http://www.neurope.eu Energy Insider - New Europe News: The European News Source. en-us Copyright The Media Company S.A. info@neurope.eu (New Europe) kgougakis@neurope.eu (Kostas Gougakis) Mon, 23 Feb 2009 06:22:00 +0200 Mon, 23 Feb 2009 06:22:00 +0200 New Europe New Europe 5 http://www.neurope.eu/images/logo.jpg http://www.neurope.eu 100 35 http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99609.php STRASBOURG ndash; As global warming will open up new sea routes and make it possible to exploit oil and gas resources in the North Pole MEPs discussed developing the EUrsquo;s Arctic strategy at the Strasbourgrsquo;s plenary session last week. EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Catherine Ashton... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) Opinion http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99609.php Sun, 14 Mar 2010 19:07:00 +0200 http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99454.php As Ukrainersquo;s newly-elected president Viktor Yanukovich was meeting top European Union officials during a one-day quite unexpected trip to Brussels a few blocks away in Rond-Point Schuman I was moderating a panel discussion of the integration of Ukraine in the EUrsquo;s Energy Policy. Experts discussed ways to utilize Ukrainersquo;s full... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) Opinion http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99454.php Sun, 07 Mar 2010 23:18:00 +0200 http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99301.php ASTANA ndash; Azerbaijan supports the Nabucco gas pipeline project but European countries must act not talk Ambassador of Azerbaijan to Kazakhstan Laytif Gandilov told New Europe on 23 February in Astana. ldquo;Azerbaijan supports and will support the Nabucco project. The questions are who will implement this project and who will... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) Opinion http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99301.php Mon, 01 Mar 2010 11:50:00 +0200 http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99147.php When Greece and Russia were making plans for Burgas-Alexandroupolis they forgot to tell the Bulgarians. The Bulgarian government has repeatedly said it would not take position on the oil pipeline project at all until a qualitative Environmental Impact Assessment is made. Now no documents on this issue have been tabled... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) Opinion http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99147.php Sun, 21 Feb 2010 19:56:00 +0200 http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99095.php Russiarsquo;s biggest oil producer Rosneft reported an impressive rise in hydrocarbon reserves for 2009. The state-controlled company has been a chief driver behind Russiarsquo;s recent increase in oil output which last month remained above 10 million barrels per day largely through the production at its newly-commissioned Vankor field in the... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) Opinion http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99095.php Sun, 14 Feb 2010 22:57:00 +0200 http://www.neurope.eu/articles/98936.php Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko and opposition leader Viktor Yanukovich issued so many promises in the last days of a count-down to a winner-take-all vote on 7 February including about energy relations with Moscow and the EU that they will be definitely be held accountable for at least some of... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) Opinion http://www.neurope.eu/articles/98936.php Sun, 07 Feb 2010 20:42:00 +0200 http://www.neurope.eu/articles/98789.php Gazpromrsquo;s plans to develop the massive Shtokman gas field in the Arctic may be delayed indefinitely while the Yamal gas projects will probably be the Russian gas monopolyrsquo;s number one priority to reflect the new realities of the global gas market. The elements of the game have certainly changed especially... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) Opinion http://www.neurope.eu/articles/98789.php Sun, 31 Jan 2010 20:18:00 +0200 http://www.neurope.eu/articles/98636.php Russian gas monopoly Gazpromrsquo;s statement recently that it expects Austria to sign onto the South Stream pipeline should not come as a surprise. ldquo;Ever since the idea of the South Stream project was conceived Gazprom has viewed Austria as one of its high priority potential partners rdquo; Tatiana Mitrova head... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) Opinion http://www.neurope.eu/articles/98636.php Sun, 24 Jan 2010 17:22:00 +0200 http://www.neurope.eu/articles/98499.php VIENNA ndash; Kazakhstan is not ready to supply gas to Nabucco at this stage but Astana is willing to consider supporting the gas pipeline to Austria as the former Soviet Republic develops its gas resources and if the project makes sense economically top Kazakh officials told New Europe in Vienna... