This page has been archived and commenting is disabled.

"Anti-Petrodollar" CEO Of French Energy Giant Total Dies In Freak Plane Crash In Moscow

Tyler Durden's picture




 

Three months ago, the CEO of Total, Christophe de Margerie, dared utter the phrase heard around the petrodollar world, "There is no reason to pay for oil in dollars,"  as we noted here. Today, RT reports the dreadful news that he was killed in a business jet crash at Vnukovo Airport in Moscow after the aircraft hit a snow-plough on take-off. The airport issued a statement confirming "a criminal investigation has been opened into the violation of safety regulations," adding that along with 3 crewmembers on the plane, the snow-plough driver was also killed.

 

De Margerie, 63, joined Total in 1974 after graduating from the École Supérieure de Commerce in Paris. He served in several positions in the Finance Department and Exploration & Production division. In 1995, he became President of Total Middle East before joining the Total's Executive Committee as the President of the Exploration & Production division in May 1999. In May 2006, he was appointed a member of the Board of Directors. He was appointed Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Total on May 21, 2010.

*  *  *

As RT reports,

According to preliminary data, the light aircraft collided with a snow-cleaning machine on takeoff, a source at the capital’s airport told RIA.

 

The aircraft was sending distress signals while still in the air and reporting an engine fire and fuselage damage, LifeNews reports. Upon crashing on the runway, the aircraft was engulfed in flames, reportedly killing everyone on board.

 

While initials reports suggested four people died in the tragedy, officials report that five bodies were found at the crash site, one allegedly being the driver of the snow-cleaning vehicle.

 

Vnukovo Airport has temporarily suspended all flights following the incident.

 

“A criminal investigation has been opened into the violation of safety regulations after a light aircraft crash in the capital's Vnukovo airport,” transport official Tatyana Morozova told RIA.

 

An investigative group is working at the crash site, Morozova added. In addition to people who were on board the plane, she said, the driver snowplow was killed.

 

Debris from the aircraft was scattered up to 200 meters from the crash site, according to the rescue services. The engine was found some 50 meters from the crash site, while one of the landing gears was ripped off and discovered nearly 200 meters from the main mass of debris.

*  *  *

The plane he was aboard...

*  *  *

Of course this could merely be a desparately sad accident... aside from the coincidence of this so recently...

Christophe de Margerie, the CEO of Total (the world's 13th biggest oil producer and Europe's 2nd largest), believes "There is no reason to pay for oil in dollars." Clearly, based onhis comments, that we have passed peak Petrodollar.

As Reuters reports,

Oil major Total's chief executive said on Saturday the euro should have a bigger role in international trade although it was not possible to do without the U.S. dollar.

 

Christophe de Margerie was responding to questions about calls by French policymakers to find ways at EU level to bolster the use of the euro in international business following a record U.S. fine for BNP.

 

...

 

"There is no reason to pay for oil in dollars," he said. He said the fact that oil prices are quoted in dollars per barrel did not mean that payments actually had to be made in that currency.

So even a major beneficiary of the status quo appears to see the end in sight for the Petrodollar.

*  *  *

Furthermore, despite Western-imposed sanctions on Russia that prohibit western financing and technology transfer to some Russian energy projects, Total is continuing to pursue a natural gas project in Yamal, a joint venture with Russia's Novatek and China's CNPC.

“Can we live without Russian gas in Europe? The answer is no. Are there any reasons to live without it? I think – and I'm not defending the interests of Total in Russia – it is a no,” the Total boss told Reuters back in summer.

*  *  *

And of course, it had to happen in Russia!

 

- advertisements -

Comment viewing options

Select your preferred way to display the comments and click "Save settings" to activate your changes.
Tue, 10/21/2014 - 01:50 | 5358258 trader1
trader1's picture

is 350m visibility within national and/or international regulations to clear the plane for a safe take-off?

how big does a snow plough need to be and/or at what speed does the jet have to be going in order for 5 people to die in a collision?

were the killed passengers wearing seatbelts?

was the snow plough stationary or moving?

what was the BAC for the pilot?

 

Tue, 10/21/2014 - 04:11 | 5358367 css1971
css1971's picture

As a motorcyclist I checked up on the effects of velocity on survival rates. Very very important to reduce your speed before you impact.

 

You hit something at 30mph you have a 80+% chance of survival. Typically some internal injuries, broken bones but probably you'll live unless your head bounces off something solid.

40mph you have about a 50:50 chance.

50mph you'll probably die, about 80%. Good chance of being a vegetable even if you live.

60+mph and your chances of survival are pretty minimal.

 

Tue, 10/21/2014 - 02:09 | 5358269 CHX
CHX's picture

Conveniently ploughed under ?

Tue, 10/21/2014 - 02:10 | 5358271 SMC
SMC's picture

Considering that a state department nitwit said “Fk the EU” in the clear, apparently that applies to EU oligarchs as well. Global tensions are at the point where it may not matter if it was an accident or an assassination, either could be spun into igniting World War III.

