How a Calamity Necromancer Retires - How a Calamity Necromancer Retires chapter 114

“Put the decision on hold.”

When Venezuela, which was forced to impose a quota system, made an ambiguous decision to withhold, neither accept nor reject, the Saudi oil minister said with a firm expression.

“Are you trying to pass the time?”

There are many oil-producing countries in the world.

The US alone produces more oil than Saudi Arabia.

However, among those oil-producing countries, Saudi Arabia was by far the best when it comes to exports.

It is not worth discussing that the United States is an importing country because its own production is not enough, and the combined exports of Russia and Iraq, which rank second, are less than Saudi Arabia.

In addition, considering the production cost and quality, Saudi Arabia was the overwhelming No. 1.

Naturally, Saudi Arabia has enjoyed many benefits from this dominant position.

Beyond simply earning a lot of money, even the United States, which claims to be the protector of democracy despite being an absolute monarchy and dictatorship, is trying to maintain a close relationship with Saudi Arabia because of oil, and has been able to position itself as a leader to many countries that want oil.

However, such an absolute position was being threatened by Venezuela, which had been seen far below.

“Converting that trash super-heavy oil to light oil?”

Venezuela, which had the world’s largest reserves but was treated as the lowest among OPEC member countries due to its extremely poor quality, started pouring out high-quality light oil due to Seron refinery.

Of course, since Venezuela is also a member of OPEC, it would be a way to carry it as a partner, but Saudi Arabia had no intention of sharing this oil hegemony it currently has.

Even though it is a pro-US country, Saudi Arabia, which caused oil prices to crash and bankrupt American sales companies when the sale oil fields were activated, did not want to leave the far more easy-going Seron and Venezuela alone.

The oil minister looked at the papers and said.

“The estimated production unit cost is between 30 and 35 dollars?”

Adding production and transportation costs, it does not reach Saudi Arabia, which is around 25 dollars, but it is much cheaper than other oil-producing countries.

However, as Venezuela has the world’s largest reserves and has nothing to do with its economic base, most of its production will be released to the export market, so it was clear that Saudi Arabia would become a new competitor that would shake international oil prices.

So, Saudi Arabia enforced the quota system with the intention of catching it in the first place.

Except for the Seron refinery, Venezuela’s extra-heavy oil is still only a low-grade crude oil.

However, Venezuela escapes with the ambiguous word of reservation.

After thinking for a while, the oil minister said to his subordinate.

“Are you ready for drilling?”

“yes. If you give an order, you can increase production right away.”

“good. If you try to press a little more and still don’t listen, the production will increase immediately.”

Of course, if oil prices plummeted due to increased production, Saudi Arabia, which relies on oil for its economy, would inevitably suffer a major blow.

But the Saudis had to do it anyway.

So that we can maintain our current position.

“As an oil hegemon, one of us is enough. I can’t just concede to something like Venezuela.”

The oil minister said with a cold expression.

“We will show you why Saudi Arabia is an oil empire.”

*

What we need most right now is time.

That’s why I and the Venezuelan Union, who took time, secured funds, and prepared for war, did not refuse, but withheld.

“How much money have you secured?”

“We have secured 15 trillion won in cash equivalents.”

15 trillion won in real ammunition owned by the Seron Group, which has grown endlessly and has grown into a mammoth company with annual sales well over 100 trillion.

But it’s not enough.

Because the opponent is OPEC.

“Stop all new investment except for the Seron refinery and keep raising.”

At my words, Deokbae Kim nodded and said,

“All right.”

“In case of emergency, you may need to take out a loan, so contact the bank in advance.”

Since it is the Seron Group, which has had almost no debt through debt-free management using its high profitability, it will be able to raise tens of trillions of won if it uses its accumulated assets to make a mortgage loan.

Or you can issue bonds.

“I’ll make an appointment right away.”

“If we persevere, we will win.”

Just as he was preparing for the decisive battle, he received a phone call from the secretary’s office.

“yes.”

-Chairman, Saudi Arabia has announced plans to increase production on a large scale.

Something has come.

“How much is the increase?”

– It is said that production will be increased by 1.5 million barrels to resolve high oil prices.

In the first place, since OPEC has been operating in a way that somehow maintains high oil prices and increases imports unless there is something special, of course, that was an ultimatum to Venezuela.

“great. Let’s do it.”

I said with a grin.

“Are they dying or are we dying?”

*

When Venezuela and I did not respond to the ultimatum, Saudi Arabia began to increase production as if it had prepared in advance.

Other member countries also joined in, and world oil production began to skyrocket in an instant.

