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Post by TsarSamuil on Mar 26, 2010 16:26:28 GMT -5
Russian Expert: Yes to Combining South Stream, Nabucco in Bulgaria.
Novinite.com
Energy | March 25, 2010, Thursday
A prominent Russian energy expert has surprisingly embraced the idea for combining the rivaling gas pipeline projects in southern Europe, South Stream and Nabucco, on Bulgarian territory in a bid to cut costs.
Diverting from the official stand of his country, Valery Yazev, President of the Russian Gas Society, said at a press conference on Thursday that the idea is very reasonable and should be “seriously considered”.
“We will build the section of the South Stream under the Black Sea, after which it enters Bulgaria. Nabucco on the other hand may give up the construction of the pipeline section in Azerbaijan, Georgia and Turkey, so that it can join the South Stream in Bulgaria,” Yazev said.
According to him this proposal is very profitable for Nabucco since it rules out the on-the-ground construction of pipelines in Asia, where the gas supplies are not secured.
The suggestion about combining the two projects was voiced at the beginning of March by Eni SpA Chief Executive Officer Paolo Scaroni. Eni is an equal partner in South Stream with OAO Gazprom, the world’s largest producer of gas.
Bulgarian experts have voiced hopes that since the planned route of the two key projects passes through the country their possible combination could turn it into an energy hub.
The South Stream gas line is to be completed by 2015. With it Russia aims at eliminating dependence from transit countries. The South Stream would ship 63 billion cubic meters annually of natural gas from Russia and Central Asia to Europe under the Black Sea.
Nabucco would deliver 31 billion cubic meters annually from eastern Turkey to Austria. Bulgaria, in which the pipeline from Caspian gas fields is to enter the EU, holds a 16.5 % stake in the EUR 8 B project.
The Nabucco pipeline is planned across Azerbaijan, Georgia, Turkey and Bulgaria, its construction executed by a consortium of firms from EU nations - Germany, Austria, Hungary, Romania and Bulgaria - as well as Turkey.
The project is the EU's attempt to diversify sources and reduce dependency on Russia and is largely seen as a rival to South Stream.
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Post by TsarSamuil on Apr 8, 2010 5:29:31 GMT -5
Austria Joins South Stream in April - Russian Minister.
Novinite.com
Energy | April 8, 2010, Thursday
Austria will join the Russian-backed South Stream pipeline project in April, Russia's Energy Minister said, as cited by local media.
Russian news agencies are quoting Sergei Shmatko as saying Thursday that this would be the final deal before construction begins later this year.
South Stream is a joint venture of Russia's Gazprom and Italy's Eni. The gas line is to be completed by 2015. With it Russia aims at eliminating dependence from transit countries.
The South Stream would ship 63 billion cubic meters annually of natural gas from Russia and Central Asia to Europe under the Black Sea.
Serbia, Hungary, Slovenia, Bulgaria, Greece, Italy and Croatia are also signed onto the deal.
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Post by TsarSamuil on Apr 9, 2010 6:30:32 GMT -5
Vid, www.youtube.com/watch?v=kT0XdKsBnPUNord Stream breaks ground. RussiaToday.com 09 April, 2010, 11:15 The Nord Stream pipeline, directly connecting Russian gas with mainland Europe, has been championed as way of bypassing the political troubles surrounding the Ukrainian supply route. From the strain of laying pipes on the seabed, environmental fears of states in its path, to the eye-watering $11 billion cost of construction, the Gazprom led team has surprised many to make the dream a reality. “What is really remarkable about Nord Stream is this is essentially an engineering solution to a political problem. Because Russia has probably the best engineers in the world, and Russia came up with this solution to avoid the transit risk via Ukraine,” says Vitaly Ermakov from Cambridge Energy Research Associates. But the project is treading on thin ice. To maintain pressure along the route, it’s advisable for pipelines to have so-called compressor stations every 100 kilometers. By contrast for the 1,200 kilometers of Nord Stream undersea, Gazprom’s relying on just two, giant stations – one in Russia, and one in Germany. Dmitry Aleksandrov, Head of Analysis at Univer Captial, warns the project could end up in hot water. “It really needs compressors every 100 kilometers at least, especially considering the size of the pipe. But Europe fears Russia will use undersea stations for spying. Unfortunately that’s forced Gazprom to try and compensate with these vast compressors at each end.” But against the odds, the project is keeping its deadlines. First gas is promised to start flowing already next year. Nord Stream will pump 55 billion cubic meters a year, enough for more than 26 million households in Europe. |
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Post by TsarSamuil on Apr 18, 2010 15:24:29 GMT -5
Development of Shtokman gas field to start in spring 2011 (update 1)
The development of the Shtokman gas condensate field in the Russian sector of the Barents Sea will start in the spring of 2011, Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said on Saturday.
