Russia & CIS

US Intelligence Suggests Pro-Ukrainian Group Sabotaged Nord Stream Pipelines -NYT

New intelligence reviewed by U.S. officials suggests that a pro-Ukrainian group carried out the attack on the Nord Stream pipelines last year, the New York Times reported on Tuesday.

Sources: Russia Set to Mothball Damaged Nord Stream Gas Pipelines

Russia's ruptured undersea Nord Stream gas pipelines are set to be sealed up and mothballed as there are no immediate plans to repair or reactivate them, sources familiar with the plans have told Reuters.

Global News - March 2023

Latest industry news and developments

Russian Governor: Sakhalin-1 Oil, Gas Output Less Than Half of Plan in 2022

The project saw a sharp decline in output following the departure of U.S. oil and gas major Exxon Mobil after Moscow sent tens of thousands of troops into Ukraine on Feb. 24 last year.

Russia Halts Oil to Poland Via Druzhba Pipeline, Says Refiner PKN Orlen

The halt in supplies via the Druzhba pipeline — which has been exempted from European Union sanctions imposed on Russia following its full-scale invasion of Ukraine — came a day after Poland delivered its first Leopard tanks to Ukraine.

Wintershall Dea Looks Ahead After Closing Door on Russia

Oil and gas producer Wintershall Dea, fresh from pulling out of its long-term partnership with Russia, will focus on growing its production elsewhere and building up carbon management for the long-term future, it said on Thursday.

US Official Says Russia's Crude Output Cut Signals Unsold Oil

Russia's decision to cut crude oil production by 500,000 barrels per day reflects its inability to sell all of its oil, Ben Harris, a U.S. Treasury Department Assistant Secretary, said on Thursday.

Tellurian Taps LNG Demand Surge to Deliver Fourfold Jump in Production

Tellurian Inc. on Wednesday reported a fourfold increase in quarterly natural gas production to meet a surge in demand triggered by Western sanctions against Russia over the Ukraine invasion.

Nord Stream Blast Inquiries Ongoing, Say Denmark, Sweden, Germany at UN

Investigations by Denmark, Germany and Sweden into explosions on the Nord Stream gas pipelines have not yet concluded, the three countries told the U.N. Security Council in a letter on Tuesday ahead of a meeting called by Russia on the September incident.

Kazakh Oil Decouples from Russian Crude But Risk Weighs on Price

Kazakhstan has separated its oil exports from those of Russian crude by launching its own KEBCO brand, but sanctions against Moscow are still putting pressure on the price of Kazakh oil pumped through Russian pipelines, data shows.

US Crude Oil Exports to Be In Demand This Year as Trade Flows Reshuffle

U.S. crude oil exports that have been boosted by a trade flow reshuffle in the aftermath of Russia's invasion of Ukraine will remain elevated this year as Europe and Asia search for supplies, company officials and analysts said.

Putin Lauds Gas Giant Gazprom, Says Asian Demand Will Soar

"Despite unfair — to put it bluntly — competition, direct attempts from the outside to hinder and restrain its development, Gazprom is moving forward, launching new projects," Putin told Gazprom CEO Alexei Miller.

Gas Flow Continues After Fire at Russian Pipeline, No Injuries

Depressurization of an export gas pipeline transiting the Myshkinsky district of the Yaroslavl region north of Moscow sparked a fire but caused no casualties on Monday, Russia's emergencies ministry said.

CEZ Seeking $45 Million in Damages from Gazprom for Gas Undersupply

Czech utility CEZ said on Thursday it had initiated international arbitration in Geneva against Russian gas company Gazprom seeking compensation for lower-than-contracted gas delivery last year.

Russia's Novatek, India's GAIL Poised to Seal Gas Sales Deal

Russia's largest LNG producer, Novatek, is close to a deal to supply gas to GAIL (India) Ltd. as it seeks alternative markets to Europe, three industry sources said. The companies are negotiating the terms of a contract and could seal an agreement within a week, the sources said, adding volumes would depend on logistics, such as shipping and insurance.

