Russia & CIS

Saipem Enters Negotiations to End Arctic LNG 2 Project Contracts

Saipem is in talks to end two contracts related to Russia's $21-billion Arctic LNG 2 project led by Moscow-listed gas producer Novatek, the Italian energy services group said in its interim financial statement.

Sakhalin Energy Asks LNG Buyers to Pay Via Moscow Bank

Russia's Sakhalin Energy Investment Co. has asked its LNG customers to pay for supplies via a Moscow unit of a European bank, a source familiar with the matter told Reuters on Friday.

Italy's Eni Expects to Replace Russian Gas by 2025

Italian energy group Eni believes it will be able to completely replace Russian gas imports by 2025 as uncertainty over Moscow's energy supplies to Europe forces countries to seek alternative sources.

Ukraine Says Gazprom Spiked Gas Pipeline Pressure Without Prior Notice

Russian gas giant Gazprom has sharply increased pressure in the Urengoy-Pomary-Uzhgorod pipeline that delivers Russian gas to Europe without prior notice, the Ukrainian state pipeline operator company said on Tuesday.

Gazprom Says Sanctions Still Hamper Nord Stream 1 Pipeline Maintenance

Russian natural gas giant Gazprom said on Monday that sanctions were still hampering maintenance of the Nord Stream 1 gas pipeline, a strong signal that energy supplies to Europe remain at risk unless the West eases sanctions imposed over Ukraine.

EU Pursuing Gas from Nigeria in Preparation for Russian Supply Cuts

The European Union is seeking additional gas supplies from Nigeria as the bloc prepares for potential Russian supply cuts, Matthew Baldwin, deputy director general of the European Commission's energy department, said on Saturday.

Eni to Receive Increased Gas Volumes from Gazprom

Eni said on Thursday it would receive about 36 million cubic meters of gas from Russia's Gazprom, up from the daily average volumes of the last 10 days.

Russia Completes Maintenance on Nord Stream 1 Pipeline, Restarts Gas Exports

Russian gas flows via the Nord Stream 1 pipeline are seen restarting on time on Thursday after the completion of scheduled maintenance, two sources familiar with the export plans told Reuters.

Gas Pipeline Damaged in Ukraine's Kherson Region, No Sign of Disruption in Supply to EU

A gas pipeline has been damaged as a result of a strike by the Ukrainian armed forces near the Kakhovka hydroelectric power plant in Ukraine's Kherson, a region currently controlled by Russian forces, TASS reported on Monday, citing the regional administration.

Russia's Gazprom Declares Force Majeure on Some Gas Supplies to Europe

Russia's Gazprom has declared force majeure on gas supplies to Europe to at least one major customer, according to a letter from Gazprom that will add to European fears of fuel shortages.

Russian Court Overturns Suspension on Caspian Pipeline Operations

A court in southern Russia on Monday overturned an earlier ruling suspending Caspian Pipeline Consortium's operations and instead fined it 200,000 rubles ($3,300), easing concerns about a global oil supply crunch.

European Commission Proposes Azerbaijan Gas Deal, Pipeline Expansion

The European Commission has proposed to EU countries a deal with Azerbaijan to increase imports of natural gas and support the expansion of a pipeline to do this, according to a draft document seen by Reuters.

Canada's Trudeau: 'Very Difficult Decision' to Return Turbine for Russian Pipeline

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said on Wednesday that it was a "very difficult decision" to grant an exemption from sanctions imposed on Russia for the return of a repaired turbine needed for the Nord Stream 1 gas pipeline.

Gazprom: Nord Stream Gas Pipeline's Safety Depends on Stranded Turbine

Kremlin-controlled energy giant Gazprom said on Wednesday it could not guarantee the safe operation of a critical part of the Nord Stream 1 gas pipeline because of doubt over the return of a turbine from Canada.

