Some related comments from one of my favorite unconventional but very accurate analysts, Jim Willie (aka the Golden Jackass):
Russia jumped off the Petro-Dollar recycle wagon. Their entire oil trade will not be kept in USDollars. Instead, it will be exchanged immediately into Rubles. Expect some to be converted into RMB for their bilateral trade with China. The Russian action is an integral part of the demise of the Petro-Dollar. They react to US-led boycott.
The details for Gazprom pipeline extension through Turkey have been revealed, by way of the Black Sea, with volume stated in the plans. In a brilliant stroke, Gazprom decided abruptly to cut off Ukraine on the pipeline construction. It will not pass through Eastern Europe, where USGovt bribery, threats, and corrupt business plans were taking place to block plans. Instead, the pipeline will pass through Turkey, with announced hub on the Greek border. It is being dubbed Turk Stream. The construction will take at least 18 months. In the meantime, the European nations will have to struggle to find a way to connect to its gas lines, and to avoid wreckage from their errant destructive US alliance.
In addition to the above events, the US & Canadian shale oil & gas sector is shutting down, without a single event to point to. The shale subprime debt implosion is imminent, already have triggered. The damage will be progressively worse over time. The 2015 year is off with a very unstable bang, exactly as expected. Notice that none of the above events pertain to the BRICS Alliance. Their movement will enforce the Global Paradigm Shift to bring about a return of the Gold Standard. Since the US-UK bankers control the financial sector in FOREX currencies and sovereign bonds and banking systems, the East will make steadfast progress in bring back the Gold Standard from the trade ramps.
The four legs of the Petro-Dollar might be described as being the banking system, the FOREX currencies, the sovereign bonds, and crude oil. The connection between the USDollar and Crude Oil price has been broken, in ways not described or reported in the press. A vast system of FOREX derivatives are being dissolved that connect to the Crude Oil price, resulting on lost control. The rising USD and falling oil price is evidence of the breakdown. The relationship between the USGovt and the Saudis has deteriorated to alarming levels, despite the photo ops on display to deceive. The Saudis have been working on monthly conferences with the Beijing leaders, in what could be called a lovefest for economic cooperation and financial joining at the oil hip. The Saudis and other Gulf Emirate nations will be working to convert their combined $2.2 trillion in sovereign wealth funds into diversified assets, led by Gold. These Arabs will work to replace their Gold bullion stolen in Swiss banks.
USDOLLAR DEATH FORETOLD The USDollar is dying like a rocket, shooting upward. Methinks the Petro-Dollar linkages are all broken. As a result, the USD rises, and correspondingly oil falls. Most people attach motive to the price movement. Doing so is erroneously. Instead, the price mechanisms are broken, predominantly a structural effect across most financial markets in an alarming development. The lost control is being manifested in a higher USDX index. It is paradoxically evidence of a dying King Dollar and a failure of its court.