The Oil Barons Borrow - Who Knew?

From an NYTimes.com article today:

"The drop in prices has already created problems for producers, who have become accustomed to high prices. Iran and Venezuela both need oil prices at $95 a barrel to balance their budgets, Russia needs $70, and Saudi Arabia needs $55 a barrel, according to Deutsche Bank estimates....

In Russia, which is not part of OPEC, the drop in prices is threatening to the country’s ability to bolster production. The Russian government has reportedly agreed to allocate $9 billion to its four major producers...to help them cope with investment needs amid the credit crisis."

The evil empires need to borrow money? It seems we've all been living beyond our means. I'm trying to be sympathetic, I really am.