FSU Energy articles from September 2000

FSU Energy archives from September 2000

Lukoil loses ground in Iraq.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
September 29, 2000... Kremlin favourites Slavneft could capitalise, as Lukoil downs tools at Iraq's West Qurna project Russia's Lukoil appears to be on the verge of quitting Iraq's 20bn bl West Qurna project, amid deterioration of its relationship with Iraq's...

Yugoslavia at the crossroads.(Brief Article)
September 29, 2000... The game could be up for Yugoslavia's President Milosevic. If it is, a new frontier beckons for oil companies "He is finished," say the banners. But Yugoslav president Slobodan Milosevic was still clinging to power this week, defying...

TotalFinaElf wants more Okioc.(Offshore Kazakhstan International Operating Co.)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
September 29, 2000... TotalFinaElf wants to raise its 14.29pc stake in Offshore Kazakhstan International Operating Company (Okioc) -- developing fields in the Kazakh sector of the Caspian Sea. And leading consortium members are vying for operatorship of the...

VAT payback starts for PSAs.(value added tax, Russian production sharing agreements)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
September 29, 2000... The Russian government has moved to make good on its promise to pay back five-years worth of VAT to western oil companies participating in the Sakhalin offshore production-sharing agreement (PSA) projects. But Russia wants to lay some of...

Mol thwarts Gazprom's hostile threat.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
September 29, 2000... Hungary's Mol has increased its stake in TVK -- the nations largest chemical producer -- blocking an attempt by Russian gas giant Gazprom to take control of the firm. Mol supplies around 1 mn t/y of feedstock to TVK -- about 29pc of its...

Rosneft juggles Sakhalin stakes.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
September 29, 2000... Rosneft finally received a formal written proposal from ONGC this week about the Indian firm's possible purchase of a 20pc stake in the Sakhalin I project held by Rosneft (FSUE, 8 September, p8). Negotiations have been dragging for almost...

Yukos growth plans depend on exports.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
September 29, 2000... Russia's second-largest oil company, Yukos, has outlined ambitious goals for crude production and export increases over the next five years. But the plans hinge on its ability to secure new export routes. Yukos expects crude production...

Turkmens dash Gazprom gas deal.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
September 29, 2000... Turkmenistan is not planning to sign any long-term natural gas export contracts, says Turkmen president Sapurmurat Niyazov. His statement will frustrate the plans of Russian gas firms Gazprom and Itera to tie the central Asian state to...

We stole gas, admits Ukraine.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
September 29, 2000... Ukrainian state-owned oil and gas company Naftohaz Ukrainy has admitted stealing Russian transit gas. Company deputy chairman Vladimir Trikolich says Naftohaz took around 1 bn [m.sup.3] "without formal permission". Trikolich says...

Russian gas exports rise.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
September 29, 2000... Russia exported 118bn [m.sup.3] of natural gas in the first seven months of the year, an increase of 3.3pc on the same period in 1999. And the value of Russia's gas exports rose by 56.9pc to $9.4bn during the same period. Deliveries to...

Azeri deal initialled.(Socar, Itera, Debis contract for gas delivery)(Brief Article)
September 29, 2000... Azeri state-owned oil and gas firm Socar has initialled a 2bn [m.sup.3] gas supply deal with trader Itera and German firm Debis (FSUE, 22 September; p7). The parties have agreed a draft contract, which is due to be signed at the end of this...

Azerbaijan talks gas to Turkey.(international trade talks)(Brief Article)
September 29, 2000... Azerbaijan and Turkey are holding talks in Istanbul this week on "early" gas deliveries from the BP-operated Shakh Deniz field (FSUE, 22 September, p6). Azerbaijan, which plans to start deliveries of 2bn-4bn [m.sup.3]/yr to Turkey from the...

Port loading schedules.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
September 29, 2000... Novorossiysk Oct loading schedule '000t Date Supplier/exporter Volume Berth 1 30-1 Lukoil 66 2-3 Yukos ...

Russia reins in 4Q exports.(crude exports outside Russia limited)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
September 29, 2000... Russian crude exports to non-CIS destinations have been pencilled in at 27.84mn t (2.21mn b/d) for the fourth quarter, including transit volumes (see pp14-15). And Russian firms are scheduled to export 22.76mn t in the October-December...