Shell Still Taking LNG Cargoes from Russia Under Novatek Contract

The world's largest LNG trader agreed a more than 20-year deal in 2015 for Novatek to supply around 900,000 tonnes per annum from the Yamal LNG plant in Siberia.

Russian Gas Supply Hit Pushes India's GAIL to Scout for Long-Term LNG

GAIL (India) Ltd. is scouting for long-term gas import deals and hopes to sign one contract shortly to make up for disrupted supplies from a former unit of Russian energy giant Gazprom, its head of finance said on Monday.

Russia's Sakhalin 2 May Double LNG Revenue as Top Buyers Stay Despite Ukraine Crisis

Russia's Sakhalin 2 LNG project could generate twice the revenue this year that it did before the Ukraine conflict thanks to long-term deals with Asian buyers and higher prices, according to analysts and Reuters calculations.

Pakistan Could Start Importing Russian Oil After March

Russia could start exporting oil to energy-starved Pakistan after March if terms are agreed and is discussing with Islamabad whether payment could be made in the currencies of "friendly" countries, Russia's energy minister said on Friday.

Russian Gas Exports to Europe Plunge 22% in January - Reuters

Daily pipeline gas exports by Kremlin-controlled energy giant Gazprom to Europe fell 22% in the first half of January compared with December amid milder than usual weather, Reuters calculations show.

Wintershall Dea to Leave Russia, Causing $8 Billion Loss at Parent BASF

Chemicals giant BASF on Tuesday unveiled a $7.9 billion non-cash impairment on Wintershall Dea, after the oil and gas exploration joint venture decided to exit Russia following its invasion of Ukraine.

Bulgaria Looking to Revive 186-Mile Trans-Balkan Pipeline Project

Sofia, the capital of Bulgaria, is holding talks with neighboring Greece to build the 300-km (186-mile) trans-Balkan pipeline to transport crude oil from the Greek port of Alexandroupolis on the Aegean Sea to Bulgaria's Black Sea port of Burgas in an effort to secure non-Russian oil.

Former Gazprom Unit Sefe Has Secured Regasification Capacity at Dunkirk

German gas importer Sefe has secured 3.5 Bcm of regasification capacity in Dunkirk and is closing in on new LNG import deals, its boss said, mapping out the former Gazprom division's future strategy.

Russia Suggests Sweden Has 'Something to Hide' in Nord Stream Blast Probe

Russia questioned on Thursday whether Sweden had "something to hide" over explosions that damaged the Nord Stream gas pipelines last year, as it slammed Stockholm for not sharing information in the ongoing investigations into the blasts.

Rosneft Wants to Supply Gas to Power-of-Siberia 2 Pipeline

Russia's Gazprom is aiming to start delivering gas via the 2,600-km Power-of-Siberia 2 pipeline by 2030. The pipeline could carry 50 billion cubic meters of natural gas per year.

Global Pipeline Construction Outlook 2023

(P&GJ) — Seldom has a new year arrived with the degree of supply and demand uncertainty facing global energy markets at the start of 2023. Pipeline & Gas Journal's annual survey of global construction activity reflects a renewed emphasis on energy security after Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Kazakhstan to Raise Supply of Oil to Germany Via Druzhba Pipeline in 2023

Russian oil pipeline operator Transneft said Kazakhstan's KazTransOil had requested 1.2 million tonnes of capacity on the Druzhba pipeline for 2023 to facilitate extra oil shipments to Germany, the RIA Novosti news agency reported.

Putin Says Russia Now One of China's Leading Oil and Gas Suppliers

Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Friday that Russia had become one of China's leading suppliers of oil and gas, with 13.8 billion cubic meters of gas shipped to China via the Power of Siberia pipeline in the first 11 months of 2022.

Poland Ready for Russian Oil Ban, Seeks Pipeline Sanctions

Poland is prepared for a Russian ban on oil sales to countries implementing a price cap, the climate minister said on Thursday, with the country having cut its intake of Russian crude and secured alternative supplies from producers such as Saudi Arabia.

Russia Ready to Resume Gas Supplies to Europe Via Yamal-Europe Pipeline

Moscow is ready to resume gas supplies to Europe through the Yamal-Europe Pipeline, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak told state TASS news agency.