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) Opinion http://www.neurope.eu/articles/98499.php Sun, 17 Jan 2010 22:38:00 +0200 http://www.neurope.eu/articles/98337.php The oil tariffs quarrel that erupted between Russia and Belarus has been depicted as a threat to EU energy supplies similar to past gas disputes with Ukraine but Minsk has fewer options than Kiev or none and there is almost no possibility of the dispute escalating affecting energy supplies to... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) Opinion http://www.neurope.eu/articles/98337.php Sun, 10 Jan 2010 20:12:00 +0200 http://www.neurope.eu/articles/98189.php Oil prices are having a good run into the end of 2009 hovering near $79 - positive for the oil majors and oil service companies. Reports of deaths during demonstrations in Tehran will keep the oil market nervous and the oil price supported Chris Weafer chief strategist at Moscowrsquo;s Uralsib bank... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) Opinion http://www.neurope.eu/articles/98189.php Sun, 03 Jan 2010 21:24:00 +0200 http://www.neurope.eu/articles/98047.php Hi the Energy Insider here writing this three-year-old column about the energy wilderness. On December 16 2006 in my first column ldquo;Putin says lsquo;Jump!rsquo; Foreign energy companies ask: lsquo;How high?rsquo;rdquo; I addressed Vladimir Putinrsquo;s grip over foreign oil companiesrsquo; assets and the EUrsquo;s dependence on Russian energy supplies. Not much has... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) Opinion http://www.neurope.eu/articles/98047.php Sun, 13 Dec 2009 00:18:00 +0200 http://www.neurope.eu/articles/97932.php BELFORT FRANCE ndash; From the highway the town of Belfort in the region of Franche-Comteacute; in northeastern France is surrounded by the Vosges and Jura mountain ranges with one of the largest natural mountain forests in Western Europe. Belfort is also the GE Energy European headquarters and center for the... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) Opinion http://www.neurope.eu/articles/97932.php Sun, 06 Dec 2009 00:39:00 +0200 http://www.neurope.eu/articles/97775.php ASTANA ndash; Kazakhstan wants to leave politics out of the equation and make a profit when dealing with the transport of hydrocarbons the countryrsquo;s foreign minister told five visiting western journalists at his lavish ministry in Astana. ldquo;The fundamental principle from which we are proceeding on exporting our resources is... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) Opinion http://www.neurope.eu/articles/97775.php Sun, 29 Nov 2009 00:29:00 +0200 http://www.neurope.eu/articles/97631.php HAMBURG - The trip on the hydrogen-powered bus down Bernhard-Nocht-Straszlig;e along the Elbe riverside against the backdrop of massive cranes in Hamburgrsquo;s port didnrsquo;t feel like a test drive of an experimental vehicle. Instead it felt just like a regular quiet commute to work. However the passengers were comprised of... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) Opinion http://www.neurope.eu/articles/97631.php Sun, 22 Nov 2009 00:02:00 +0200 http://www.neurope.eu/articles/97485.php The fact that Bulgaria is dragging its feet when it comes to implementing the Burgas-Alexandroupolis oil pipshy;eline may prompt Russia to press ahead with another parallel outlet to the Mediterranean from Samsun to Ceyhan in Turkey much to Ankararsquo;s delight. Russia and Kazakhstan want to bypass the crowded Bosporus and deliver... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) Opinion http://www.neurope.eu/articles/97485.php Sun, 15 Nov 2009 21:59:00 +0200 http://www.neurope.eu/articles/97337.php As the race between the two competing regional gas pipelines of South Stream and Nabucco continues Bulgaria picked sides through the mouth of Bulgarian Foreign Minister Rumjana Zheleva saying Sofia will give priority to the EU-backed Nabucco gas pipeline project over Moscowrsquo;s rival plan. At an energy conference in Sofia... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) Opinion http://www.neurope.eu/articles/97337.php Sun, 08 Nov 2009 22:31:00 +0200 http://www.neurope.eu/articles/97229.php A conflict between Ukraine and Russia due to the gas prices and transit will not emerge again if Kiev can help it. ldquo;Surely it will be difficult to do... But Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko as before is going to do her best to take every effort so that confidence in... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) Opinion http://www.neurope.eu/articles/97229.php Sun, 01 Nov 2009 22:42:00 +0200 http://www.neurope.eu/articles/97047.php In line with President Nicolas Sarkozyrsquo;s expanding diplomatic energy policy French company GDF Suez is interested in Gazpromrsquo;s Nord Stream and EU-backed Nabucco gas pipelines while domestic competitor EDF Group is interested in the Russia-backed South Stream gas project. ldquo;Wersquo;ve always said that wersquo;re in principle open for a seventh partner... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) Opinion http://www.neurope.eu/articles/97047.php Sun, 25 Oct 2009 22:06:00 +0200 http://www.neurope.eu/articles/96989.php There is trouble in Turkmenistan. Revelations that reports on natural gas reserves in the former Soviet republic were overstated could reawaken concerns about Ashgabatrsquo;s ability to meet all its ambitious export promises. Furthermore...as if it wasnrsquo;t bad enough Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdymukhammedov fired almost all the countryrsquo;s top oil and... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) Opinion http://www.neurope.eu/articles/96989.php Sun, 18 Oct 2009 23:12:00 +0300 http://www.neurope.eu/articles/96817.php Another gas-supply conflict between Russia and Ukraine is unlikely this January. But that does not mean that Moscow will not use the threat of a crisis as a Sword of Damocles to hold over Kiev and Europe. Russian gas monopoly Gazprom does not rule out new interruptions in its supply... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) Opinion http://www.neurope.eu/articles/96817.php Sun, 11 Oct 2009 21:16:00 +0300 http://www.neurope.eu/articles/96646.php An interesting question following Angela Merkelrsquo;s victory in Germanyrsquo;s general election is how much has Berlinrsquo;s Russia policy changed under her first term? Turns out the answer is not much. During his time as chancellor Gerhard Schroeder through his close buddy-relationship with Vladimir Putin a fluent German speaker from his KGB... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) Opinion http://www.neurope.eu/articles/96646.php Sun, 04 Oct 2009 23:34:00 +0300 http://www.neurope.eu/articles/96472.php The future of Germanyrsquo;s nuclear power plants appeared to hang in the balance as Germans went to the polls in federal elections on 27 September. Germanyrsquo;s 17 nuclear plants require an extension to operate beyond deadlines imposed in 2002 by Chancellor Angela Merkelrsquo;s Social Democratic predecessor Gerhard Schroeder. Frau Merkel wants... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) Opinion http://www.neurope.eu/articles/96472.php Sun, 27 Sep 2009 01:18:00 +0300 http://www.neurope.eu/articles/96299.php The European Union once again tried to push forward the Nabucco gas pipeline project over its Russian South Stream rival.nbsp; MEPs said in Strasbourg last week Nabucco which will link the EU to new sources of gas from the Caspian region and the Middle East is among European Parliamentrsquo;s priorities.... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) Opinion http://www.neurope.eu/articles/96299.php Sun, 20 Sep 2009 22:54:00 +0300 http://www.neurope.eu/articles/96109.php The world financial crisis has not stopped the implementation of Gazpromrsquo;s projects in Russiarsquo;s gas industry. Au contraire mon amie the Russian gas monopoly said last week it will boost investment in the Russian Far East to some 2.2 billion euros in 2010. Not bad! But a leading Gazprom official said... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) Opinion http://www.neurope.eu/articles/96109.php Sun, 13 Sep 2009 22:04:00 +0300 http://www.neurope.eu/articles/95949.php Libyan leader Colonel Moammar Gadhafi attended ldquo;tackyrdquo; celebrations in Tripoli last week marking the 40th anniversary of the coup that brought him to power - and the world was watching. While some of his habits mdash; his Bedouin robes his tent his all-female bodyguards all supposedly virgins mdash; give him... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) Opinion http://www.neurope.eu/articles/95949.php Sun, 06 Sep 2009 17:58:00 +0300 http://www.neurope.eu/articles/95765.php Gazpromrsquo;s net profits may have slipped 61 percent in the first quarter of 2009 but the worldrsquo;s largest gas company expects second-half exports to increase. Gazprom employs a certain formula to relate gas prices which is closely tied to oil prices Konstantin Batunin chief economist at Gazpromneft explained to New... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) Opinion http://www.neurope.eu/articles/95765.php Sun, 30 Aug 2009 21:57:00 +0300 http://www.neurope.eu/articles/95578.php Romaniarsquo;s recent declaration that it may participate in South Stream and Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putinrsquo;s signing of a protocol with Turkey to start exploration work on Russiarsquo;s natural gas pipeline to Europe earlier in August is sending a clear message to Bulgaria that Putin may take them out of... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) Opinion http://www.neurope.eu/articles/95578.php Sun, 23 Aug 2009 22:46:00 +0300 http://www.neurope.eu/articles/95520.php Calm has been superficially restored to Chinarsquo;s far-west region of Xinjiang notably in the local capital of Urumqi where an outbreak of ethnic violence in early July led to a heavy crackdown by the Chinese authorities. Chinarsquo;s disproportionate response underscores Beijingrsquo;s growing fear that domestic terrorism might upset its long-term... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) Opinion http://www.neurope.eu/articles/95520.php Sun, 26 Jul 2009 23:19:00 +0300 http://www.neurope.eu/articles/95360.php Representatives from the five Nabucco transit countries mdash; Austria Turkey Hungary Bulgaria and Romania ndash; were expected to sign in Ankara on July 13 a ldquo;milestonerdquo; treaty on the EU-backed gas pipeline project but the planned fanfare ceremony will do little to ease supply and financing concerns as Russiarsquo;s rival... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) Opinion http://www.neurope.eu/articles/95360.php Sun, 12 Jul 2009 22:52:00 +0300 http://www.neurope.eu/articles/95304.php Thirty-two companies gathered in Baghdadrsquo;s Rashid Hotel to bid for rights to develop eight Iraqi oil and gas fields but at the end of the day only a BP-led consortium was willing to accept the less-than-lucrative terms offered by the Iraqi Oil Ministry. BP and Chinarsquo;s CNPC on June 30 won... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) Opinion http://www.neurope.eu/articles/95304.php Sun, 05 Jul 2009 22:54:00 +0300 http://www.neurope.eu/articles/95121.php During Russian President Dimitry Medvedevrsquo;s trip to Nigeria Russian gas giant Gazprom signed a USD 2.5 billion deal with the West Africa countryrsquo;s Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation NNPC to invest in a new joint venture. The new firm to be called Nigaz is set to build refineries pipelines and gas... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) Opinion http://www.neurope.eu/articles/95121.php Sun, 28 Jun 2009 23:06:00 +0300 http://www.neurope.eu/articles/94936.php Nabucco officials are fairly optimistic about the chances of the EU-backed Nabucco gas pipeline project but they canrsquo;t hide their frustration with Russian gas giant Gazpromrsquo;s agreement with Italyrsquo;s ENI in May to expand rival South Streamrsquo;s planned capacity to 63 billion cubic metres annually. ldquo;We have good cooperation with... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) Opinion http://www.neurope.eu/articles/94936.php Sun, 21 Jun 2009 22:44:00 +0300 http://www.neurope.eu/articles/94775.php Ukraine paid its May gas bill to Russian gas giant Gazprom in full avoiding a new gas crisis for now. Moscow had expressed concern repeatedly that Ukraine would have trouble paying its bills and had warned it might seek full payment from Kiev in advance. ldquo;This could very well be a... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) Opinion http://www.neurope.eu/articles/94775.php Sun, 14 Jun 2009 00:13:00 +0300 http://www.neurope.eu/articles/94583.php In an historic move Iraq started exporting crude oil from the Taq Taq and Tawke oil fields in the tumultuous semi-autonomous Kurdistan region for the first time last week. The crude oil is exported through the Kirkuk-Yumurtalik pipeline to the Turkish Mediterranean port of Ceyhan in order to reach world... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) Opinion http://www.neurope.eu/articles/94583.php Sun, 07 Jun 2009 17:28:00 +0300 http://www.neurope.eu/articles/94569.php Ever since the January Ukrainian-Russian gas agreements reached by Ukrainian Premier Yulia Tymoshenko and Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin in Moscow one-on-one a second chapter fall-out of the European gas crisis has been imminent. ldquo;We have been waiting for a relapse to begin with. Even when the original deal was done back... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) Opinion http://www.neurope.eu/articles/94569.php Sun, 31 May 2009 00:55:00 +0300 http://www.neurope.eu/articles/94258.php Against the backdrop of the EU-Russia summit held symbolically in the remote Russian far-eastern city of Khabarovsk on May 21- 22 European officials have accused Russian gas giant Gazpromof spending far too much time playing politics over gas and not enough time developing new resources. Russia Gazprom Vladimir Putin mdash;... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) Opinion http://www.neurope.eu/articles/94258.php Mon, 25 May 2009 13:27:00 +0300 http://www.neurope.eu/articles/94219.php Every hero needs an antagonist. So after the EU pursued the construction of the Nabucco gas pipeline Russia planned South Stream. But the energy reality not the political reality is that neither project is really needed. ldquo;Both of these projects are not number one priority for Europe and Russia and... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) Opinion http://www.neurope.eu/articles/94219.php Mon, 18 May 2009 15:49:00 +0300 http://www.neurope.eu/articles/94172.php Two weeks after the Sofia energy summit the EU made yet another attempt to reduce its reliance on Russian natural gas this time during the Prague summit with the participation of the countries of the so-called southern corridor. The EU did what it does best issuing a lukewarm statement signed... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) Opinion http://www.neurope.eu/articles/94172.php Mon, 11 May 2009 15:46:00 +0300 http://www.neurope.eu/articles/94128.php After a first-round draw in the high-stakes energy poker game between Russia Ukraine and the EU Vladimir Putin has the highest hand. The Russian premier avoided two energy conferences in Bulgaria and Turkmenistan knowing all too well that the key energy issues would be discussed in Russiarsquo;s bilateral talks with... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) Opinion http://www.neurope.eu/articles/94128.php Tue, 05 May 2009 12:53:00 +0300 http://www.neurope.eu/articles/94070.php Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin did not attend a gas security summit of leaders from the EU the Balkans and gas supplier countries here in Sofia last week and decided instead to meet his Bulgarian counterpart in Moscow this week. The Russians are moving away from negotiating deals and revealing... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) Opinion http://www.neurope.eu/articles/94070.php Mon, 20 Apr 2009 20:22:00 +0300 http://www.neurope.eu/articles/93991.php An explosion that struck the Central Asia SATS-4 pipeline that connects Turkmenistan to Russia fits Ashgabatrsquo;s coy approach to energy exports just fine. Turkmenistan will host a major international conference in April to discuss energy diversification and discussions on the pipeline explosion which could continue at a summit for the... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) Opinion http://www.neurope.eu/articles/93991.php Mon, 20 Apr 2009 19:00:00 +0300 http://www.neurope.eu/articles/93968.php Even though Italian Premier Silvio Berlusconi was scheduled to attend a Russian-Italian business forum in Moscow but canceled to remain in Italy in the aftermath of an earthquake in the Abruzzo region that did not stop Eni SpA from signing energy deals with Russia including a key deal for Gazprom... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) Opinion http://www.neurope.eu/articles/93968.php Mon, 13 Apr 2009 13:39:00 +0300 http://www.neurope.eu/articles/93935.php Nabucco is still counting on gas supplies from Azerbaijan despite a memorandum of understanding signed between Russiarsquo;s Gazprom and the State Oil Company of Azerbaijan SOCAR Nabucco Gas Pipeline International GmbH spokesman Christian Dolezal told New Europe. ldquo;No it does not change anything. We know and itrsquo;s not new that... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) Opinion http://www.neurope.eu/articles/93935.php Mon, 06 Apr 2009 04:58:00 +0300 http://www.neurope.eu/articles/93751.php When the EU and Ukrainian leaders pledged to work together on reforming Ukrainersquo;s gas transit system someone forgot to tell... Russia. The EU and Ukraine last week in Brussels signed a memorandum on modernising Ukrainersquo;s GTS with funds from the EBRD EIBand World Bank. However Russia wasnrsquo;t a signatory to the... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) Opinion http://www.neurope.eu/articles/93751.php Mon, 30 Mar 2009 05:46:00 +0300 http://www.neurope.eu/articles/93582.php With Gazpromlsquo;s gas exports dropping almost 50 percent since the start of the year the Russian gas monopolyrsquo;s energy swap deal with Iran makes economic and strategic sense. Following a mid-March meeting Russian Energy Minister Sergei Shmatko and Iranian Oil Minister Gholam Hossein Nozari signed a hydrocarbon memorandum that allows... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) Opinion http://www.neurope.eu/articles/93582.php Mon, 23 Mar 2009 11:41:00 +0200 http://www.neurope.eu/articles/93523.php The Ukrainians will look up and say: ldquo;Save us.rdquo;... And Yulia will whisper: ldquo;Whatrsquo;s in it for me?rdquo; Although Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko brokered a deal with Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin in January to end a dragging dispute which left millions of Europeans without gas in the middle of... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) Opinion http://www.neurope.eu/articles/93523.php Mon, 16 Mar 2009 11:17:00 +0200 http://www.neurope.eu/articles/93217.php In the 1972 film The Godfather Salvatore ldquo;Salrdquo; Tessio realising that Mafia boss Michael Corleone knows Tessio was a traitor he asks the family lawyer Tom Hagen for help: ldquo;Tom can you get me off the hook? For old timesrsquo; sake?rdquo; To which Hagen replies shaking his head: ldquo;Canrsquo;t do it... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) Opinion http://www.neurope.eu/articles/93217.php Mon, 09 Mar 2009 13:23:00 +0200 http://www.neurope.eu/articles/93180.php As Iran and Russia performed what they called an initial test of Bushehrrsquo;s nuclear plant the West watched concerned at Tehranrsquo;s persistence to proceed with its nuclear programme despite intense international pressure to the contrary. The problem is not with Iran building a nuclear power plant to supplement the legitimate... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) Opinion http://www.neurope.eu/articles/93180.php Sun, 01 Mar 2009 11:57:00 +0200 http://www.neurope.eu/articles/92996.php Ilham Aliyev the first president of Azerbaijan to carry out an official visit to Greece met with almost all of the Mediterranean countryrsquo;s top leaders who hailed the visit highlighting the emphasis Athens places on Baku. The significance is not because of Greecersquo;s historic ties with Azerbaijan or that the... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) Opinion http://www.neurope.eu/articles/92996.php Mon, 23 Feb 2009 06:22:00 +0200