Government leans on oil companies.(Russia)(Government Activity)(Brief Article)
September 29, 2000... Russia's energy ministry has increased oil firms' fourth-quarter domestic crude supply quotas -- the so-called "balance obligations". But the presidential adviser on economic issues, Andrei Illarionov, has described oil supply quotas as...

In brief.(industry news)(Industry Overview)
September 29, 2000... Russia & CIS Tyumen Oil disowns fake release Tyumen Oil issued a statement this week repudiating a press release claiming it plans to sell its recently acquired 85pc stake in Onaco. The press release, which Tyumen Oil says it never...

Market bounces back ... for now.(Russia financial market)(Industry Overview)
September 29, 2000... Russian share values bounced back, closing tantalisingly close to the 200-point mark. But their journey was erratic, and the market looks set for more volatility in the near term. The Russian Trading System (RTS) index closed the week...

Fortum tries to tempt Transneft over BPS.(Baltic Pipeline System planning)(Brief Article)
September 29, 2000... Finnish energy group Fortum is still angling for a role in Russia's planned Baltic Pipeline System (BPS), despite the Russian government's decision to keep foreign investors out of the project. But state-owned pipeline operator Transneft...

Products market.(petroleum industry statistics)(Brief Article)(Industry Overview)(Statistical Data Included)
September 29, 2000... Products slump, despite tight supplies * Weaker crude dragged down Russian products. Gasoil plummeted on the back of IPE futures, but a lack of fuel oil supply limited losses. * Russian gasoil lost a massive $35/t in northwest Europe,...

Crude market.(petroleum industry statistics)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
September 29, 2000... Crude prices 27 Sep NW Europe $/bl Chg on 20 Sep diff to Brent Brent (dated) (fob) 30.26-30.30 -3.30 -- Urals (cif) ...

Russian 4Q oil exports.(Statistical Data Included)
September 29, 2000... Russia's crude export schedule outside the FSU, 4Q 2000 '000t Exporter Novorossiysk Tuapse (1) Total exports 6,860 1,441 Rosneft ...

Netbacks.(Russiam netback pricing)(Statistical Data Included)
September 29, 2000... Russian crude netbacks Ventspils Ventspils (SGP([dagger])) Urals (cif-fit) ($/bl) 26.78 26.78 Urals...

Sibneft springs a surprise.(Tyumen Oil wins Onaco)(Brief Article)
September 22, 2000... Against expectations Tyumen Oil has won the race for Onaco. But there is a sting in the tail The Russian oil industry is astounded that Tyumen Oil has won the Onaco privatisation. Meanwhile Tyumen itself has been surprised by the news...

And the real winner is ...(Free enterprise and Tyumen Oil)(Brief Article)
September 22, 2000... The sale of Onaco has been hailed as a break with the past. But certain aspects are all-too familiar The unthinkable has happened. The privatisation of a Russian oil firm has taken place in a free, fair and transparent fashion. Or at...

Shareholders gun for Vyakhirev.(Gazprom)(Brief Article)
September 22, 2000... Private shareholders in Gazprom have demanded the resignation of chief executive Rem Vyakhirev in a report sent to five government representatives on the Russian gas giant's board. The report, entitled "Gazprom -- the first 100 days"...

Budget demands pressure oil.(Brief Article)
September 22, 2000... The Russian government is facing insistent calls for increased spending because of continuing high oil prices, dashing earlier expectations of a smooth passage through the Duma for Russia's draft budget. If the cabinet agrees any concessions,...

Gazprom slugs it out with Media Most.(Gazprom Russian Joint Stock Co.vs.Vladimir Gusinsky)(Brief Article)
September 22, 2000... The Russian public has been gripped this week by the latest developments in the conflict between gas giant Gazprom and Vladimir Gusinsky's Media Most group, the country's largest national media holding. Gazprom -- which controls 16pc of...

Russia's gasoline crisis refuses to go away.(Sergey Borisnov)(Brief Article)
September 22, 2000... Retail gasoline prices in Russia continue to rise week by week, and some regions are suffering fuel shortages. But the Russian government insists the situation is "under control". Sergey Borisov, president of the Russian fuel union, which...

