FSU Energy articles from January 2005

FSU Energy archives from January 2005

All change in Nenets: controversial governor Vladimir Butov is on the way out. But there is no guarantee that things will improve.(Nenets Oil)
January 28, 2005... The political landscape in the oil-rich Nenets autonomous district looks set to change next month, with the eight-year rule of Vladimir Butov as governor about to come to an end. But the second round of gubernatorial elections--provisionally...

Sitting on the ring-fence: promises to open up ownership of Gazprom shares to foreigners are sounding increasingly hollow.(Editorial)
January 28, 2005... Removal of the so-called ring-fence barring foreign ownership of local Gazprom shares was dangled before investors with increasing frequency last year. To cynics it all looked like an attempt to distract attention from the Yukos affair...

ConocoPhillips gains influence at Lukoil ...(News)(OAO Lukoil and ConocoPhillips joint venture RusCo)
January 28, 2005... ConocoPhillips has received blocking control over key decisions at Lukoil following changes to the charter of the Russian firm. But the two companies have yet to agree on joint upstream plans for Timan-Pechora. Dividend payments, share...

Rosneft uncertainties delay Gazprom decisions.(News)
January 28, 2005... Continuing uncertainty about the planned takeover of Rosneft have prevented Gazprom's board from approving the gas giant's budget and investment programme for this year. Instead, the board this week ordered management to co-ordinate a...

Resources ministry looks east.(News)
January 28, 2005... Russia's ministry of natural resources plans to stimulate exploration of east Siberia to guarantee sufficient crude reserves to feed Russia's planned far eastern export pipeline. The ministry has already compiled a list of 40 east...

Yushchenko raises Odessa-Brody issue.(News)(Viktor Yushchenko )(Brief Article)
January 28, 2005... Ukraine's new president Viktor Yushchenko this week revived the possibility of using the Odessa-Brody pipeline to transport crude to central and eastern Europe. His remarks, made during a visit to Poland, have prompted renewed interest...

Poland's Lotos expands.(News)(Grupa Lotos)(Brief Article)
January 28, 2005... Grupa Lotos, the operator of Poland's 90,000 b/d Gdansk refinery, has moved a step closer to its much-delayed privatisation. The company has signed a contract with Nafta Polska, the government agency overseeing oil-sector privatisation,...

OMV advances on Druzhba link.(News: Petroleum industry)(Brief Article)
January 28, 2005... Austria's OMV is sticking to earlier plans to build a 60km crude pipeline from Bratislava to Schwechat, despite the problems faced by Yukos, its earlier partner in the deal. Construction of the link between the Slovak section of the...

Kazakhs set March Kashagan deadline.(News: Petroleum industry)(Brief Article)
January 28, 2005... Kazakhs set March Kashagan deadline Kazakhstan hopes to complete talks on the acquisition of UK gas firm BG's 16.67pc stake in the consortium developing the offshore Kashagan field in March, says a source at state-owned oil company...

Petronas strikes oil in Turkmenistan.(News)(Brief Article)
January 28, 2005... Malaysia's state-owned Petronas reports flows of 6,000 b/d of crude and 539,000 [m.sup.3]/d of gas after testing its fifth well at the Makhtumkuli field in the Turkmen sector of the Caspian. The field is part of Petronas' block 1...

TNK-BP looks to China.(Exports and trade)
January 28, 2005... TNK-BP is considering starting crude exports to China through Kazakhstan, following in the footsteps of Sibneft. First, TNK-BP plans to carry out a trial shipment through Dostyk-Alashankou on the Kazakh-Chinese border, a company source...

US refiners turn to CPC Blend.(Exports and trade)
January 28, 2005... The recent slump in the value of CPC Blend relative to other regional grades has prompted US refiners to snap up cargoes of the Caspian light crude. CPC Blend slumped to a discount of nearly $5/bl against rival Algerian light sweet...

Mild winter keeps freight rates in check.(News)(prices of ice-class vessels )
January 28, 2005... Mild weather at Russia's Baltic port of Primorsk and increased availability of ice-class vessels have helped prevent a repeat of last year's surge in freight rates for tankers calling at the terminal. Rates touched a high of WS440-WS450...

Domestic oil prices surge.(News : Petroleum industry)(Brief Article)
January 28, 2005... Russian domestic oil prices for February have risen dramatically, a development that traders attribute to increased export opportunities. Traders report wellhead prices for supplies next month at over $18/bl, while prices for January did...