When considered in context the blowback from this will drive France and the EU closer to the East.

FYI allegedly “The airport vehicle driver sustained no injury.”

From: http://corp.vnukovo.ru/press/news/ob-aviatsionnom-proisshestvii-proizosh...

Concerning the Runway Incursion Accident of October 20, 2014

October 21, 2014

On the night of October 20 to 21, 2014 a Dassault Falcon corporate jet was carrying out a flight out of Vnukovo International en route to Paris, France, with one passenger and three crew on board.

The operating conditions at the time of take off were: meteorological visibility: 350 meters, runway surface friction coefficient: 0,5. Runway in use at the time of takeoff: RWY1, magnetic heading 06.

During the takeoff run the aircraft collided with an airport snow removal vehicle at 23.57 local time in Moscow. The incursion resulted in the death of all those on board. The airport vehicle driver sustained no injury.

As per the Vnukovo Airport Emergency Response Plan, the airport fire and rescue brigades were dispatched to the scene of the accident forthwith and proceeded to extinguish the fire immediately upon reaching the site.

The Airport was temporarily closed to all traffic, reopening at 01.34 LCT after the VKO Fire&Rescue and the Airfield Maintenance had ascertained it was safe to do so and the Airport was traffic-ready.

An investigation into the causes of the accident was initiated by a board of inquiry of the Interstate Aviation Committee with the experts of the Federal Air Transport Agency taking part also.

Vnukovo Airport extends its sincere condolences to the relatives and loved ones of the victims.

Vnukovo airport press-service

Tue, 10/21/2014 - 02:25 | 5358281 Joe A
Joe A's picture

Let me guess, his successor will be in favor of paying in Dollars?

Tue, 10/21/2014 - 02:40 | 5358302 Debugas
Debugas's picture

snow-plough driver is alive

investigation commity declared that at the moment of the incident the driver was drunk

in russian

http://www.gazeta.ru/social/2014/10/21/6269085.shtml

Tue, 10/21/2014 - 02:40 | 5358304 juujuuuujj
juujuuuujj's picture

If your bet is that "dirty tricks like this don't happen", you'd probably lose.

Dirty political sabotage happens all the time, especially when wealth and power is at stake. Whether this is the case or not, I don't know. But the "who benefits" question should always be asked.

Tue, 10/21/2014 - 02:44 | 5358313 Harrison
Harrison's picture

Just like when Putin assassinated nearly the entire Polish government in a plane crash back in 2010.

Tue, 10/21/2014 - 03:02 | 5358328 Debugas
Debugas's picture

back then due to bad weather the dispatcher told the polish plane to turn around and safely land in Minsk

Tue, 10/21/2014 - 03:14 | 5358334 MOB666
MOB666's picture

Mistral boats for total ceo?

Tue, 10/21/2014 - 03:54 | 5358348 Izznogood
Izznogood's picture

Yummy! A delicious feast in the Conspiracy Club

Tue, 10/21/2014 - 03:56 | 5358351 q99x2
q99x2's picture

Oops there goes another water bug.

Too bad we don't here of more bankers jumping.

Tue, 10/21/2014 - 04:04 | 5358359 css1971
css1971's picture

Nothing to see here. Random chance. Freak accident. Move along, on pain of death move along.

Tue, 10/21/2014 - 04:39 | 5358362 free_lunch
free_lunch's picture

I've been thinking about canceling my ZH account for a while now, i think today is the day. I joined because I wanted to make some sence out of the financial crisis and try to keep me and my loved ones from becoming 'Greeks' in this slowmotion trainwreck economy. But so far I've not made a penny, only lost money on some minerstocks.. Not blaming anyone accept myself..

The comment section is turning scarier by the day, i'm gonna hop off here.

Everybody take care, peace to mankind.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dX25PDBb708

Tue, 10/21/2014 - 05:36 | 5358409 MickV
MickV's picture

Don't let the door hit ya!

Tue, 10/21/2014 - 05:36 | 5358410 FredFlintstone
FredFlintstone's picture

Good luck to you bro.

Tue, 10/21/2014 - 05:46 | 5358413 Twodogs
Twodogs's picture

This site has been overrun with conspiract theorists.  It doesn't help when they get ammunition like this, though!

Tue, 10/21/2014 - 08:19 | 5358615 napper
napper's picture

Au contraire. The site is getting more and more idiots like you who view the world like a naive 9 year old kid.

 

Human history has been a chronicle of conspiracies and their consequences.

 

Get some real education first before commenting further.

 

 

Tue, 10/21/2014 - 14:35 | 5360216 Monty Burns
Monty Burns's picture

A conspiracy theorist is one who doesn't accept the official version of an event. Simple, isn't it?