Kasyanov promises reform.(Mikhail Kasyanov)(Brief Article)
September 22, 2000... Russian prime minister Mikhail Kasyanov said this week that restructuring of the country's natural monopolies is a key plank of the government's economic reform plans. Kasyanov spoke to oil industry executives, including representatives from...

Russian-Dutch JV to run CPC loadings.(joint venture Smit-Octo-Luktrans; Caspian Pipeline Consortium)(Brief Article)
September 22, 2000... A joint venture involving Lukoil subsidiary Luktrans has won the contract for offshore operations and maintenance at the new Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC) oil terminal at Novorossiysk. Smit-Octo-Luktrans, a joint venture between...

Hungarian firms unite to block Gazprom.(Gazprom Russian Joint Stock Co.; MOL Magyar Olaj- es Gazipari Rt)(Brief Article)
September 22, 2000... Mol appears to be trying to head off an attempt by Gazprom to secure a stake in Hungary's leading petrochemical firm, TVK. Mol already holds 19.5pc of TVK, which is a major buyer of its naphtha output, and is believed to be in the process...

Shell keeps TCGP flame burning.(Trans-Caspian Gas Pipeline )(Brief Article)
September 22, 2000... Shell remains confident its Trans-Caspian Gas Pipeline (TCGP) project linking Turkmenistan and Turkey can be realised. But it has still not secured approval from the Turkmen government, whose stalling has already given rival schemes a...

In brief.(Norsi Joint Stock Company)(multiple articles)(Brief Article)
September 22, 2000... Russia & CIS Russia prepares to raise export tax The Russian government will almost certainly increase the crude export tax from [european dollar]27/t to [european dollar]34/t next month. A tax of [european dollar]34/t is imposed...

Gazprom faces up to shrinking production.(Company Profile)
September 22, 2000... The seemingly impregnable position of Russia's Gazprom as the world's leading gas exporter is starting to show some cracks. Production is falling as fields deplete, and investment in developing new reserves is failing to keep up with the pace...

Russia slides on Dow oil fears.
September 22, 2000... More selling on the Russian stock market erased all the gains made this year, and sent the index tumbling back below the 200-point mark. Energy-related news proved, for once, largely irrelevant. But the sector was unable to escape the...

Was the price right for Onaco?(Brief Article)
September 22, 2000... Tyumen Oil's bid of $1.08bn for an 85pc share in Onaco surprised observers. And analysts expect it will have to raid its accounts again, before it can achieve control of the vertically integrated oil company (see p2). Tyumen's bid came...

Onaco: small but steady.(Brief Article)(Company Profile)
September 22, 2000... Onaco is Russia's smallest vertically integrated oil company with stagnant production of about 160,000 b/d. Its most important asset is a 51pc stake in the 150,000 b/d Orenburgnefi producer. The company also owns the 158,000 b/d Orsk...

Products Market.(Brief Article)
September 22, 2000... Products ride on back of crude gains * Russian product prices strengthened as IPE Brent gained more than $2/bl. Fuel oil was the main beneficiary, despite limited trade. Gasoil was held back by volatile futures. But renewed buying kept...

Crude market.(Brief Article)
September 22, 2000... Crude prices 20 Sep NW Europe S/bl Chg on 13 Sep diff to Brent Brent (dated) (fob) 33.56-33.60 +2.64 -- Urals (cif) 31.91-31.95...

Russian rail data.(rail trade list)
September 22, 2000... Russian rail exports/imports, August 2000 % chg YTD Crude '000 b/d Jul '000 b/d Overland Afghanistan ...

Netbacks.(netback pricing list - petrolemum industry)
September 22, 2000... Russian crude netbacks Ventspils Ventspils (SGP Novoros- [dagger]) siysk Urals (cif-fit) ($/b/) ...

A done deal?(Onaco privatization)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
September 15, 2000... The sale of Onaco appears to have been sewn up. And it could mark the end of an era The battle for control of state-owned Onaco is heating up, with the winner set to be decided next week. But industry insiders say the outcome of the...

