Energy/All

March 13, 2010

Energy/All

Locks turn in Nabucco door

Agreement by the Turkish parliament to taxation and transit terms for gas coming into the country from Azerbaijan mark a significant step forward in plans for the Nabucco pipeline serving Europe. Suggestions that Iranian gas will be a necessary part of the project are also being shown as smoke and mirrors.

- Robert M Cutler (Mar 11, '10)

China hangs fire on Iran-Pakistan pipeline

As China continues to consider joining the Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline project, with or without India, the United States needs to understand that Beijing's eventual decision will have repercussions across Asia.

- Stephen Blank (Mar 08, '10)

Kazakhs tighten grip on Karachaganak

The government of Kazakhstan, heavily dependent on foreign partners to extract its natural resources, is turning to improve its hold on the onshore Karachaganak natural gas venture after tightening its control of the offshore Kashagan deposit.

- Robert M Cutler (Mar 04, '10)

Kazakh backing keeps energy network alive

Uzbekistan's decision late last year to withdraw from the Central Asia electricity network has added urgency to regional efforts to avoid a repeat of the winter energy crisis of two years ago. Kazakhstan, although it has no domestic need of the network, is leading the way with support that could lead to the economic and political isolation of Uzbekistan from the rest of the region.

- Erica Marat (Feb 24, '10)

Bakiyev faces protests over fuel bills hike

Kyrgyzstan's President Kurmanbek Bakiyev came to power amid demands for lower utility rates and better access to electricity. Now he faces rising anger as those domestic and business customers who do have electricity are presented with a 100% increase in fuel tariffs.

- Timur Toktonaliev (Feb 24, '10)

Russia threatens BP's Kovykta assets

Russia's environment authority has urged that BP's Russian joint venture be stripped of the Kovykta natural gas project in eastern Siberia, claiming to have found license violations. State oil company Rosneft stands ready to pick up the work, but first the venture partners might seek support in a December 2009 ruling in The Hague.

- Vladimir Socor (Feb 23, '10)

Russia gas hike shocks Armenians

The Armenian unit of Russian gas monopoly Gazprom aims to raise prices for domestic customers by 40% and for businesses by 20%. Consumers are branding the increases "insane", while the government claims that as a minority shareholder, its hands are tied.

- Naira Melkumyan (Feb 22, '10)

Shtokman gas project postponed

Development of the super-giant Shtokman gas project in the Russian Arctic, a top priority in the Kremlin's fuel extraction strategy, has been put on hold. That, along with changes in the globalized gas trade, drastically darkens the outlook for Russian gas monopoly Gazprom and its plans for supplying gas to the United States. One long-term beneficiary could be Europe.

- Vladimir Socor (Feb 10, '10)

Ukraine poll may deliver oil to Europe

Europe's need for secure fuel sources could be met in part by an oil pipeline that already runs across Ukraine and serves that country with fuel from Russia. The pipeline could, instead, deliver Caspian oil to Europe while bypassing Russia and Turkey. Sunday's presidential election run-off might hold the key.

- Robert M Cutler (Feb 04, '10)

Gazprom gives half-nod to poor outlook

Russian gas monopoly Gazprom, faced with falling revenues and profits, will focus this year on marketing rather than investment in field development. That spells trouble down the road once external and internal demand recovers.

- Vladimir Socor (Feb 04, '10)

So much for the Iraq oil bonanza

Dreams nurtured by the George W Bush administration that the overthrow of Saddam Hussein would quickly be followed by oil revenues flowing into the coffers of US-based companies have long turned sour. Now, even the involvement of China has failed to get the black gold flowing.

- Michael Schwartz (Feb 03, '10)

Reconfiguring Nabucco

Europe's continuing efforts to secure natural gas from Central Asia focused this month on the White Stream gas project, which would bypass Russia and Turkey, while a separate meeting involving Iraq and the European Union points to an increased role for Iraq in the key Nabucco pipeline.

- Robert M Cutler (Jan 27, '10)

Saudi Arabia and the oil bank

Recent relative steadiness in the oil market, a situation that suits suppliers and end users, indicates an unstable equilibrium that is of little benefit to trading intermediaries, particularly investment banks that thrive on volatility and opacity. When volatility returns, fingers will again point at "speculators" - while the real culprits lie elsewhere.

- Chris Cook (Jan 15, '10)

Gazprom loses shine

The bright future once forecast for Gazprom, Russia's gas monopoly, is starting to look less substantial as profits decline and growth in global supply of gas outpaces demand. No less worrying for the company is Russian President Dmitry Medvedev's recent call for an end to the economy's heavy reliance on hydrocarbon sales.

- Stacy Closson (Jan 14, '10)

Russia resumes gas imports from Turkmenistan

The agreement by Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and Turkmenistan's Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov to resume gas trade between the two countries will bring relief to Turkmenistan's treasury. It also underlines Russia's diminished role in the affairs of its Central Asian neighbor.

- Vladimir Socor (Jan 05, '10)

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Locks turn in Nabucco door

China hangs fire on Iran-Pakistan pipeline

Kazakhs tighten grip on Karachaganak

Kazakh backing keeps energy network alive

Bakiyev faces protests over fuel bills hike

Russia threatens BP's Kovykta assets

Russia gas hike shocks Armenians

Shtokman gas project postponed

Ukraine poll may deliver oil to Europe

Gazprom gives half-nod to poor outlook

So much for the Iraq oil bonanza

Reconfiguring Nabucco

Saudi Arabia and the oil bank

Gazprom loses shine

Russia resumes gas imports from Turkmenistan

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