world economy will suffer a severe blow."

What will happen in the future?
Li Yi'an was very clear that Khomeini would take control of Iran next year. At that time, the SEA would inevitably become his adversary.

There's nothing that can be done about it. That guy will export his influence to Iraq—and Shiites are the majority of Iraq's population, making them highly susceptible to Iranian influence.

This will inevitably affect the rule of the Kingdom of Iraq, which is itself the SEA's most important ally in the Middle East.

Therefore, there is no room for error. Add to that personal reasons, and intervention in Iran will no longer be a choice, but an inevitability.

"...Under these circumstances, would Iran use mines or anti-ship missiles to blockade the strait?"

The answer is self-evident. Therefore, we must prepare in advance.

This pipeline allows Sakha to export crude oil directly through the Mediterranean Sea without passing through the Strait of Hormuz, greatly improving the security and reliability of Gulf oil exports.

After listening to his father's explanation, Li Yixuan considered the matter carefully and then said:

"If we go through Israel, wouldn't that reduce a lot of trouble? Why does it have to be Lebanon?"

"Any country is acceptable, except Israel."

Li Yi'an stated directly:

"This is not just because of their historical conflicts with Middle Eastern countries. More importantly, if we choose to export oil through Israel, the pipeline will be controlled by Israel and the United States. And what does that mean?"

His father's visit made Li Yixuan think for a moment before he answered:
"This means that the oil pipelines in Europe are now controlled by the United States. We've essentially done all the work for them."

"Yes, that's the core issue. We need to not only control the oil fields, but also the export of oil pipelines. Only in this way can we have a voice in the era of petrodollars."

Li Yi'an raised his voice slightly when mentioning the petrodollar. He has been planning for 20 years to dismantle the petrodollar system.

From seizing oil fields in the Gulf to lithium batteries and electric vehicles, every step has been targeted and aimed at completely destroying the dollar-oil system.

“Father, why can’t the export route be to Hejaz on the Red Sea? Hejaz would definitely welcome us building an oil pipeline there.”

"They would welcome it, but—what about Egypt? In the end, even if the oil is loaded in the Red Sea, it still has to go through the Suez Canal to reach the rest of the world, and Egypt... has now completely sided with the United States."

It's not just a complete shift towards the United States; in the future Middle East, the US's allies in the region will be, first, Israel, and second, Egypt.

In fact, initially, Li Yi'an also considered an oil pipeline located on the Red Sea coast, in another world, the route of the transcontinental oil pipeline across Arabia.

However, the terrorist attacks in London showed him a new opportunity.

Instead of locating the oil pipeline's exit point in the Red Sea, potentially giving Egypt a stranglehold, it would be better to build the pipeline directly in Lebanon, allowing oil to be loaded onto ships and transported to Europe and the United States directly from Lebanon.

"Although the initial purpose of this oil pipeline was to avoid potential transportation risks at the entrance to the Persian Gulf, its real aim is to control the world's oil valve. As long as this oil valve is in our hands, the petrodollar will be like a rootless duckweed."

Listening to his father's analysis, Li Yixuan felt a cold sweat break out on his back, because he realized that his father's plan was not just to tighten the shackles of the dollar alone.

It is the trump card to completely destroy the foundation of the petrodollar!

Once this happens, the so-called petrodollar will collapse instantly.

What surprised him even more was that his father hadn't just started planning all of this. He might have begun planning for today's events 20 years ago.

Just as he was wondering how to describe his feelings, he heard his father say...

"This oil pipeline will shorten the voyage to Europe: for tankers bound for Europe and North America, departing from the port of Lebanon will bypass the entire Arabian Peninsula and the Suez Canal compared to departing from the Persian Gulf, which will not only shorten the voyage by more than 5000 kilometers, but also save a lot of time and transportation costs."

Middle Eastern oil and natural gas will be continuously shipped to Europe, which will inevitably make Europe more dependent on Middle Eastern energy.

Li Yi'an lit a cigar with a smug look on his face, but no one knew what his real purpose was.

The goal is to make Europe more dependent on Middle Eastern oil and to control European oil pipelines. Only in this way will Europe be willing to join in and actively contribute to the destruction of the dollar-oil system when relations with the United States break down in the future.

If Europe abandons the dollar-oil system, will the dollar-oil system still exist?

If it weren't for this terrorist attack, and if it weren't for the comprehensive contraction of the United States in this era, how would I have had the opportunity to intervene in Lebanon?

If God sends us an opportunity, how can we not seize it?
Looking at his father, Li Yixuan thought for a moment, then said:

"If this news gets out, it will definitely make up for the losses caused by the market volatility in the past few days, after all, it is a major positive for the market."

"Wait a minute."

Li Yi'an waved his hand and said.

"We cannot let the world know our true purpose yet. Lebanon... and southern Syria, we must take them all this time. Only in this way can we achieve our plan, so we must avoid interference from other countries as much as possible."

As for the market, fluctuations are inevitable. As for stock market losses... as long as they don't sell, they definitely won't lose money.

Although this statement is a bit far-fetched, sometimes we can only make ordinary people suffer.

(End of this chapter)