"In the spring of next year, an investment decision is due to be made and immediately after that, development work on the deposit will begin," Putin said.
He stressed that preparations are ongoing.
"Of course, it will take several years to put the field into operation and build essential infrastructure, but this must be done no matter what," he said.
Project operator Shtokman Development AG said in September companies developing the Shtokman field have so far invested $500 million.
Russian gas monopoly Gazprom has a 51% stake in the project, while France's Total and Norway's StatoilHydro have 25% and 24%, respectively.
Total costs are expected at $30 billion.
Shtokman, with estimated reserves of 3.8 trillion cubic meters, is to feed Nord Stream, a gas pipeline set to link Russia and the European Union via the Baltic Sea.
MOSCOW, April 17 (RIA Novosti)
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Post by TsarSamuil on Apr 25, 2010 6:24:59 GMT -5
Putin Signs South Stream Accord with Austria.
Novinite.com
Energy | April 24, 2010, Saturday
Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin paid a visit to Vienna on Saturday, during which an intergovernmental agreement on Austria's joining the Russian-backed South Stream natural gas pipeline project was signed.
The agreement signed by government and energy officials of the two countries allows Russia to lead its planned South Stream pipeline into Austria. From there, it can reach other European countries.
"Russia can supply Europe with gas for the next 100 years,” Putin said as he addressed a news conference in Vienna on Saturday following his talks with the Austrian Chancellor Werner Faymann.
Putin said he sees the supplies as stable and reliable and said they will do a lot to ensure the energy security of Europe.
South Stream is a joint venture of Russia's Gazprom and Italy's Eni. It will exit Russia under the Black Sea and enter the European Union via Bulgaria to carry 63 billion cubic meters of gas a year.
The gas line is scheduled to be completed by 2015. With it Russia aims at eliminating dependence from transit countries.
Serbia, Hungary, Slovenia, Bulgaria, Greece, Italy and Croatia are also signed onto the deal.
Austria is also a supporter of the Nabucco pipeline that would provide a supply of gas not subject to Russian control.
Representatives of Italy's Eni have recently suggested that the rivaling gas pipeline projects in southern Europe, South Stream and Nabucco, should combine to cut costs.
“What we have here is what bankers call a strategic fit,” Eni SpA Chief Executive Officer Paolo Scaroni said in march.
“Should all partners decide to merge the two pipelines for part of the route, we would reduce investments, operational costs and increase overall returns.”
Eni is an equal partner in South Stream with OAO Gazprom, the world’s largest producer of gas. Nabucco shareholders include Austria’s OMV AG and Germany’s RWE AG.
The planned route of the two projects passes through Bulgaria.
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Post by TsarSamuil on Apr 25, 2010 6:38:36 GMT -5
Romania Vows to Join South Stream Gas Transit Pipeline.
Novinite.com
Energy | April 23, 2010, Friday
Romania has started talks to join the Russian-sponsored South Stream gas transit pipeline, Romanian Economy Minister Adrian Videanu has announced.
“South Stream is going to pass through Romania. We have managed to start a dialogue for the participation of our country in the gas pipeline,” Videanu has stated during an online conversation with Romanian media without providing any further details, Russian media reported Friday.
The Russian papers point out, however, that on April 9, the head of Gazprom, Alexei Miller, said Romania could be included in South Stream as a consumer but not as a transit country – i.e. it can only receive gas through additional land or underwater pipes connecting it with the main pipeline.
The South Stream gas transit pipeline is a project of Russia's Gazprom, Italy's Eni, and France's EDF. It will start at the Beregovaya station on the Russian Black Sea coast, and from there will go to the Bulgarian Black Sea coast; from Bulgaria, the pipe is to split in two in order to reach Southern and Northern Italy. The Black Sea section of the pipe is 900 km long, and will run at a depth of 2 km.
So far Russia has signed agreements for joining the South Stream project with Bulgaria, Serbia, Hungary, Greece, Slovenia, and Croatia. On Wednesday, Austria also announced it would join the project.
Russian media remind that Romania has tried to replace Bulgaria as the major transit hub of the South Stream pipeline in the Balkans, and that it has even submitted to Gazprom data for the preparation of a pipeline route through Romanian territory. Gazprom, however, has remained on its initial positions to use Bulgaria's territory for its project which is seen as a major competitor of the EU-sponsored pipe Nabucco.
