The Nordstream 2 gas pipeline that Gazprom and a number of major European energy companies, have agreed to build, faces formidable political, legal and economic obstacles that may make the project undeliverable, writes Alan Riley, professor at City Law School in London and nonresident Senior Fellow with the Atlantic Council’s Global Energy Center. According to Riley, the overarching problem Gazprom and its partners Shell, Engie, Wintershall, OMV … [Read more...]
Klaus Schäfer, future CEO of E.ON spin-off Uniper: “EU should set a target for gas”
The EU should define how much gas it wants by when, and recognise that Nord Stream 2 can provide additional security of supply, argues Klaus Schäfer, the incoming CEO of E.ON spin-off Uniper in this exclusive interview with Energy Post. Schäfer, who is currently Board member of the E.ON Group, says Europe is further away than ever from a single market for electricity and calls on policymakers to recognise that security of supply has a cost. He … [Read more...]
A quiet gas revolution in Central and Eastern Europe
Turkish Stream, Nord Stream, South Stream, Nabucco - the discussion about the European gas market centres on big gas pipeline projects which are supposed to make Europe either more or less dependent on Russia. However, unnoticed by most observers, Central and Eastern European countries have been carrying out numerous smaller projects that together are radically transforming the European gas market, write Colin Harrison and Zuzana Princova of … [Read more...]
Why Brussels should not interfere with Nord Stream 2
In its efforts to increase European energy security and create a common European energy market – and ultimately an Energy Union worth its label – the European Commission preeminently emphasizes the diversification of supply routes. For this reason it has criticised the Nord Stream 2 project of Gazprom and a number of European companies. But while diversification certainly remains one of the basic principles of energy security, it is only one of … [Read more...]
viEUws Brussels Briefing on Energy: all you need to know for October/November
Hughes Belin gives details on what to expect in the first State of the Energy Union report due from European Commission Vice-President, Maroš Ĺ efÄŤoviÄŤ, on 18 November. In the meantime, he reports on the official signing off of a new gas interconnector between Lithuania and Poland, and looks ahead to an EU LNG strategy due next year. A public consultation on redesigning the European electricity market has closed and legislation on the back of … [Read more...]
Disaffected members of UNECE Gas Centre launch new Global Gas Centre under wings of World Energy Council
The World Energy Council is launching a new Global Gas Centre in St. Petersburg on 6 October in collaboration with gas companies ENGIE, OMV and Swissgas. These companies have all recently left another gas organisation, the Gas Centre of the UNECE (United Nations Economic Commission for Europe), out of dissatisfaction. In St Petersburg, the Global Gas Centre wants to sign up new members, particularly Gazprom, the current Chair of the UNECE’s Gas … [Read more...]
Going for gas: the risky strategy of the world’s largest companies
They are the biggest companies in the world and they are making a huge bet: they are staking their – and our – future on natural gas. At the World Gas Conference in Paris, the major oil companies all avowed their belief that gas will be the world’s “fuel of choice”, because it is “the cleanest fossil fuel”, “abundant” and “competitive”. But Karel Beckman argues they are overstating the case for gas. And may even be betting on the wrong horse. … [Read more...]
Adriaan – ‘Energy for One World’ – Kamp (ex-Shell): “Strategy of oil companies is doomed to failure”
Oil companies like Shell have unique skills that make them ideally placed to help build the energy world of the future. Yet they seem unable to look beyond their own interests, says Adriaan Kamp, former Shell manager and founder of Oslo-based consultancy Energy For One World. “Like the banks, they can’t change their ways. They are still making too much money with oil and gas.” According to Kamp, the growth strategy of the oil companies is still … [Read more...]
viEUws VIDEO: Brussels Briefing on Energy – special on Energy Union
In this Brussels Briefing on Energy for viEUws.eu, Hughes Belin provides an overview of progress made on the EU’s Energy Union project, ahead of the formal launch of the Energy Union by the European Commission on 25 February. … [Read more...]
Bulgaria – the EU’s next gasless gas hub (Or: is Bulgaria trying to become the new Ukraine?)
In response to the cancellation of South Stream, the Bulgarian government has launched a programme to turn Bulgaria into a “gas hub” for the region – an initiative welcomed by the European Commission and the United States.  Anca Elena Mihalache, Senior Analyst at the Romanian think tank Energy Policy Group, notes that Bulgaria has few sources of gas other than Russia and does not have a good record in creating liberalized energy markets. … [Read more...]
Singapore’s push to be Asia’s first LNG trading hub & the uncertain future of the Asian gas market
With demand for LNG rising in Asia and a wave of supplies coming on-stream, long-term point-to-point contracts in the Asian market may give way to more flexible trade patterns and the growth of spot trading. Singapore with its deep water harbour and thriving financial centre is gearing up to become the first LNG trading hub for Asia. Â But success is not guaranteed. Energy reporter Rudolf ten Hoedt reports from Singapore. … [Read more...]
Another US – Russia confrontation: as LNG exporters
New Russian players will double their share in the global LNG market by 2018, says GlobalData Analyst in a press release. This means they will compete with the new US exporters that will be entering the same market. The global Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) market, in which Gazprom intends to increase its liquefaction capacity by 250% to 25 million tons per year by 2018, will pose unfamiliar challenges to the company, according to an analyst with … [Read more...]
Exporting a revolution: why the US LNG stampede will change the gas business forever (part 2)
The time for doubt is past. The US is well on its way to becoming a major LNG exporter – on a scale to rival Qatar and Australia. In part 2 of this two-part series, energy journalist Alex Forbes reviews the implications of what he is convinced will be the next gas revolution to come out of the United States. (Part I was published on 14 October here.) … [Read more...]
Exporting a revolution: why the US LNG stampede will change the gas business forever
The time for doubt is past. The US is well on its way to becoming a major LNG exporter – on a scale to rival Qatar and Australia. Export capacity could exceed 100 million tonnes per year by the early 2020s – 40% of the current global market. The US Department of Energy certainly seems to think so. The implications of this are profound: for US gas consumers, for natural gas markets around the world, and for proposed LNG export projects elsewhere. … [Read more...]
The gas market goes global – and Europe doesn’t see what is coming
Global gas trade is expected to explode – and most of the new supplies will go to Asia. Europe will lose control of markets and pricing and will need to compete at higher Asian prices. That’s the main message energy reporter Rudolf ten Hoedt took away from the Gastech LNG conference in Korea in March where he spoke with leading LNG traders, including market leaders Shell, Qatargas and Tokyo Gas. “Europe doesn’t realise what is coming”, they told … [Read more...]
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