Page 21 - FSUOGM Week 37

FSUOGM NEWS IN BRIEF FSUOGM

and require substantial investments, new to withdraw its support for Nord Stream 2. Azeri gas exports grow
technology and expertise. We, as a company Some of those calls have come from within
pursuing Ukraine’s interests, are ready to Merkel’s own CDU party. 17.5% y/y in nine-month
assume the responsibility. We are ready Construction on Nord Stream 2 was
to study and explore these opportunities halted in December after the US slapped period
for the entire industry and the country. sanctions on the project, forcing Swiss
But successful implementation requires a contractor Allseas to withdraw. Russia now In January-August, Azerbaijan exported 8.99bn
proactive attitude from the state and our co- says the pipeline, which at full capacity will cubic metres of natural gas to regional markets,
operation,” Naftogaz CEO Andriy Kobolyev carry some 55bn cubic metres per year of AZERTAG reported on September 14.
added. gas, will be ready in late 2020 or early 2021 – Exports of gas have continued to
“We need to increase domestic gas a year behind schedule. increase from Azerbaijan despite the onset
production, which is key to Ukraine’s energy A bill is making its way through US of coronavirus (COVID-19) on the region,
independence," said Oleh Seminskyi, deputy Congress that would impose even tougher which led to a decline in exports.
head of the energy, housing and utilities sanctions against Nord Stream 2, punishing Azerbaijan exported 7.414mn cubic
committee at the Verkhovna Rada, Ukraine's any European companies assisting in its metres of natural gas in the same period in
parliament. "Both state-owned and private completion. Until now Berlin has opposed 2018, indicating a 17.5% increase year on
companies have already been developing such measures, saying Washington is year.
deep horizons. The relevant parliamentary interfering in a matter of European energy The State Customs Committee said
committee is ready to support initiatives and security. that the export value of natural gas from
contribute to solving regulatory issues aimed Azerbaijan amounted to $1.42bn in the
at enhancing Ukraine’s production.” previous export period.

CENTRAL ASIA & SOUTH
Merkel said to co-ordinate CAUCASUS Kazakh oil production at
Nord Stream 2 action with Kazakh authorities to 58.3mn tonnes in Jan-Aug

EU Kazakhstan’s oil and condensate production
stood at 58.3mn tonnes in the first eight
German Chancellor Angela Merkel intends investigate oil and gas months of 2020, above the 56.5mn-tonne plan,
to co-ordinate with the EU any response or processing plant after Kazakhstan’s Energy Minister Nurlan Nogayev
any action against Russia in reaction to the told a government meeting on September 9.
poisoning of Russian dissident Alexei Navalny, flaring causes big black The oil production was driven by
Bloomberg reported on September 8 citing Kazakhstan’s need to fulfill agreements
unnamed sources. smoke plumes reached by OPEC+ earlier this year.
As reported by bne IntelliNews, a number Kazakhstan plans to produce around
of German politicians have called for Berlin Kazakh environmental authorities are set 85.2mn tonnes of oil in 2020 under OPEC+.
to withdraw its support for Nord Stream 2 to inspect an oil and gas processing plant at It produced 90.6mn tonnes last year.
and reverse its course on the gas pipeline Kashagan, the country’s largest oilfield, after Oil exports in the period amounted to
from Russia. plumes of black smoke caused by gas flaring 47.5mn tonnes. Gas production for the first
Reportedly, sanctions against Nord at the plant were seen on September 14, the eight months of 2020 amounted to 37.7bn
Stream 2 are not excluded, although no final ecology ministry said. cubic metres.
decision has been taken yet, Bloomberg According to the NCOC, the consortium “During the specified period,
claims. of global energy firms developing and Tengiz produced 18.2 million tonnes
Earlier this week German Foreign operating Kashagan, the gas flaring of oil, Kashagan – 10.4 million tonnes,
Minister Heiko Maas has demanded answers occurred due to technical reasons and was Karachaganak – 8.2 million tonnes,”
from Moscow over the poisoning of Navalny, controlled without the release of higher- Nogayev said.
also warning that the fate of the Nord Stream than-permitted concentrations of pollutants The volume of uranium production in
2 gas pipeline project could be at stake. into the air. the period amounted to 13,500 tonnes - the
Berlin has been a staunch supporter of NCOC is comprised of Eni, ExxonMobil, plan for 2020 stands at 19,300 tonnes.
Nord Stream 2, a pipeline running from Total, Royal Dutch Shell CNPC, Inpex
Russia under the Baltic Sea to Germany that Holdings and Kazakh state oil and gas
is almost complete. Just weeks ago, German company KazMunayGaz.
Chancellor Angela Merkel was defending Residents of the energy industry capital
the project as one “driven by commercial of Kazakhstan, Atyrau, posted photographs
actors”. Politics should have no bearing on its of the large black plumes on social media
completion, she has argued. on the morning of September 14. The
However, the revelation that Navalny, authorities sent a mobile laboratory to the
Russia's most prominent opposition figure, site.
was poisoned on August 20 by a Novichok
nerve agent has prompted a number of
leading German politicians to call for Berlin

Week 37 16•September•2020 www. NEWSBASE .com P21