ChevronTexaco confirms BTC interest.(News)(ChevronTexaco Corp)(Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan)(Brief Article)
January 28, 2005... ChevronTexaco confirms that it is interested in using the 1mn/d Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan (BTC) pipeline for crude exports, but only as a stopgap pending expansion of the Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC) route. ChevronTexaco Eurasia managing...

Putin-Vainshtok discuss Pacific pipeline.(Russia & CIS)(Vladimir Putin)(Semyon Vainshtok)(Brief Article)
January 28, 2005... Transneft president Semyon Vainshtok reported to Russia's president Vladimir Putin earlier this week that the company has started the feasibility study for the 1.6mn b/d Taishet-Perevoznaya Bay pipeline project from east Siberia to Russia's...

Ministry drafts products duty formula.(Russia & US)(crude oil export duty)(Brief Article)
January 28, 2005... A Russian tariff commission working group has approved a new product export duty formula, proposed by the finance ministry. If the commission votes for the new procedure, the new duty will come into force in April and will be reviewed every...

Sibneft hires Shell to manage Omsk.(Russia & US)(Petroleum industry)(Brief Article)
January 28, 2005... Sibneft has hired Shell subsidiary Shell Global Solutions to help it run the 385,000 b/d Omsk refinery over the next four years. "Shell Global Solutions will provide operational and technical services support for the Omsk refinery as part of...

Crude exports surge.
January 28, 2005... Surging pipeline shipments of Russian and Caspian oil pushed total FSU crude exports to record highs of 5.35mn b/d last year, up by nearly 15pc on 2003. The rise came mainly thanks to Transneft's expansion of the Baltic Pipeline System...

Looking ahead.(calander: Energy industries)(Brief Article)(Calendar)
January 28, 2005... * 1st Russia and CIS Bottom of the Barrel Technology Conference. 18-19 April. Moscow. Tel: +44 20 7357 8394. www.europetro.com * 3rd Russia and CIS Refining and Petrochemicals Business Conference. 20-21 April. Moscow. Tel: +44 20 7357...

Russia raises CIS crude shipments.(Russia & US)(Commonwealth of Independent States )(Brief Article)(Illustration)
January 28, 2005... Russia shipped 812,000 b/d (40.7mn t) of crude by pipeline to its CIS neighbours last year, an increase of 5.4pc on 2003. Shipments to Belarus rose by 17.2pc to 344,000 b/d compared with 2003, while exports to Kazakhstan were up by 16.6pc to...

Government draws up northwest development plans.(oil and gas exploration for northwest Russia)(Brief Article)
January 28, 2005... Russia's energy ministry has started work on a major oil and gas programme for northwest Russia to 2020. The declared goals are the creation of new oil and gas producing and processing centres, diversification of export routes and the...

Kazakhs plan Atyrau-Samara boost.(Caspian/central Asia)(Brief Article)
January 28, 2005... Kazakhstan wants to increase capacity of the Atyrau-Samara export pipeline to Russia by 20,000 b/d this year, taking it to 320,000 b/d. The pipeline is used to ship Kazakh crude to Baltic and Black Sea ports. Capacity expansion using...

Kazmunaigaz boosts output.(Caspian/central Asia)(Brief Article)
January 28, 2005... Kazakh state-owned oil and gas firm Kazmunaigaz produced 178,000 b/d (8.9mn t) of crude last year, an increase of 20,000 b/d on the previous year. This resulted from drilling 198 new wells at the Emba and Uzen fields in southern and western...

Klaipeda ups tariffs, loses customers.(Baltics)(Brief Article)
January 28, 2005... Rising transport costs are deterring Russian exporters from using Lithuania's Klaipeda products terminal. Handling charges have risen by 12pc, while the cost of moving product across Belarus by rail has risen by 12pc. It now costs 5.80...

Market tight on uncertainty.(Stock markets)(Energy industries)(Illustration)
January 28, 2005... Uncertainty over the direction of the Russian government's economic policy and lack of clarity on the proposed Gazprom-Rosneft merger continues to dampen stock market activity. Russian investment bank Alfa Bank predicts that the benchmark...

