Latest Articles about Energy
Ukraine Warns of Looming Gas Payment Default to Gazprom
Will the European Union face a new cutoff of gas supplies from Russia in March? This possibility became more ominous when Ukraine's states-owned gas monopoly, Naftohaz Ukrainy, warned that it might not be able to pay its February gas bills on February 19. Barely a... MORE
Russia’s New Energy Doctrine
The Kremlin articulated some details of its new assertive energy strategy, following the inauguration of a major energy project on the Pacific island of Sakhalin and a significant energy deal with China. Russian President Dmitry Medvedev dismissed perceived attempts to exclude Russia from global energy... MORE
Russia Enters Global LNG Market Thanks to Foreign-Built Plant
Russia's first-ever plant for liquefied natural gas (LNG) was inaugurated near Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk on February 18 in the presence of Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, Britain's Prince Andrew, Netherlands Economic Affairs Minister Maria van der Hoeven, and Japanese Prime Minister Taro Aso. The plant will process gas... MORE
Oil-for-Loans Deal Will Increase Russian Oil Deliveries to China
On February 17 and 18 Russia made its entrance as a significant supplier of oil and gas to Asian countries. Natural gas earmarked for Japan and South Korea came on stream at Russia's first-ever, foreign-built liquefaction plant; and, in a parallel move, Russia signed a... MORE
Yushchenko Criticizes Tymoshenko for Gas Accords and Plea for Loan from Moscow
Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko has accused Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko of betraying national interests in the gas agreements concluded in Moscow on January 19 and 20 and by turning to Russia for a loan. Yushchenko used the February 10 meeting of the National Security and... MORE
Bulgaria’s “Overgas,” a Russian Spy in Canada, and Gazprom
In February 2009, after the Ukrainian-Russian gas conflict ended and deliveries of gas were restored to Bulgaria, Bulgarian officials announced that they would once again seek to remove two middleman companies-Overgas, Inc., and Wintershall Erdgas Handelshaus Zug AG (WIEE)-from the gas supply chain between Russia... MORE
Nord Stream in the Russo-German Special Relationship
A former Stasi (East German secret police) officer and current Nord Stream general manager Matthias Warnig traveled around the world this week to promote that Russo-German gas transport project on the Baltic seabed. Warnig now also serves as an "independent member" of the board of... MORE
No Gas Sources Foreseen for Gazprom’s South Stream
Gazprom vice-president Aleksandr Medvedev's extensive briefing on the South Stream transport project for potential investors (see article above) left the matter of sourcing it with gas entirely obscure. This omission could not come as a surprise, given Russia's gas production shortfall now setting for several... MORE
Gazprom Reveals Unaffordable Costs of South Stream Project
On February 6 in Moscow, Gazprom vice-president Aleksandr Medvedev gave a detailed presentation for potential investors regarding the South Stream gas transport project as well as the outlook on gas extraction. The presentation revealed huge increases in South Stream's cost projections, coupled with stagnant gas... MORE
Putin Retains Initiative in the Gas Dialogue with Europe
The annual security conference held in Munich last weekend should have attracted the prime attention in Moscow, not least because U.S. Vice-President Joe Biden delivered the first presentation of the Obama administration's arms control strategy. In reality, however, the attention was superficial at best; and... MORE