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EurOil                                      NEWS IN BRIEF                                             EurOil




         According to data from the Petroleum   The third #GaZwithme protest, the largest so   as windfall taxes on the entire energy supply
       Industry Foundation of Turkey (PETDER),   far, demands the government to give up talks   chain, as the energy crisis continues.
       gasoline sales in Turkey declined by 3% to   with Gazprom, accusing it of national treason.  “We are very much thinking about taxing
       3mn cubic metres (m3) in 2020, while diesel   Earlier in August, Hristov said the talks   the entire chain: production, intermediaries,
       sales were flat at 30mn m3 and autogas   with Gazprom are inevitable, after the   suppliers,” Popescu said, as reported by
       (automotive LPG) sales were down 9% y/y to   government has decided to give up buying   Reuters.
       3mn tonnes.                         six tankers of US LNG agreed by the previous   “Taxation must be as fair as possible ... we
         In 2021, gasoline sales were up 31% y/y to   government of Kiril Petkov. Donev’s cabinet   tax everybody when profits are very high,” he
       4mn m3 (3mn tonnes) while diesel sales were   has claimed it was unable to secure slots   added.
       up 11% y/y to 32mn m3 and autogas was up   for unloading the tankers but experts have   Major Romania energy companies
       7% y/y to 3.1mn m3.                 opposed that Greece had been offering such   including natural gas and electricity producer
                                           slots.                               Romgaz and nuclear power company
                                                                                Nuclearelectrica have reported sharp hikes
       Bulgaria can lose bns in            Klaipedos Nafta lifts H1 revenue     in their profits for the first half of 2022,
                                                                                despite windfall taxes levied by the Romanian
       Gazprom arbitragage, ministers      14% to €36mn                         government on energy producers in order to
                                                                                finance the ‘cap and subsidy’ scheme.  .
       warn                                Lithuania’s state-controlled oil product

       Bulgaria can lose billions of dollars in   and liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminals   Estonian minister shuns making
       arbitration case against Russian Gazprom,   operator Klaipedos Nafta said on August 25
       caretaker Energy Minister Rossen Hristov said  that its first-half revenue rose by 13.9% year-  fiscally marked diesel pledge
       on August 25.                       on-year to €36mn, BNS, a Baltic newswire,
         Gazprom stopped deliveries to Bulgaria at   reported on August 25.     Estonian business associations want an
       the end of April, after the country has refused   Klaipedos Nafta’s consolidated net loss   amendment that would allow the use of
       to pay in roubles and despite having a contract   doubled to €13.8mn. Its adjusted net profit   fiscally marked diesel in place of gas in
       by the end of 2022.                 came in at €3.1mn, versus an adjusted net loss   manufacturing and heating. But minister
         Hristov’s statement comes amid decision   of €0.2mn in the same period last year, the   of Economic Affairs and Communications
       of the government to start negotiations with   company said in a stock exchange release.   Riina Sikkut (SDE) said that the potential
       the Russian company for renewed supplies   Klaipedos Nafta said its net profit “was   effects are being analysed and weighed
       and mass protests against that decision. It was   significantly affected by unrealised currency   against alternatives, ERR.ee, an Estonian
       backed also by his colleague, the caretaker   exchange losses and by the reduction of the   news website, reported on August 24.
       Defence Minister Dimitar Stoyanov.  LNG security supplement by €26.8mn per   Entrepreneurs wrote in a letter to the
         The energy minister said that the contract   annum as of January 1, 2020”.   government that the price of natural gas has
       with Gazprom includes a “take or pay” option,   Consolidated Ebitda grew by 19% in the   grown six times in the past year, whereas
       under which the country is obliged to buy   first half year to €16.9mn y/y.  no one knows what the price will be this
       at least 80% of the annual amount of gas.                                winter or whether there will be enough gas
       Hristov said that the country has used 1bn                               available.
       cubic metres (BCM) of natural gas since the   Minister says measures to    “In such a situation, businesses are
       beginning of the year and could be forced to                             looking for ways to replace gas with
       pay for another 1.4bcm.             tackle Romanian energy               alternative sources of energy. We believe
         “Therefore, if we do not use the remaining                             Estonia should take measures to motivate
       quantity it is possible that we go to arbitration   crisis will cost €3.2bn  entrepreneurs to replace gas with
       with the potential possibility to lose billions,”                        alternatives, if only temporarily,” they wrote.
       he said as quoted in a statement.   Romanian measures to protect households   One proposed solution is to amend
         This was pointed out as one more reason   and small businesses from rising energy prices   the Fiscal Marking of Liquid Fuel Act to
       for the caretaker government of Gulub Donev   will cost around RON16bn (€3.2bn), Energy   temporarily allow fiscally marked fuel to
       to seek resumption of the deliveries.  Minister Virgil Popescu told journalists on   be used for heating. This would lower the
         Hristov also said the price of Gazprom’s gas   August 24, Reuters reported.   excise duty on diesel used in heating from
       was close to that of the gas sold by Azerbaijan   The scheme was launched in response to   €0.372 per litre to €0,021 per litre.
       and is by 50% lower compared to that of the   soaring gas and electricity prices as the war   The proposal would also allow the use of
       liquified natural gas (LNG) the country could   in neighbouring Ukraine hits global energy   fiscally marked diesel in stationary engines
       have acquired from the US. Experts claim that   markets.                 – this would allow using diesel to replace
       this was not possible.                 Under the ‘cap and subsidy’ scheme, gas   gas in production processes. The exception
         However, experts say that it was Gazprom   and electricity bills for households and smaller  could remain in effect until May 1, 2024, or
       that stopped fulfilling its obligations under   businesses have been capped, while the   for two heating seasons.
       the contract with Bulgaria and the country   government gives compensation to suppliers.   The address has been signed by the
       has reasons to file arbitration case against the   According to Popescu, the current estimate   Estonian Chamber of Commerce and
       Russian company and win the case. Moreover,   is considerably lower than the RON40bn   Industry, the Association of Construction
       if Bulgaria starts talks with Gazprom for   originally projected by market regulator   Material Producers, the Chamber of
       renewal of deliveries, the country would lose   ANRE.                    Agriculture and Commerce, the Food
       its possibility to win an arbitration case.  The government, a coalition between the   Industry Association and the Estonian Oil
         At the same time, thousands protested   centre-left Social Democratic Party (PSD) and   Association.
       against the government’s plan to turn to   the centre-right National Liberal Party (PNL),
       Moscow for gas in the evening of August 24.   is now considering additional measures such



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