Incompatible partners.(Russia and OPEC)(Brief Article)
September 15, 2000... On the face of it Russia and Opec have common interests. But it is not as simple as it seems Opec and Russia are engaged in a curious courtship ritual, with the oil producers' organisation playing the role of suitor. The interest is...

Kukes upbeat on investment prospects.(Seymon Kukes of Tyumen Oil (Russia))(Brief Article)
September 15, 2000... Tyumen Oil president Semyon Kukes tells Argus he expects the US political climate will remain positive enough for his firm to attract more US investment, whoever wins the November elections. His comments followed the signing of a $292mn loan...

Kazakhs struggle against fuel crisis.(Domestic supply in jeopardy)(Brief Article)
September 15, 2000... Kazakhstan is preparing to introduce measures to avert fuel shortages. These include crude export quotas, which vice-premier Daniyal Akhmetov put before parliament last week. Previous quotas were lifted at the start of the year, but since...

Transneft wants more dollars.(Brief Article)
September 15, 2000... Russian pipeline operator Transneft is asking for an increase in its dollar tariff to compensate for the cost of building the Chechen bypass. The request is part of a strategy aimed at reintroducing an investment fee into the firm's charges....

Transneft stifles Ventspils exports.(Latvian oil port boycotted)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
September 15, 2000... Russian pipeline operator Transneft is blocking demands from the energy ministry's central dispatch unit (CDU) and Russian oil frans for a boost in crude shipments to the Latvian port of Ventspils. This is the monopoly's latest move in its...

Caspian crude flows face hurdles.(oil)(Brief Article)
September 15, 2000... Russian pipeline operator Transneft has accused local authorities in Dagestan of stealing crude from the Chechen bypass pipeline. And it has denied that some 2,000t of Kazakh crude is stuck in its 100,000 b/d...

Yukos signs Butinge deal.(Brief Article)
September 15, 2000... Yukos last week signed a deal to export 80,000 b/d through Lithuania's Butinge oil terminal over the next five years. The deal will account for half of the terminal's capacity. Yukos has been a regular user of the port this year, since...

Tyumen Oil revives Kazakh swap deal.(crude oil)(Brief Article)
September 15, 2000... Russia's Tyumen Oil has resumed crude swaps with Kazakhstan's 160,000 b/d Pavlodar refinery. The Russian firm supplied 83,000t in exchange for 99,000t of Kazakh crude delivered to its recently acquired 400,000 b/d Lisichansk refinery in...

Ukraine discusses gas network privatisation.(Brief Article)
September 15, 2000... The Ukrainian parliament is discussing a draft law on privatisation of the country's gas network. The proposed sell-off could open the way for Russia to take a stake in the network, heading off its plans for a new gas pipeline bypassing...

Russia increases gas production.(Gazprom Russian Joint Stock Co.)(Brief Article)
September 15, 2000... Russian natural gas production has risen during the first eight months of this year. But the increase is accounted for by independent producers, while output by Gazprom has fallen. Russia produced 386bn [m.sup.3] of natural gas in the...

Gazprom in Vietnam deal.(With Vietnam Oil and Gas Corp.)(Brief Article)
September 15, 2000... Gazprom and Vietnam's state energy firm PetroVietnam this week signed an agreement on exploration of gas fields with reserves of 1 trillion [m.sup.3] in the Gulf of Tonkin. The companies plan to set up a 50/50 joint venture. Next year,...

In brief.(short items)(Industry Overview)(Statistical Data Included)
September 15, 2000... Russia and CIS State keeps tight grip on BPS The Russian government will keep full control of the Baltic Pipeline System (BPS) by barring foreign investors from the project. Prime minister Mikhail Kasyanov said this week that...

Azerbaijan benefits from rail transit boom.(petroleum products transporting)(Brief Article)(Industry Overview)
September 15, 2000... Azerbaijan is the key transit link in the transport of crude and products from the Caspian to the Mediterranean market, with substantial volumes moved by rail. Traffic to Georgia's Black Sea ports of Batumi and Poti is growing rapidly,...

Gazprom expands petrochemical empire.(Sibur to acquire Sibur Nefiekhim)(Brief Article)(Company Profile)
September 15, 2000... Gazprom subsidiary Sibur -- Russia's leading petrochemicals producer -- has reached a critical stage in its attempt to take full control of Sibur Neftekhim, a Nizhny-Novgorod petrochemical company. The takeover would be an important boost in...

