Issue 8: August-September 2011

A Snapshot of Key Developments in the External Relations of the Russian Gas Sector
Key points:

• Gazprom partners raided by European Commission Anti-trust Inspectors
• The dispute between Moscow and Kiev continues. Ukraine knows that it has a weak bargaining position and is in no hurry to make concessions to Russia
• Prime Minister Vladimir Putin launched the first string of Nord Stream, meaning Ukraine is now in danger of losing its status as the main transit country for Russia’s European gas exports
• Gazprom has signed roadmap with South Korea's Kogas for the construction of a pipeline from Vladivostok to South Korea
• Gazprom may suspend its project in Nigeria because of the lack of a law governing the oil and gas industry, although experts say Gazprom may have lost interest in this project because of potential difficulties in selling Nigerian gas
• Gazprom is looking to acquire two state-owned oil and gas companies in Kyrgyzstan
• The Gazprom affiliate Vemex has acquired a 51% stake in RSP Energy, marking the first time a Gazprom Group company will sell gas and electricity to Czech households
• Gazprom has signed a legally-binding agreement with its European partners on the implementation of the South Stream project, but has attracted criticism from the EU. According to Russian sources, EU Energy Commissioner, Guenther Oettinger, views South Stream as an attempt by Moscow to derail the ‘Southern Corridor’ gas supply diversification concept
• In line with new oil production projects in the region, Gazprom Neft is considering the construction of a new oil refinery near Murmansk
• Gazprom expects a doubling of the Mineral Extraction Tax by 2013.

• October 12, 2011

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin travels to China Tuesday for talks likely to focus on a gas deal mired in discord, a day after the two countries signed trade deals worth more than $7 billion.

• October 11, 2011

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko agreed on Tuesday that Russia should build the country's first, $9 billion nuclear power station.

• October 11, 2011

Azerbaijan may give consent for construction of a new nuclear reactor in Armenia, director of the Radiation Problems Institute of Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences (ANAS) Adil Garibov told Trend on Monday.

• October 11, 2011

Gilani said he will discuss the project with officials of the two countries during his upcoming visit to the SAARC summit in the Maldives next month.

• October 10, 2011

The board was created by the Latvian president to address issues and challenges arising from the integration of national minorities into Latvian society, and to facilitate a dialogue between representatives of different national cultures on the basis of the state language.

• October 10, 2011

Putting the onus on India, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on Sunday said the US has made clear the steps New Delhi needs to take to allow the two nations to move forward on implementation of bilateral civil nuclear deal.

• October 10, 2011

Turkmen refinery announces tender for communication equipment and alarm systems

• October 8, 2011