Of course, as oil production increased, oil prices began to fall steeply.

The price of oil, which was over $100, fell below $70 in an instant.

And this $70 is the bottom line amount of extra-heavy oil.

When oil prices fell to this point, oil refiners stopped buying extra-heavy crude oil from Venezuela all at once, as they felt they would lose money by buying and refining anyway.

And Seron Refinery, which bought all of the super-heavy oil from Venezuela that was left behind.

I borrowed the Korean government’s crude oil stockpiling facilities and began to stock up on the extra-heavy oil I purchased.

but.

“It’s already full.”

The maximum capacity of the stockpiling facility owned by the Korean government is 140 million barrels.

Venezuela’s daily production has increased to 1.3 million barrels due to increased production, and 300,000 of them are digested by Seron Oil, so arithmetically, it should last 140 days, but why would a stockpile facility be a stockpile facility?

It is to be stored in case of emergency, but of course, the amount already filled was not small.

As a result, the free space was only 30 million barrels at most, and it reached the verge of saturation within a month after starting to build.

I looked at Kim Young-tae and said.

“Can’t use the US stockpile?”

The United States is a country that can stockpile more than 700 million barrels of crude oil.

It was clear that it could last longer if the United States lent its stockpiling facilities.

However, Kim Young-tae shook his head and said.

“The official position of the United States is neutral. Moreover, the stockpiling facility is a key strategic asset, so lending it out is a bit…”

Tsk.

Would you like to see it in the middle?

what.

understanding goes.

Saudi Arabia is one of the few pro-US countries in the Middle East and a partner with an important resource called oil.

That’s why I was quietly silent during the bankruptcy of shale companies, but now I can’t openly take my side.

“Then, the stockpiling ends here.”

Even though there is a sub-space, the reason for using the stockpile facility is because there are limitations in the sub-space.

Obviously, the subspace boasted a size large enough to accommodate hundreds of thousands of undead, but it was not large enough to accommodate all the pouring oil.

One large drum is equal to 1 barrel, and if it were a million barrels per day, it would have to put the equivalent of one undead army into the sub-space every day.

Anyway, the most certain thing is how to use up this super-heavy oil somehow.

I said to Deokbae Kim, who was next to me.

“Contact the oil refiners and hand over the extra heavy oil revenue.”

“yes? I don’t think refiners would want to buy extra-heavy crude.”

“They just give it away for free. Then it won’t be profitable. You can’t throw it on land or in the sea, can you?”

Deokbae Kim, who was silent for a moment, spoke.

“What if oil prices fall further?”

“More fall?”

“yes. Even if you give it away for free, you can’t even get the refinery fee.”

“Then they say they’ll give you money. I will somehow match the profitability, so I will make them use extra-heavy oil.”

It’s not enough to give it away for free, it’s crazy to put money on it to preserve profitability.

It was a method that only Seron Group could do.

“How long has the refinery process gone?”

“Sooner or later, one factory in Korea and one in Venezuela will be completed.”

Refining factories that are making people and money as well as skeletons are pouring in quickly.

“Then 100,000 barrels more will be refined. great. Let’s keep going.”

*

The oil price literally crashes without knowing the end.

Saudi Arabia, which had been taking a breather after making $70, the Maginot line of ultra-heavy crude oil, was shocked when the Seron Group stepped up to support the whole of Venezuela, and then started to increase production again on a large scale, saying, “Let’s try something.”

Oil prices, which had stopped at $70, broke through $60 and now reached $50, on the verge of collapse.

When that happened, the international price of extra-heavy crude fell from $15 to $8.

At first glance, you might think that it is good because the amount that the Seron Group has to afford has been reduced, but it was not at all.

“Please lend me 30 million dollars.”

The amount you can afford is lower, but that causes problems with Venezuela’s finances.

And since I have promised to provide financial support for Venezuela to survive, in fact, the money going in is the same regardless of whether or not the price of extra-heavy crude oil rises.

In addition, the extra-heavy oil is handed over to oil refiners for free, even maintaining profitability. As oil prices fall, the loss of the Seron Group increases exponentially.

I shook my head and said.

“I was prepared, but it’s no joke.”

The war with OPEC, which is virtually alone in handling Venezuela, which has only ultra-heavy oil, exhausted its ammunition at a tremendous speed.

When the money loaned to Venezuela, the purchase of ultra-heavy oil, and the maintenance of profitability of oil refineries due to falling oil prices were added, a whopping 2 trillion won evaporated in one month.

Of course, there is money earned by other subsidiaries of the Seron Group, so it is still bearable, but if oil prices fall further here, losses will snowball.