Primorsk Feb loading schedule.(Exports and trade)(Petroleum industry)(Calendar)
January 28, 2005... Primorsk Feb loading schedule '000t Date Supplier/exporter Volume 1-2 Surgulneftegaz 100 1-2 TNK BP 100 2-3 Rosneft ...

Pivdenne Feb loading schedule.(Exports and trade)(Petroleum industry)(Brief Article)(Calendar)
January 28, 2005... Pivdenne Feb loading schedule '000t Date Supplier/exporter Volume 6-7 TNK BP 76.2, Vanyeganneft 2.7, Aganneftegazgelogiya 1.1 80 14-15 Rosneft 80...

Gdansk Feb loading schedule.(Exports and trade)(Brief Article)
January 28, 2005... Gdansk Feb loading schedule '000t Date Supplier/exporter Volume 6-7 TNK BP 100 9-10 Slavneft 100 12-13 Kazakh producers 100 15-16 Sibneft ...

Novo. Feb loading schedule.(Exports and trade)(Petroleum industry)(Calendar)
January 28, 2005... Novo. Feb loading schedule '000t Date Supplier/exporter Volume Berth 1 1-2 TNK-BP 144 3-4 Sibneft ...

Tuapse Feb loading schedule *.(Exports and trade)(Brief Article)
January 28, 2005... Tuapse Feb loading schedule * '000t Date Supplier/exporter Volume 2-5 Sibneft 72 7-9 Lukoil 70 11-12 TNK-BP 56 16-19 Lukoil, Sibneft 64 25-27...

Yukos fallout delays loading schedules.(Exports and trade)(Brief Article)
January 28, 2005... The issue of Russia's February port loading programmes was delayed, as Transneft and key exporters tried to compensate for volumes earlier supplied by Yukos. The company halted seaborne exports in January after the sale of its major...

Cold weather, arbitrage lift gasoil.(Products market)(Petroleum industry)(Brief Article)
January 28, 2005... * Outright gasoil prices rose on the back of higher IPE futures, which were lifted by cold weather in Europe and improved arbitrage opportunities to the US. Fuel oil demand remains limited. * The easing of recent draught restrictions at...

Products prices.(Products market)(Petroleum industry)(Brief Article)(Illustration)
January 28, 2005... Products prices 26 Jan Baltic ports (fob) $/t Chg on 19 Jan Russian gasoil 416.83 - 418.83 +22 M-100 (straight-run) 148.73 - 150.73 -6 M-100 (cracked) ...

Freight rates.(Products market)(Brief Article)(Illustration)
January 28, 2005... Freight rates 26 Jan Rate WS ($/bl Novorossiysk to Augusta (Italy) Clean products 30,000t 335 2.64 Fuel oil 30,000t ...

Crude prices.(Crude market)(Brief Article)(Illustration)
January 28, 2005... Crude prices 26 Jan NW Europe $/bl Chg on 19 Jan diff to BFO BFO (dated) 46.56-46.62 +1.48 -- Urals (cif) 41.86-41.92 +1.78 -4.70...

Freight rates.(Crude market)(Brief Article)(Illustration)
January 28, 2005... Freight rates (Capital Shipbrokers) 26 Jan Novorossiysk to Augusta (Italy) WS Bate ($/bl) Crude 130,000t 220 1.77 Crude 80,000t 292.5 2.35 Crude 60,000t...

Pressure mounts on Urals.(Crude market)(Brief Article)
January 28, 2005... * Concern over the state of US heating oil stocks and colder weather in the US northeast prompted crude prices to rise by more than $1.50/bl over the week, taking March BFO close to $47/bl. Fears of sabotage attacks on Iraq's oil facilities...

Russian crude and condensate production, November 2004.(Russian oil production)(Illustration)
January 28, 2005... Russian crude and condensate production, November 2004 % chg '000t '000 b/d Oct 04 Vertically integrated oil companies...

Russian crude netbacks.(Netbacks)(Petroleum industry)(Illustration)
January 28, 2005... Russian crude netbacks 26 Jan Primorsk Butinge Navo- rossiysk Urals (cif-fit) ($/bl) 41.89 41.89 41.69...

Yukos exits seaborne market: the oil firm's demise as a crude exporter is gathering pace with a declaration of force majeure to term buyers.
January 21, 2005... Yukos has ceased seaborne crude exports, trading sources say. The firm is no longer able to supply crude to trading arm Petroval, causing the latter to declare force majeure on term contracts. Rosneft's takeover of Yuganskneftegaz has...

