Alexander Morozov, Deputy Chairman of Gazprom’s Board of Directors

Bad news for Gazprom: sources say that Russia is going to break the gas giant’s monopoly on LNG exports. “[State-controlled oil giant] Rosneft signed an agreeement with ExxonMobil to develop a LNG project in Russia’s Far East. [Independent gas producer] Novatek clinched a deal with CNPC for a joint development of the Yamal LNG project.” [Natural Gas Europe]

Bad news for Chesapeake employees: Chesapeake has declined to confirm that it is laying people off. But it seems like that’s what’s happening. A story from News OK quotes spokesman Gordon Pennoyer as saying that “Chesapeake is transitioning key leadership positions and making adjustments to its organization to properly align resources, reduce expenses, and improve its operating and competitive performance,” without addressing a reduction in head count. If I saw that statement, I’d certainly be scared for my job. And apparently some company e-mail addresses are no longer working. [News OK]

Bad news for Georgia Power, Alabama Power, Luminant, Union Electric and NRG: the companies’ Scherer, James H Miller, Martin Lake, Labadie and WA Parish plants have been ranked one through five (in that order) as the US’ worst polluters, according to a report released by Environment America. “The data in the report is drawn from the Department of Energy’s Energy Information Center. The list is similar to one created last year using the Environmental Protection Agency’s inventory of biggest polluters, though the rankings do vary slightly.” [Huff Post Green]