On Friday, President Obama met with German Chancellor Angela Merkel at the White House and seemed to dismiss the notion that Russia would “turn off the tap to Europe” by calling it “unrealistic”. He added that natural gas kept flowing even at the height of the Cold War. Both leaders appeared to be ready and… Keep reading →
Outgoing Eni CEO Paolo Scaroni sees the volatile standoff between Western powers and Russia over the Kremlin’s actions in Ukraine as a new low point for European energy security. Italian oil and gas company Eni serves as a conduit for gas sourced from Gazprom and delivered to European customers, a position that could be jeopardized… Keep reading →
This quote is not in reference to the highly-politicized Keystone XL oil pipeline project, as one might first assume, but was made with regard to New England natural gas pipeline constraints that cause spot prices to soar during demand spikes. Utilities often opt not to pay for more expensive uninterruptable supply, forcing them into the… Keep reading →
ConocoPhillips has obtained DOE authorization to export LNG to non-FTA countries from its Kenai Facility in Alaska. On April 14, 2014, the Department of Energy (DOE) issued authorization for ConocoPhillips Alaska Natural Gas Corporation (CPANGC) to export liquefied natural gas (LNG) from its Kenai LNG facility in Alaska to non-Free Trade Agreement (FTA) countries. CPANGC… Keep reading →
The Atlantic Council presents a pessimistic view regarding the prospect of smooth natural gas flow through Ukraine to European customers. Russia’s continued aggression and, in the Council’s view, strong possibility that Russia will occupy additional Ukrainian territory makes gas supply disruptions likely. European support for Ukraine could also impact Russian gas supplies that do not… Keep reading →
Moscow and Beijing have danced around a natural gas supply deal for over a decade, with price being the major sticking point, but the current dust up with Europe over Ukraine could finally open the door to price conciliation. “Conversely, on the Russian side, Gazprom might finally sign a natural gas supply deal with China,… Keep reading →
One day after a disputed and widely deemed unlawful referendum in Crimea, the Crimean Parliament declared Crimea’s independence from Ukraine, formally asking Russia to annex it, the New York Times reports. This comes after 96.6% of voters in Crimea support joining Russia. With this, the crisis in the Ukraine hit its peak to date and… Keep reading →
In one of the better pieces dealing with European gas supply issues associated with the Russia-Ukraine political crisis, this article cites a recent study published by the Oxford Institute for Energy Studies which pinpoints Ukrainian fiscal instability as the most likely cause of a European gas supply disruption. “The difficulties that Naftogaz Ukrainy is having,… Keep reading →
A deal to buy Israeli natural gas can help mitigate the kingdom’s energy shortage and steer Amman away from problematic nuclear plans, but it risks stirring domestic opposition. In February, two private Jordanian firms signed a contract with a private U.S.-Israeli consortium to import natural gas from Israel’s giant Tamar field, located under the bed… Keep reading →
Ukraine’s political crisis continues, with Russian troops in Crimea, reformist forces in power in Kiev, and Europe, the US and Russia vying to broker a lasting solution. Just below the surface is the critical issue of natural gas. Europe gets approximately one-third of its gas from Russia and the majority passes through Ukraine. Will Ukraine… Keep reading →