Muddying the waters: Russian crude exports may be at record highs, but the Urals market is becoming ever-more opaque.(Editorial)
January 21, 2005... On the face of it rising crude exports from Russia should mean more liquidity and, by extension, more transparency. In reality, a number of factors are conspiring to ensure that exactly the opposite is happening. For a start, the export...

Gazprom claims Rosneft takeover still on track.(OAO Gazprom)
January 21, 2005... Gazprom is insisting its planned takeover of Rosneft is on track despite recent signals to the contrary. The gas giant's chairman, Alexei Miller, said this week that the deal is fully ready and will be completed in the "near future". And...

Suspicion dogs Russia-Japan pipeline talks.(News)
January 21, 2005... Russia has made it clear that it wants Japan to provide unconditional loans for the planned Taishet-Perevoznaya Bay crude pipeline. Meanwhile Japan remains wary about Russia's true intentions. Russian energy and industry minister Viktor...

CPC quality shift erodes value.(Exports and trade)( Caspian Pipeline Consortium )
January 21, 2005... Record exports of CPC Blend and a change in the grade's quality have combined to push the Caspian light crude to a discount to Urals. Exports of CPC Blend soared to new highs of around 690,000 b/d in December as a result of increasing...

Crude goes off the rails.(Exports and trade)
January 21, 2005... Russian rail export figures for December have underlined the extent to which the profitability of exports by this method declined last year (see pp14-15). The system handled 575,000 b/d in December, or almost a half volume shipped at the...

Karachaganak plant plan abandoned.(Kazakhstan)(Brief Article)
January 21, 2005... Kazakhstan may decide against building a gas-processing plant at its Karachaganak gas condensate field, after agreeing to ship gas to Gazprom's Orenburg plant, 30km across the border in Russia. Field operator KPO, led by UK firm BG and...

Turgai halts exports again.(Kazakhstan)(Brief Article)
January 21, 2005... The Turgai Petroleum joint venture between Lukoil and Canada's PetroKazakhstan has halted exports again, as a result of a shareholder spat. The stoppage from 19 January follows a Kazakh court ruling that the venture's board of directors...

Moscow, Astana agree on co-operation.(oil well developments)
January 21, 2005... The Russian and Kazakh presidents have agreed on joint development of a gas and condensate field straddling their common border. The onshore Imashevskoye field, with reserves of 128.7bn [m.sup.3] of gas and 20.7mn t of gas condensate,...

Browne keeps Sakhalin separate.(BP in Russia)(John Browne )
January 21, 2005... BP chief executive John Browne identified Russia as a priority area for the major last year. For strategic reasons, it is pursuing a number of projects outside its existing TNK-BP joint venture, and new solo projects could be on the cards....

Downstream presence.(BP in Russia)(British Petroleum Company PLC)(Brief Article)
January 21, 2005... BP plans to expand its network of 70 lubricant distributors in Russia and Ukraine, and possibly open up its lubricant business in Kazakhstan. Lubricants bring BP $70mn in annual turnover and the firm says that, if it achieves an annual growth...

TNK-BP streamlines.(BP in Russia)
January 21, 2005... TNK-BP has revealed details of restructuring plans aimed at uniting its subsidiaries within a single holding, including swap ratios for the units involved. The process will create a major blue chip that could dominate Russia's stock market....

India reiterates Russian interest.(Russia & CIS)(Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Ltd.)(Brief Article)
January 21, 2005... India's petroleum ministry has recommended that state-owned oil and gas firm ONGC negotiate with Rosneft about acquiring a stake in Yuganskneftegaz. "ONGC is definitely looking at Yukos assets," says an ONGC official, adding that the company...

Development rights change submitted.(Russia & CIS)(Brief Article)
January 21, 2005... The natural resources ministry has submitted to the government a draft ruling on granting development rights to companies that discover reserves through exploration. Russia's new subsoil law contains such a provision, but it is unlikely to be...

Primorsk stays mild.(Russia & CIS)(Brief Article)
January 21, 2005... Ice-class requirements are still in force for vessels calling at Russia's Primorsk terminal despite the relatively mild weather conditions. But some traders have suggested that non-ice-class vessels may be able to load at the terminal if they...