Tue, 10/21/2014 - 06:58 | 5358461 kurzdump
kurzdump's picture

Why engage in mud slinging, just roll over and leave like a man.

Tue, 10/21/2014 - 07:39 | 5358520 ricky663
ricky663's picture

Not sure I understand why you would trade based on (fundamentals) info written about on this site. Learn about technicals and how to read a chart for better results (IMHO), as fundamentals don't reflect what the "big boys" trade or how they trade.
Good luck to you and all...

Tue, 10/21/2014 - 09:20 | 5358363 smacker
smacker's picture

Even though this disaster has all the ingredients of a juicy conspiracy, if one examines closely the actions that would have to have been taken to bring it about, it looks very unlikely.

Since the snowplow driver was always going to end up dead, absent him having a death wish, he would not have been involved. That focuses attention on the person responsible for giving orders to him. That person is easily identifiable and will be held accountable, so he was unlikely to have been involved in a conspiracy unless he already has a cast-iron excuse for not ordering the snowplow off the runaway as the plane taxied for take-off. We're then into other possibles of 'someone' tampering with comms equipment so an order to the plow driver to get off the runway was never received by him. It starts to get far fetched.

It looks seriously like a human communication failure - aka "cock-up" - between those involved. One that just happens to suit the USG.

ADD: it is now being reported that the snowplow driver was drunk at the time. Duh(!)

Tue, 10/21/2014 - 05:02 | 5358394 LULZBank
LULZBank's picture

Putin let this happen in his frontyard?

Will he atleasy get this investigated by the known super intelligent Russians and publish the findings or just take another one on the chin?

Tue, 10/21/2014 - 07:53 | 5358554 Bad Santa
Bad Santa's picture

By 'investigate and publish the findings', you mean as in 'investigated and publish the findings' of Tu-154 'accident' involving Polish President's and whole Polish government staff a couple of years ago? Sure they will publish the 'findings', but the truth will be always known only to a handful of people and never to the broad public.

Tue, 10/21/2014 - 05:24 | 5358403 barre-de-rire
barre-de-rire's picture

in war time here i see MUCH ppl not even worth the bullet they deserve.

 

 

Tue, 10/21/2014 - 05:43 | 5358411 Twodogs
Twodogs's picture

That moustache is assassination-worthy, surely.

Tue, 10/21/2014 - 05:46 | 5358414 Twodogs
Twodogs's picture

One day it will occur to filthy rich people to have their planes checked before take-off.  Nah, that would exclude them from the conspiracies.

Tue, 10/21/2014 - 08:07 | 5358587 napper
napper's picture

excellent associated piece of information. good job

Tue, 10/21/2014 - 07:13 | 5358486 observer007
observer007's picture

Total CEO plane crash suspect caught on camera Courtesy: Lifenews

latest videos:

http://tersee.com/#!q=Margerie&t=video

Tue, 10/21/2014 - 07:41 | 5358523 Freewheelin Franklin
Freewheelin Franklin's picture

Death by Zamboni?

 

Almost as good as 'Death by Teacup'

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qtT9BU64z28

Tue, 10/21/2014 - 07:44 | 5358528 Bad Santa
Bad Santa's picture

Obviously someone felt pretty insulted to have snow plow on a day without snow parked on the runway. Typical gangster style execution sponsored by CIA, Mossad, BND and MI5.

http://www.wunderground.com/global/stations/27612.html

Tue, 10/21/2014 - 08:34 | 5358661 esum
esum's picture

loud messge to oil companies 

Tue, 10/21/2014 - 08:49 | 5358702 Lostinfortwalton
Lostinfortwalton's picture

The article isn't clear. Sounds like the plane clipped the snowplow just as it rotated from the runway and was trying to come back and land and crashed on the runway, or at least the airport property. If is crashed straight ahead after clipping the snowplow. I don't think the pilot would have had time to report damage and an engine fire before impact.

Tue, 10/21/2014 - 09:02 | 5358745 piratepiet
piratepiet's picture

It sickens me how too many people here gleefully connect this accident to his petrodollar stance.  If you believe that to be true, condemn it.   

Tue, 10/21/2014 - 09:04 | 5358748 lakecity55
lakecity55's picture

"Med, this is a different war from the Great Patriotic War."
"Yes, Vlad."
"A certain type of 'banker' is now our enemy."
"You wish an asymmetrical response?"
"Yes."
*click*

Tue, 10/21/2014 - 11:00 | 5359258 RiverDrifter
RiverDrifter's picture

Maria Bartiromo on Fox Business News stated this morning that the plane was shot down - despite "original reports" of it hitting a snow plow.  She said "shot down" twice actually.  One of her talking head guests took the 'shot down' news in stride by making some comment on how the plane hitting a snow plow "seemed really odd".  

 

Stay tuned.....

Do NOT follow this link or you will be banned from the site!