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Post by TsarSamuil on Apr 26, 2010 19:08:49 GMT -5
Putin: Russia, Italy Grant France's EDF Up to 20% of South Stream.
Novinite.com
Energy | April 26, 2010, Monday
French energy company Electricite de France may have a share of up to 20% of the South Stream gas transit pipeline, Russian PM Vladimir Putin announced.
Putin met Monday with his Italian counterpart Silvio Berlusconi prior to a summit at Villa Gernetto in Lesmo near Milan, Italy.
“PM Berlusconi and I have agreed that France will become part of the South Stream project, and the agreement for that will be signed in St. Petersburg in June,” said the Russian Prime Minister as cited by RIA Novosti. Thus, France’s EDF will become the third partnering company in the project together with Russia’s Gazprom and Italy’s Eni.
Putin assured the media that there are no delay on the execution of the South Stream pipeline which will transfer Russia gas to Italy via the Black Sea and Bulgaria as well as several other Southeast European states.
The Russian PM reminded that over the weekend Austria signed an agreement to join the project, which has completed the legal base for the pipe with Bulgaria, Serbia, Hungary, Greece, Slovenia, and Croatia having already become part of it.
The Black Sea section of South Stream, which will bridge the Russian and the Bulgarian coast, will be 900 km long, and will have a transit capacity of 63 billion cubic meters of gas. Once completed, the South Stream pipe is supposed to be used for 35% of the Russian gas transfers to Europe.
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Post by TsarSamuil on May 10, 2010 19:29:08 GMT -5
China Mulls Bulgaria Nuclear Plant Participation - Report.
Novinite.com
Energy | May 10, 2010, Monday
China and Serbia are considering a joint participation in the project to build a second Nuclear Power Plant in Bulgaria’s Danube town of Belene.
The news was reported Monday by the Serbian radio B92, citing the Serbian Minister of Energy and Mining, Petar Skundric, who is on a visit to China.
Skundric had said after meeting the Chinese Deputy Commerce Minister, Gao Hucheng, that if the two countries reach a final agreement for the revitalization of blocks B1 and B2 of the Kostolac Thermoelectric Power Plant (TPP) this would create favorable conditions for joint participation in new energy projects.
Hucheng, on his part, had voiced deep satisfaction from the talks about “collaboration in the nuclear energy system of a third country.”
In their report B92 reminded that Serbia confirmed it interest in Belene during the recent trip of Bulgaria’s Prime Minister, Boyko Borisov, to Belgrade.
In the beginning of February, China and Serbia signed a preliminary contract on power station cooperation including the revitalization of the two existing blocks B1 and B2 of the Kostolac TPP, each of 350 MW capacity, and increasing capacities of the open pit Drmno to 12 million tons of lignite per year, with the construction of the new block B3, by the turnkey system.
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Post by TsarSamuil on May 13, 2010 20:37:34 GMT -5
Ukrainian leader says no fears over rival South Stream pipeline.
Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych said he was not concerned about the South Stream pipeline project, designed to pump Russian gas to Europe bypassing Ukraine, Russian media has said.
The South Stream pipeline will pump 63 billion cubic meters of Russian natural gas annually to Bulgaria, Italy and Austria and is part of Russia's efforts to cut dependence on transit nations, particularly Ukraine and Turkey.
"If it is a means of putting pressure on Ukraine, then we understand it. If it is a competitive struggle, then we are ready for it," Yanukovych told the Ekho Moskvy radio station.
He added that his country was ready to cooperate with Russia and the European Union on modernizing Ukraine's gas transit system, which is estimated to cost about $500-600 million.
Russian energy minister Sergei Shmatko said on Tuesday Russia considered South Stream to be "an issue of principle" and "a strategic entry to direct supplies for European buyers."
He also said that the possible merger of the Russian energy giant Gazprom and Ukraine's Naftogaz, proposed in late April by Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, had no bearing on the South Stream project.
The Ukrainian leader said on Friday the merger should be carried out on a parity basis.
"If I had been there [at a meeting between Putin and his Ukrainian counterpart Mykola Azarov, during which the proposal was first voiced], I would have extended my hand to Putin [for a handshake] and said: I agree [for] the fifty-fifty [basis]," Yanukovych told Ekho Moskvy.
Talks on the merger began on Thursday, at a meeting between Gazprom CEO Alexei Miller and Ukrainian Fuel and Energy Minister Yuriy Boiko.
