Tangent... is this a hint that the oil fields aren't quite as well stocked as they say?

If so are they hoping to get cheap Uranium so that they can use it for internal energy needs and sell the oil for external use.

Fission plants have their uses. Not just military...there are medical, research and energy production. While oil on the other hand really shines in mobile uses such as cars, uranium is a far better choice for a static energy grid.

As long as the countries sign the nuclear weapon non-proliferation treaty (unlike India) then I see no harm in them going down the nuclear power path.