91.   The oil giant said the hostage-takers were demanding jobs.

92.   The planned creation of a Russian national oil company through a merger of three oil giants will cause more harm than good, a top government minister said Sunday.

93.   The troubled country is not an oil giant like Mexico or neighboring Venezuela.

94.   The tangled scandal surrounding the former state oil giant has entrapped senior French business executives and politicians.

95.   They rioters say that they have nothing against Shell, but target the Anglo-Dutch oil giant because of its high profile in Nigeria.

96.   Two French oil giants, Total and Elf Aquitaine, have concluded exploration contracts.

97.   U.S. oil giant Texaco, which has operations in Trinidad, wants to begin underwater drilling in an area extending into Venezuelan waters.

98.   U.S. oil giant Exxon has suspended drilling off the Russian Far Eastern island of Sakhalin because of an environmental dispute with the Russian government.

99.   Washington is working with Western oil giants to develop pipeline routes for the Caspian reserves that bypass Russia.

100.   Zanganeh said despite the sanctions, executives from U.S. oil giants frequently visit Iran to maintain communication, and their executives voice opposition to the sanctions.