"The merger of the two companies will become an important component of increasing Europe's energy security, together with the diversification of gas routes to Europe," the gzt.ru news portal quoted Miller as saying. "In this respect, our South Stream construction plans remain unchanged."
Gzt.ru quoted Mikhail Korchemkin, director of the Pennsylvania-based consulting firm East European Gas Analysis as saying that the deal was unlikely, because if the Russian energy giant goes ahead with its South Stream project, the merger will be to Naftogaz's disadvantage.
"Yanukovych hopes that Moscow is bluffing while speaking of its commitment to the South Stream project, but that is not true - South Stream is lucrative for Gazprom," Korchemkin said.
MOSCOW, May 14 (RIA Novosti)
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Post by TsarSamuil on May 18, 2010 18:33:32 GMT -5
Russia to expand list of companies in shelf development projects (Update)
The list of companies licensed to develop the Russian sea shelf will be expanded, Deputy Prime Minister Igor Sechin said on Tuesday.
"The list of companies permitted not only to prospect but also produce [hydrocarbons on the shelf] will be enlarged," he said.
At present this privilege is only enjoyed by two state control companies - Gazprom and Rosneft.
"The Ministry of Natural Resources has granted only five licenses over the last two years, and all of them were given after pressure from the government. They [the ministry] should be more active. We will request them to speed up the process," Sechin said.
Sechin also said the government believes foreign investors could be easily attracted to Russia's sea shelf.
Russian gas giant Gazprom is currently holding negotiations with Korean companies on their participation in the development of the Western-Kamchatka peninsula shelf.
The minister also said that that the two companies that operate on the shelf at the present moment are not enough to develop it, adding that Gazprom subsidiaries and foreign partners with less than a 50% stake should be allowed to explore the gas deposits of the shelf.
MOSCOW, May 18 (RIA Novosti)
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Post by TsarSamuil on May 19, 2010 13:01:00 GMT -5
Serbia Says to Eye Participation in Bulgaria's Nuclear Project.
Novinite.com
Energy | May 19, 2010, Wednesday
Serbia's energy minister has confirmed reports that the country is considering participation in Bulgaria's second nuclear power plant, which has stalled over lack of funding.
"The Bulgarian prime minister officially made an offer for Serbia to participate in financing construction of the Belene plant," Energy Minister Petar Skundric told an energy conference. "We haven't made the decision yet, but we are interested."
In his words the project would show that the country, which has an embargo on nuclear power plants until 2015 put in place following the Chernobyl disaster, is able to handle such projects.
“It would be a good reference for us and allow us to respect the embargo," Skundric said. "It would also contribute to regional stability and cooperation."
The minister disclosed that the question about a loan to finance Serbia's role in the project has been discussed during his recent visit to China, but said no deal has been concluded.
Earlier in the month Bulgaria's Prime Minister Boyko Borisov said Serbia has expressed interest in a 5% stake in the project, which in his words would turn it into "a Balkan, European project."
The government has also reportedly unsuccessfully courted Romania as it angles for a new chief investor in its second nuclear power plant Belene to replace the German energy company RWE, which withdrew last autumn.
Bulgaria suspended the construction of its second nuclear power plant until it finds a new investor and funds to complete the project at Belene, on the Danube, 180 kilometres northeast of the capital Sofia.
The plant was originally to be built by Russian company Atomstroiexport for EUR 4 B. The firm had signed a contract with the previous, Socialist-led government, swept from power by Borisov's conservative GERB party swept in last year's July elections.
Borisov rejected a EUR 2 B offer made by Moscow for a stake in the plant and said Bulgaria will seek a European investor to finish its second nuclear plant.
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Post by TsarSamuil on May 20, 2010 9:31:28 GMT -5
EP Votes Yes to Bulgaria EU Nuclear Decommissioning Aid.
Novinite.com
Bulgaria in EU | May 20, 2010, Thursday
The European Parliament gave the green light on Thursday on a proposed Council regulation to provide an extra EUR 300 M in EU financial support for decommissioning the Bulgaria's Kozloduy nuclear power plant.
All four reactors there have now been shut down, but the extra funding is needed until the end of 2013 to decommission them safely, says the proposal, adopted by the parliament.
The parliament's resolution says that of the EUR 300 M total, EUR 180 M should go to ensure safe decommissioning and EUR 120 M should be used to fund energy-saving measures. This funding would be additional to EUR 210 M in EU support for 2007-2009, agreed under Bulgaria's EU accession treaty.
