The Americanization of Shell Oil -- Testing the waters -- Betting on technology -- The trials and triumphs of exploration -- The end of business as usual -- The offshore imperative -- Deepwater treasures in a new era of oil

As China is dependent on oil and gas imports to maintain its high growth rates, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) and Central Asia have become increasingly important for the country's economic development. In May 2014, China and Russia signed a new gas deal, for example, and in recent...