Serbia, Azerbaijan Discuss Gas Deal for Next Year – Minister

Serbia, which is fully dependent on Russian gas supplies, plans to purchase gas from Azerbaijan in 2023 when it expects an interconnector to Bulgaria's pipeline to be completed, Serbia's energy minister said on Tuesday.

Spain Minister Urges Firms to Curb Russian LNG Imports

Spain's Energy Minister Teresa Ribera urged Spanish companies on Monday to reduce imports of LNG from Russia and search for alternatives and said the country was readying a contingency plan for the winter in order to help EU neighbors.

Austria Orders Industry to Make Switch from Natural Gas to Oil

Austria will order industry and utilities to make plants run on alternatives to natural gas where possible, especially oil, its energy minister said on Tuesday, as the country scrambles to hoard gas in case Russia cuts it off.

Kazakhstan Seeks New Oil Export Routes After Russia Suspends Caspian Pipeline

Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev on Thursday told his government to diversify its oil supply routes, a day after a Russian court ordered the Caspian Pipeline Consortium to suspend activity for 30 days.

Russia Seizes Control of Sakhalin-1 Oil and Gas Project

A senior Russian lawmaker said on Thursday that Moscow would take control of the Sakhalin-1 oil and gas project in which Exxon Mobil, Japan's SODECO and India's ONGC Videsh are partners, a week after taking over the neighboring Sakhalin-2.

Russian Court Orders Caspian Oil Pipeline to Suspend Operations

Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC), which takes oil from Kazakhstan to the Black Sea via one of the world's largest pipelines, has been told by a Russian court to suspend activity for 30 days, although exports were still flowing.

Minister: Greece Can Cope with Possible Russian Gas Disruptions Thanks to LNG

Greece can cope well with potential cuts in Russian gas supply due to the availability of LNG as an alternative, its energy minister said on Monday after a meeting with energy suppliers and grid operators on energy security.

Russia’s Gazprom to Require Rubles for LNG – Interfax

Russian gas producer Gazprom has proposed expanding its ruble-for-gas scheme for pipeline gas to include LNG, the Interfax news agency quoted a senior manager as saying on Monday.

Russia's Control of Sakhalin Project Could Pose Upside Risk to LNG Prices

Russia announced on Friday a decree that seizes full control of the Sakhalin-2 gas and oil project in the country's far east, a move that could force out Shell and Japanese investors and adds another bullish factor to prices in a tight global LNG market.

Canada Sees Repsol LNG as Fastest Way to Boost Gas Supply to Europe

Canada's East Coast has only enough natural gas supply to accommodate one new LNG export facility, and the project that would boost shipments to Europe the fastest is Repsols, Canada's environment minister told Reuters.

Russia Looks to Lure Asian Buyers with Higher Quality Crude Oil

Russia has been improving the quality of its flagship Urals crude oil export, making the heavily-discounted grade even more attractive to buyers in Asia who have been snapping it up, data obtained by Reuters showed.

US Authorities Stop Oil Tanker Traveling from Russia to Verify Origin

U.S. authorities have stopped an oil tanker traveling from Russia to New Orleans to check whether it is Russian in origin, Reuters reported on Tuesday.

EU Prepares to Curb Demand as Russian Gas Cuts Intensify

A "serious disruption" to the European Union's gas supplies from Russia is likely, the bloc's energy chief said on Monday as she urged countries to update their contingency plans for supply shocks and use other fuels where possible to conserve gas.

Running Short of Gas: Russia's Pipeline Repair Has Europe Worried

When Russia turns off the gas through the Nord Stream 1 pipeline for maintenance in July, Europe is starting to worry that it won't turn it back on again.

Greece Looking to Secure Deal with Italy for Gas Storage

Greece has been in talks with Italy to see whether it can store gas in the neighboring country as part of efforts to secure supplies if Russian flows are disrupted, Greece's energy regulator said on Monday.

Russia’s War on Ukraine Rippling Through Latin America

In Latin America, the effects of the war in Ukraine are having a major impact on the fragile economies that are still gradually recovering from the pandemic.