Under that treaty, Kozloduy was to be decommissioned by 2009, but the work was not completed on time. Bulgaria therefore asked that the EU funding be extended until 2013, to allow it to be completed safely.
Slovakia and Lithuania have received similar extensions in the past.
Bulgaria is expected to get the first EUR 75 M from the package in June 2010.
Bulgaria's previous Socialist-led government first called for additional money a year ago and went as far as to ask Brussels to compensate the country for the double blow of the gas crisis and the global economic slowdown by allowing a restart of the units.
The European Commission however has been adamant that a relaunch of the Soviet-era reactors at Bulgaria's sole nuclear power plant is out of the question.
The plant, which has been operating since 1974, has raised safety concerns, and Bulgaria agreed to shut four of its reactors as a condition of joining the EU.
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Post by TsarSamuil on May 21, 2010 13:56:16 GMT -5
Italy's Enel Shows Interest in Bulgaria Nuclear Plant Project.
Novinite.com
Energy | May 21, 2010, Friday
It has become clear during the Bulgarian PM Boyko Borisov’s visit to Italy that state company Enel is interested in the project for the construction of the Belene Nuclear Power Plant
The Bulgarian government delegation led by Bulgaria PM Boyko Borisov was met at Rome Ciampino Airport by an upside down Bulgarian tricolor.
Italy PM Silvio Berlusconi stated that the Russian backed South Stream natural gas pipeline is a priority for the talks between the Italian and Bulgarian delegations.
He continued by praising Borisov by saying that he is one of the most coveted European politicians and adding that Italy strongly supports Bulgaria’s entry into the Schengen area in 2011.
Berlusconi concluded that he had told Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov that Bulgaria’s possible involvement in the missile defense shield posed no threat to Russia.
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Post by TsarSamuil on May 24, 2010 19:24:43 GMT -5
Russia offers Poland stake in Baltic nuclear plant. Thenews.pl | 24.05.2010 13:16 Russia wants Poland to participate in the construction of the Baltic nuclear power station in the Kaliningrad Oblast corridor. The nuclear power plant in the Kaliningrad Oblast, near the Polish-Russian border, is scheduled to be completed in 2016. The cost of the power plant is expected to amount to six billion euro and will produce enough energy for the Russian enclave. Excess power will be exported into EU member states, potentially Lithuania, Poland and Germany. On Friday, during a meeting of the Polish-Russian commission on economic cooperation, Moscow offered Poland a part of the 49 percent stake in the plant which will be open to private investors. The Baltic Power Plant will remain Russian state-owned, however. “Russia invited Poland to take part in the construction of the Baltic Power Plant and then […] sell the energy on to European markets,” Grabarczyk said during a press briefing in Moscow. The Russian Kommersant newspaper writes that Poland was offered direct participataion in the construction of the power station – located 13 kilometers east from the town of Neman - or to build a power-line which would connect the plant to Poland’s electricity grid. “Experts think that the Russian offer could be interesting for Poland but in order to take a decision the government will have to get a permit from the EU,” writes Kommersant. “At the moment we are checking if PSE would be interested in building a power-bridge between Kaliningrad and Poland. The result will be announced at the end of the year,” said Infrastructure Minister Cezary Grabarczyk.
Russia began building the project in February this year in an attempt to end the import of energy into the Russian enclave. It will have a capacity to produce 300-megawatts (pg/mg) |
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Post by TsarSamuil on Jun 5, 2010 11:12:47 GMT -5
Think it was some safety lock thingy that costs 5000 dollars or so, that wasn't installed at the BP rig that would have automatically closed off the pipe in case of an accident n we wouldn't have this major disaster... just to save monies... Good thing other countries toughen up rules.
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Russia to toughen rules on oil, gas extraction.
Russia will toughen up environmental safeguards on oil and gas extraction, including offshore drilling, Deputy Prime Minister Igor Sechin said on Saturday.
The statement comes as clean-up procedures continue in the Gulf of Mexico following the worst oil slick in the history of the United States.
"Offshore extraction on the shelf poses a number of significant risks, so we will toughen environmental rules," Sechin said.
An explosion ripped through the Deepwater Horizon oil drilling platform, owned by BP, about 80 kilometers (50 miles) off the Louisiana coast, on April 20, causing a major oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. The blast claimed the lives of 11 rig workers and injured another 17.
Repeated efforts to stop the oil gushing up from the seabed have met with failure and the spill poses a major threat to the Gulf of Mexico's flora and fauna.
SHARJAH, June 5 (RIA Novosti)
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