Stocks dip on profit-taking.(Gazprom Russian Joint Stock Co.;Lukoil Co.)(Brief Article)
September 15, 2000... Russian share prices finally buckled under the strain imposed by the sharp rises of the last two months. The predictions of technical analysts were fulfilled, as investors took profits. But with the flow of positive news likely to pick up...

Yukos eyes eastern markets.(Brief Article)
September 15, 2000... Yukos, Russia's second-biggest firm, is focusing on southeast Asia as a destination for future exports. It is motivated by fears of mounting congestion in the Black Sea. By 2010, it expects crude exports through the region to reach 2mn...

JKX boasts soaring profits.(JKX Oil and Gas PLC)(Brief Article)
September 15, 2000... UK-based oil and gas firm JKX, which has extensive operations in the FSU, has reported a substantial increase in profits. The firm ascribes its improved fortunes to strong world oil prices and the restructuring of the company. JKX made a...

Good payment boosts Lukoil bottom line.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
September 15, 2000... Record oil prices have brought a three-fold first-half rise in profits for Lukoil, under Russian accounting standards. Crude output rose by 2.4pc, with gas output rising by 5.7pc to 2.49bn [m.sup.3]. The firm has improved cash collection from...

Products market.(Brief Article)
September 15, 2000... Tight supplies boost gasoil * Russian products showed a mixed reaction to falling crude prices. Gasoil surged amid buoyant demand. Fuel oil weakened, except in the Mediterranean where alternative feedstock-buying prevailed. * Heavy...

Crude market.(petroleum industry)(Illustration)(Statistical Data Included)(Brief Article)
September 15, 2000... Discounts contract, prices crash * The tight sour crude market encouraged further contraction of Urals discounts. But a sudden collapse in prompt Brent prices sent outright levels tumbling, dragging Urals back below $30/bl by the end of...

Russian rail data.(petroleum industry)(Illustration)(Statistical Data Included)
September 15, 2000... Russian rail exports/imports, July 2000 '000t Crude % chg YTD '000 b/d Jun Overland Afghanistan Armenia Azerbaijan Belarus...

Netbacks.(petroleum industry)(Statistical Data Included)(Illustration)
September 15, 2000... Ventspils Ventspils (SGP([dagger]) Urals (cif-fit) ($/bl) 29.44 29.44 Urals (cif-fit) ($/t) 214.91 ...

Putin promises PSA action.(Vladimir Putin to speed up production-sharing aggreements)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
September 8, 2000... Russia's president appears to be taking control of the PSA process. Oil firms are holding their breath The PSA-2000 investment conference on Sakhalin island last week could be a turning point in the history of Russia's production-sharing...

The same old story.(issue of production-sharing aggreements far from settled)(Brief Article)
September 8, 2000... Despite recent signs of progress, production sharing remains a battlefield for Russia's politicians President Vladimir Putin's surprise decision to hand the production-sharing agreement (PSA) portfolio to German Gref's ministry for...

BP studies Baku-Ceyhan alternatives.(British Petroleum studies pipe line routes)(Brief Article)
September 8, 2000... US service company Fluor Daniel is carrying out feasibility studies for BP of potential crude export routes from the Azeri capital Baku to Georgia's Supsa and the Iranian city of Tabriz. The news suggests that BP -- the AIOC consortium's...

Conoco considers arctic options.(Brief Article)
September 8, 2000... US firm Conoco is mulling building a separate export facility for shipping output from its $2bn Northern Territories (NT) project with Lukoil in Russia's far north. Conoco International Petroleum vice-president Jamal Quadir says the...

Romania OKs PSA.(oil production sharing agreement)(Brief Article)
September 8, 2000... Romania's state-owned oil firm Petrom has finally persuaded the country's finance ministry to give the go-ahead to an offshore production-sharing agreement (PSA) it has with TotalFinaElf. Petrom claims the government is "two weeks away" from...