Lukoil charter changes.(Russia & CIS)(Brief Article)
January 21, 2005... Lukoil shareholders are set to approve charter changes at a 24 January emergency general meeting (EGM) that will give ConocoPhillips some control over major deals, even though it is not allowed to hold a blocking stake. The US firm has now...

Lukoil-accused of licence violations.(Russia & CIS)(Brief Article)
January 21, 2005... It has given the firm three months to submit amended working schedules for six blocks in west Siberia's Khanty-Mansiysk district or have the licences revoked. The violations include failure to carry out exploration drilling in full and delays...

Looking ahead.(Calendar)
January 21, 2005... * 1st Russia and CIS Bottom of the Barrel Technology Conference. 18-19 April. Moscow. Tel: (44 20) 7357 8394. www.europetro.com * 3rd Russia and CIS Refining and Petrochemicals Business Conference. 20-21 April. Moscow. Tel: (44 20) 7357...

Full-year output figures.(Russia's crude production)(Brief Article)
January 21, 2005... Russia produced 9.15mn b/d (458.8mn t) of crude and condensate last year, taking output to a new post-Soviet high. Production was up by 8.6pc on 2003, although the annual increase was less than that year's 11pc. The biggest hikes were...

Gazprom looks to Latin America.(Russia & CIS)(Brief Article)
January 21, 2005... Gazprom has agreed with Mexico's Pemex to study options to supply liquefied natural gas to Mexico for regasification and onward transportation to the US by pipeline. The issue was discussed during a recent visit to Mexico and Venezuela by...

Turkish straits delays mount.(Caspian/central Asia)(Brief Article)
January 21, 2005... Delays to tanker traffic through the Turkish straits soared this week, threatening to disrupt crude loadings at key Black Sea ports. Waiting times for tankers passing through the straits rose from 2-4 days on 10 January to around two weeks...

Turkmenistan revives border dispute.(Caspian/central Asia)(Kyapaz/Serdar oil field)(Brief Article)
January 21, 2005... Turkmenistan is again arguing with Azerbaijan over which of them owns the Kyapaz/Serdar oil field in the Caspian. Ashgabat says it has started talks with little-known Canadian firm Buried Hill Energy on developing the field. But Azerbaijan,...

Gazprom agrees Azeri gas price.(Caspian/central Asia)(Azeri firm Socar )(Brief Article)
January 21, 2005... Gazprom export arm Gazexport has agreed to supply Azeri firm Socar with 5.5bn [m.sup.3] of gas this year at $60/'000[m.sup.3], up from $52/'000[m.sup.3] last year. Azerbaijan will buy the same volume in 2006 for $61/'000[m.sup.3]. Azerbaijan...

Fuel oil loadings will resume 'soon'.(Ventbunkers terminal)(Brief Article)
January 21, 2005... The Ventbunkers terminal at Latvia's Ventspils port will load a 25,000t cargo of fuel oil on 23-24 January after a month-long loading interruption due to poor demand. The situation was exacerbated by a major storm in the Baltic that resulted...

Butinge loadings suspended.(Mazeikiu Nafta unable to load crude due to storm damage)(Brief Article)
January 21, 2005... Lithuania's Butinge crude terminal will be unable to load crude this month as a result of storm damage. Terminal operator Mazeikiu Nafta (MN), which is majority owned by Yukos, confirms that sub-sea hoses leading to the terminal's...

TNK-BP listing plans fail to halt slide.(Stock markets)
January 21, 2005... The RTS index fell back below 600 points at the end of the week, and the outlook remains fairly weak. But earlier the mood had been buoyant after TNK-BP revealed details of its plan to consolidate under one holding company (see p7), part...

Minorities file final appeal against Surgut.
January 21, 2005... Minority investors in Surgutneftegaz have filed an appeal with Russia's supreme arbitration court, in a last-ditch attempt to wrest control of the company away from its management. The minority investors--Hermitage Capital Management, New...

Novatek sells shares.
January 21, 2005... The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) is to buy a stake of around 1pc in independent Russian gas firm Novatek for up to $40mn. And the private-sector arm of the World Bank, the IFC, has approved the purchase of a...

High prices deter German buyers.(Products market)(Brief Article)
January 21, 2005... * Prices rose across the board tracking, crude futures. The onset of colder weather in western Europe and the northeast US also lent support. * Steep rises in gasoil prices deterred buyers in northwest Europe. German consumers were...