“Chairman, why don’t we close the drilling rig in Venezuela? If you do that, you don’t have to compensate the oil companies for damages, so the losses will be much smaller.”

At Deokbae Kim’s words, I said with a determined expression.

“That doesn’t work. It’s a war. And the most important thing in war is momentum. And even if they do, will Saudi Arabia give up? They’re thugs who threaten the same member country? And above all, if you shut down a drilling rig, it will take longer to fully establish itself as production will not be able to keep up with later refining capacity.”

Then, Deokbae Kim, who was silent, spoke.

“···Now it is becoming a hot topic even in general news, making the chicken competition between us and OPEC a major topic. Of course, the general staff also found out. So far, our group’s financial structure is so solid that we haven’t made it a big issue, but if the scale of losses increases here, employees may become anxious.”

Employees are anxious

that could be

But it doesn’t matter.

The Seron Group is 100% my company.

If I really wanted to make money in the first place, I would have gone public and become rich in stocks.

You probably don’t know, but the moment the Seron Group goes public, the market capitalization of hundreds of trillions will be ridiculous.

But even so, isn’t the reason why I don’t go public is to spend the company’s money as I want?

“Please comfort me, there is no problem with the Seron group.”

“···All right.”

Kim Deok-bae bowed and said goodbye and left the chairman’s room.

“Obviously OPEC counts.”

Deokbae Kim’s claim that employees may be anxious.

That’s good enough.

Because OPEC was an inviolable territory with oil as a weapon.

Still don’t back down

If you win this one time, you sit on a cushion of money, how can you just get past this?

On top of that, losing to oil dealers in the Middle East hurts my pride.

“Let’s hold on. Are you still holding out… huh?”

wait for a sec.

Is it just enough to defend against Saudi Arabia’s attack like this?

“This is effectively a fight between myself and the whole of OPEC.”

While I am the only one who can wield the ruling power in the Seron group, OPEC is an alliance of many member countries, and even within those members, many people live with their own opinions.

I don’t know, but there must be people among them who don’t like the current low oil price.

I am concerned that there may be dissatisfaction even in the 100% owned Saeron group, let alone such an association.

“Besides, there will be no difference in production cost among OPEC member countries.”

It is said that Saudi Arabia is able to endure because the unit cost of production is cheap, but aren’t all other member countries like that?

“If the price drops further here, it will be difficult for me too, but a crack may occur within the coalition.”

OPEC is clearly an overwhelming international organization.

But in other words, the damage suffered in this war is also overwhelming.

I only have to bear the surplus of 900,000 barrels out of 1.3 million barrels, including increased production, but OPEC produces 27 million barrels for 12 million barrels in Saudi Arabia alone, and arithmetically, it is 30 times more damaged than me. count.

Even most of those countries are in a position to make a living with oil, so if imports decrease, the national finances will inevitably be hit.

I searched for the total GDP of OPEC countries on my phone and put them all together.

“Excluding Venezuela, the combined annual GDP is 2,000 trillion in Korean money. Although it is nearly 20 times higher than the sales of the Seron Group in one year, the damage is received 30 times instead, isn’t it?”

So, assuming the same HP, it means that the other side takes 1.5 times more damage.

I said with a grin.

“You mean I’ll win if we go to the finish line?”

Even as these guys are an alliance, they won’t be able to hold out until then and will eventually be divided, right?

I am more confident now.

Who can last longer in this war.

Then the position I need to take here is not defense, but offense.

Wouldn’t it be less damaging to die in a short period of time without having to drag on for a long time?

I immediately called Kim Young-tae.

-Yes, Chairman.

“I called to apologize in advance.”

-···yes?

“Because oil prices are going to plummet even more than now. They told us to prepare for the losses to American oil companies.”

-What do you mean suddenly?

“I’ve been thinking about it. OPEC These guys are oil one tools, right? On the other hand, I have many other businesses. In addition, the production itself is overwhelming, so the damage will be much greater for them.”

OPEC is obviously huge.

But that’s why there are so many corners to hit.

When the amount of damage is calculated as the amount of damage and GDP and sales are calculated as physical strength, this fight is unconditionally my victory.

-That’s right, but…

“So, we are going to increase production by building more drilling facilities in Venezuela.”

It shows people that the game of chicken has become more intense, fueling the fall in oil prices even more.

-Are you serious about building more drilling facilities in a country where even closing them would not be enough?

“yes.”

I said with a grin.

“Because I really intend to go to the finish line. Fasten your seat belt, I’ll show you where the floor is.”