Page 13 - FSUOGM Week 38 2021

FSUOGM NEWS IN BRIEF FSUOGM

Iraq ranked the third with a 25% increase Ceban said. “We must determine on what principle
to 5.84 million tonnes. Brazil supplied Last week, the minister of infrastructure the price of natural gas will be formed
3.55 million tonnes, a 46% rise, and Oman and regional development, Andrei Spanu, in order to fix it for the long term,”
supplied 3.29 million tonnes, a 10% fall.. stated that he is following the evolution of Golovchenko as cited by TASS. The
gas prices on the international market and two sides are stuck on what is the most
is in talks with Moldovagaz representatives, important question for Belarus’ longevity.
in the context of the need to sign a new Kommersant reports that some progress
EASTERN EUROPE agreement with Gazprom for natural gas has been made. Russian President Vladimir
delivery. Putin and Belarus' President Alexander
Moldovagaz to ask that negotiating the new contract with Lukashenko met last week and reported
President Maia Sandu previously stated
that work on the 28 so-called roadmaps
regulator to endorse 40% Russia on the purchase of natural gas is the designed to bring the two countries’
responsibility of Moldovagaz and the state
economies closer together as part of a
hike of end-user gas price will not interfere. Moldovagaz is controlled Union State deal have been concluded,
although few details have been released.
by Gazprom.
Moldovagaz, the main natural gas supplier "It is a formula that is already established As the tax systems of the two countries
in Moldova and the owner of the incumbent and it is about contractual commercial are integrated, which Putin and Lukashenko
natural gas transport network, will ask relations between two institutions," said the have already agreed on, Belarusian
the market regulator ANRE to accept an head of state. refineries will be able to receive a reverse
increase in the price of natural gas for end In turn, the parliamentary opposition excise tax on oil (and when supplying oil
consumers by nearly 40%, from MDL4,300 claims that the current government could products to Russia, a damper) and thus
(€205) per 1,000 cubic metres to MDL6,000, get a lower price for our country, if it does will operate under the same conditions as
Unimedia reported. not undermine relations with Russia. Russian refineries.
The new prices would come into force in There were three approaches to gas at
October, Moldovagaz proposed. different times. Belarus has been holding
The information was confirmed by the Russia and Belarus out to pay the same prices as the Russian
director of the company, Vadim Ceban. region of Smolensk region of $68 per 1,000
"We will address a request in this regard again fail to agree on the cubic metres. Russia offered to sell gas via
to ANRE. If we extend the contract with an export netback (price in Germany minus
Gazprom, we have all the prerequisites conditions for creating a transport and duties). With current spot
to request this increase. Thus, from the prices in Europe of circa $720 per 1,000
fourth quarter, the price of gas will be more single gas market cubic metres, the netback would be about
expensive. We forecast a tariff increase of $450.
over 35%, up to MDL6,000. Another option Russia and Belarus again failed to agree A compromise solution, which has
is returning to the tariffs in force during on the conditions for creating a single gas been discussed for several years, is to fix
2015-2016, of MDL6,200," the head of market, although they have agreed to a price Gazprom's transport tariff to the Belarusian
Moldovagaz said. for gas next year of $128 per 1,000 cubic border, which would allow Belarusian
“We hope that this [price increase] will metres just as the price in Europe soars to companies to buy gas in Russia – and in
happen soon, we have another 12 days to over $800 for the first time ever. theory, not only from Gazprom, but also
negotiate the contract [with Gazprom], But the long-term arrangements are from independent producers. According
until September 30. not settled. According to Belarusian Prime to Kommersant's sources, in this deal the
The procedure [carried out by ANRE] Minister Roman Golovchenko, the parties price would have been lower than the price
can take between two weeks and a month, must determine the principles for setting currently fixed for 2022 ($128.5 per 1,000
or more, but we hope that ANRE will move prices for Russian gas by July 1, 2022, cubic metres), but still significantly higher
quickly, so that we do not end up in default,” reports Kommersant. than the price for the Smolensk region.

Week 38 22•September•2021 www. NEWSBASE .com P13