Products prices.(Products market)(Brief Article)(Illustration)
January 21, 2005... Products prices 19 Jan $/t Chg on 12 Jan Baltic ports (fob) Russian gasoil 395.29 - 397.29 +7 M-100 (straight-run) 154.66 - 156.66 +13...

Freight rates.(Brief Article)(Illustration)
January 21, 2005... Freight rates 19 Jan Rate WS ($/bl) Novorossiysk to Augusta (Italy) Clean products 30,000t 310 2.44 Fuel oil 30,000t...

Crude prices.(Brief Article)(Illustration)
January 21, 2005... Crude prices 19 Dec $/bl Chg on 12 Jan diff to BFO NW Europe BFO (dated) 45.08-45.14 +1.98 -- Urals (cif) 40.08-40.14 +1.88 ...

Freight rates.(crude market)(Brief Article)(Illustration)
January 21, 2005... Freight rates (Capital Shipbrokers) 19 Jan WS Rate ($/bl) Novorossiysk to Augusta (Italy) Crude 130,000t 160 1.29 Crude 80,000t 240 ...

Market awaits big February programme.(Crude market)(Brief Article)
January 21, 2005... * Crude prices rose by more than $2/bl over the week, with cold weather in the US boosting demand for heating oil and threatening to put a strain on inventories that are already below last year's levels. March BFO rose above $45/bl. *...

Russian rail exports/imports, December 2004.(Russian rail data)(Illustration)
January 21, 2005... Russian rail exports/imports, December 2004 '000t % chg YTD Crude '000 b/d Nov '000 b/d Overland Afghanistan Armenia...

Russian crude netbacks.(netbacks)(Illustration)
January 21, 2005... Russian crude netbacks 19 Jan Primorsk Butinge Navo- rossiysk Urals (cif-fit) ($/bl) 40.11 40.11 41.06...

A crude arrangement: a well-connected trader appears to be marketing the bulk of Yuganskneftegaz exports.
January 14, 2005... A picture is starting to emerge of marketing arrangements for crude exported by former Yukos producer Yuganskneftegaz. Meanwhile, term buyers of Yukos crude are increasingly pessimistic about the company's ability to meet supply commitments....

East is east ... China and Russia would be ideal energy partners, if they could only focus on economics rather than politics.(China National Petroleum Corp. and Yuganskneftegas)(Editorial)
January 14, 2005... Signs from the Kremlin that China may be sold a 20pc stake in Yuganskneftegaz look like the answer to Beijing's prayers for secure overseas upstream assets. Russian energy minister Viktor Khristenko said late last year that...

Far east line approved.(government approval for crude export)
January 14, 2005... Russian crude exporters received a very welcome new year present from the government in the shape of long-awaited government approval for a far east export route. On 31 December, the Russian cabinet finally approved a project to build a...

Yukos continues US legal fight.(Deutsche Bank AG , OAO Gazprom, OAO NK Yukos, Rosneft)
January 14, 2005... Yukos says a US legal ban on the sale of its production unit Yuganskneftegaz will remain in place unless it is over-turned by an appeal. The firm earlier secured a temporary injunction specifically barring various western banks and...

Storm hits Ventspils loadings.(Exports and trade)(Ventspils Nafta)
January 14, 2005... Loadings at Ventspils, the main outlet for Baltic gasoil exports, have been severely disrupted by a major storm. It could be several weeks before things get back to normal. Winds of up to 90mph hit Ventspils on 9 January, causing the main...

Fuel oil lifts product exports to post-Soviet record in 2004.(Exports and trade)
January 14, 2005... Product exports from FSU ports hit a post-Soviet high of 93.5nm t last year, thanks largely to a surge in fuel oil shipments. Fuel oil exports were up by 13pc on 2003, accounting for nearly half of all product shipments. The rise reflects...

Duma re-examines pipeline law.(Legislation)
January 14, 2005... Russia's Duma is gearing up to approve the second reading of a new pipeline law that will effectively confirm Moscow's de facto ban on private companies from controlling trunk pipelines. The Duma committee on energy, transport and...

A question of access.(Legislation)(rules and laws for oil and gas companies)
January 14, 2005... Russia's draft pipeline law is meant to allow for free and fair access to pipelines, but only after capacity has been allocated to entities with priority rights. And oil and gas companies complain that it looks set to perpetuate existing...