Transneft tightens screws.(Brief Article)
September 8, 2000... Pipeline operator Transneft is said to be deliberately disrupting Russian crude exports through the Latvian port of Ventspils and Ukraine's Odessa. This is seen as part of its strategy to assume full control of exports from Russia. ...

Mazeikiai supply fears.(Brief Article)
September 8, 2000... Lithuanian oil firm Mazeikiu Nafta -- in which US firm Williams holds a 33pc operating stake -- has postponed maintenance at its 263,000 b/d Mazeikiai plant from the end of August until 18 September. Maintenance -- expected to last four weeks...

Russian crude exports slide.(Brief Article)
September 8, 2000... Crude exports from Russia through the Transneft system dipped to 2.75mn b/d last month, including transit volumes, down from 2.86mn b/d in July. Russian exports accounted for 2.47mn b/d, compared with 2.58mn b/d in July. The fall is...

Product exports still strong, despite slump.(Brief Article)
September 8, 2000... Product exports from FSU ports fell by almost 20pc in August compared with July, but volumes were 25pc higher than August 1999 thanks to strong prices. Total exports in January-August approached 44mn t, compared with 36mn t for the same...

In brief.(energy industry news)(Statistical Data Included)
September 8, 2000... Russia and CIS Gazprom ups Ukraine bypass pressure Slovak government officials came out in favour of Russia's proposed 25-30bn [m.sup.3]/yr Ukrainian bypass pipeline during talks in Moscow this week (FSUE, 18 August, p8). Gazprom...

Rosneft angles for bigger Sakhalin role.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
September 8, 2000... Russia's state-owned oil firm Rosneft is banking on its political connections and financial performance to extend its reach in Sakhalin island offshore projects. In particular, the firm is hoping to take a stake in operating the Sakhalin II...

Export infrastructure investment planned.(Rosneft)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
September 8, 2000... As part of its Sakhalin upstream expansion plan. Rosneft may boost capacity of its existing 50,000 b/d single point loading terminal near the mainland port of De Kastri, which is ice-free. The project is part of a plan under which Rosneft...

Rosneft regains PSA oil sale role.(Brief Article)
September 8, 2000... Rosneft president Sergei Bogdanchikov appears to have persuaded President Vladimir Putin that the company should be in charge of selling the state's share of oil from all of Russia's PSA projects. This follows a number of conversations with...

BP eyes for Sakhalin for gas growth.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
September 8, 2000... BP's plans to boost gas production have prompted it to rethink its Sakhalin offshore investment by angling for stakes in the Sakhalin I and Sakhalin II projects, both already operating. Previously, the major had been considering moving into...

Moscow urges joint infrastructure.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
September 8, 2000... The government wants Sakhalin I and II to invest in joint development of gas export infrastructure. But the two consortiums have different views on how they want to ship their output. Sakhalin I operator ExxonMobil wants to put the...

Sakhalin crude meets mixed reception.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
September 8, 2000... Marketing of Vityaz crude from Sakhalin island in Russia's far east took off again in May this year after production restarted from the offshore Piltun-Astokhskoye field. But quality concerns have limited its appeal to refiners in key target...

Prices await further impetus.(Russian share values)(Statistical Data Included)
September 8, 2000... Russian share values ticked downwards, but again finished the week barely affected by warnings from technical analysts that the market is overbought. The Russian Trading System index ended just 0.9pc lower at 237.85 points, having failed to...

Yukos signs Angarsk deal.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
September 8, 2000... Russian oil firm Yukos and oil investment group Rosinvestneft have joined forces to create a new alliance, Rinko-Yukos, to run the 460,000 b/d Angarsk refinery and petrochemical complex in eastern Siberia. The deal is a boost to Yukos' plans...

Gazprom will pay dividends.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
September 8, 2000... Russian gas giant Gazprom made a net profit of Rbs59.6bn ($2.1bn) in the first six months of this year. The company has released no further details of its accounts, but the figures -- compiled under Russian accounting standards (RAS) --...

Company news.(miscellaneous brief articles)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
September 8, 2000... * The Hungarian anti-monopoly office has approved Mol's purchase of a 36.2pc stake in Slovakian oil and gas firm Slovnaft. The merger is still subject to Slovakian anti-monopoly clearance, but this should be granted before the end of the...