Energy

[Yury]

earth orbit? I doubt that would be a good investment. Buying plots of land on the moon makes more sense imho :D

[Ivanski]

Well probably Space south stream wont't pass through the moon. Plus I've heard you already have a station there :D

[ruslan33]

This is all very difficult to interpret. The government or rather the refineries and industrial firms said that the Ukrainian economy would collapse in the price of gas would rise over $200. Personally, I think it's a bunch of shit, companies are just trying to minimize costs and pass on the bill to the consumers. But the way that the price of gas is calculated by Russia is ridiculous.

No it is ridiculous what Timoshenko is doing.

She tries to buy cheap gas direct from Russia and sell it for a much higher price in the Ukraine.

Isn't she already the richest woman in Ukraine ? She is just using politics and the people of Ukraine to make money for her own wealth :ohno:

http://top.rbc.ru/english/index.shtml?/news/english/2008/03/12/12121946_bod.shtml

[Cosmin]

Recently I watched a woman on TV who has bought a couple of plots in Earth Orbit from some company
Earth's orbit?!:? Wtf? How does one buy plots in some planet's orbit?

[Pavlo]

No it is ridiculous what Timoshenko is doing.

She tries to buy cheap gas direct from Russia and sell it for a much higher price in the Ukraine.

Isn't she already the richest woman in Ukraine ? She is just using politics and the people of Ukraine to make money for her own wealth :ohno:

http://top.rbc.ru/english/index.shtml?/news/english/2008/03/12/12121946_bod.shtml

And the politicians of Abhazia are loyal and work their hearts out for the people right? ;)

Politics = power = big business = money. It just varies to what degree.

[Ivanski]

Earth's orbit?!:? Wtf? How does one buy plots in some planet's orbit?

well plots in figuratively speaking. She bought some territory in space let say it that way. I don't know how the borders work yet :lol: I guess she's hoping to became one greedy landlord or... I dunno spacelord :sly: Anyway she's probably gonna livin it up in a few years while we have such conversations :ohno:

[ruslan33]

And the politicians of Abhazia are loyal and work their hearts out for the people right? ;)

Politics = power = big business = money. It just varies to what degree.

we are not talking here about Abhazia ? Abhazia is not a key-transit route for Russian gas and Abhazia doesn't cry if the charity price is going up to normal european standard prices.

[Pavlo]

We don't need to talk about Abhazia. I am simply stating an example. The case is universal everywhere, it just depends to what degree politicians "abuse" power.

[Cosmin]

This is not related to EE, but it is related to energy. In fact, this is the motherload of energy.:rock:

Check out ITER: The solution to all our needs? (http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=563163) on UK & Ireland Architecture Forums > Transport, Urban Planning and Infrastructure to see what I'm talking about. You can also find info on Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ITER).
ITER will be designed to produce approximately 500 MW of fusion power sustained for up to 400 seconds (compared to JET's peak of 16 MW for less than a second) by the fusion of about 0.5 g of deuterium/tritium mixture in its approximately 840 m3 reactor chamber. Although ITER is expected to produce net power in the form of heat, the generated heat will not be used to generate any electricity.

According to the ITER consortium, fusion power offers the potential of "environmentally benign, widely applicable and essentially inexhaustible" electricity, properties that they believe will be needed as world energy demands increase while simultaneously greenhouse gas emissions must be reduced, justifying the expensive research project.

[nebunul]

Caspian: Turkmen, Azerbaijani deal could raise energy hopes
http://eng.gazeta.kz/art.asp?aid=106516

Azerbaijani and Turkmen officials have resolved a lingering obstacle to improved trade ties during the latest round of talks on issues that include cooperation to develop Caspian energy resources.

Representatives meeting for the third time in just two months achieved a breakthrough on a 16-year debt dispute on March 5, providing a glimmer of hope to proponents of a trans-Caspian pipeline that would bring Turkmen natural gas to Europe without crossing Russian or Iranian territory.Under the deal, Turkmenistan will reportedly receive by the end of the year nearly $45 million of the $56 million it claims it has been owed for gas supplies since 1991-92. Baku had claimed the debt was just $18 million.

Putting aside the issue should allow the two parties to move on to a topic that weighs heavy on the minds of Europe and its energy consumers --a trans-Caspian pipeline from Turkmenistan to Azerbaijan that continues to major hurdle remains in the form of an ownership dispute over oil and natural-gas fields located in the Caspian Sea, approximately halfway between Turkmenistan and Azerbaijan.

It is that issue more than any other that led to the severe chill in relations between the two countries in the 1990s, and that has kept them cool until late last year.

Relations between Baku and Ashgabat have warmed since Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdymukhammedov took over from the outwardly resolute Saparmurat Niyazov, who died in December 2006.

Berdymukhammedov relaunched ties with Azerbaijan and relations have progressed well enough that Berdymukhammedov is due to make a state visit to Baku before the end of June.

The European Union has for months been lobbying Ashgabat and Baku to agree to work together on a trans-Caspian pipeline that would bring natural gas to Europe via pipelines that bypass Russia.The United States is also supporting such trans-Caspian ambitions, and U.S. State Department special representative Steven Mann was in Turkmenistan earlier this week to address the issue. It was Mann's second visit so far this year to Turkmenistan. The EU and United States are hoping that Turkmen natural gas might help fill the proposed Nabucco gas pipeline to bring Caspian gas as far as Austria via Turkey, Bulgaria, Romania, and Hungary.

Turkmen officials have worked hard to leverage their country's massive hydrocarbon resources into increased international standing despite sharp criticism over rights and media issues and strictures on political participation.

[Yury]

I just love watching this geopolitical fight over Nabucco :D

[nebunul]

^^ One more :lol::cheers: ...

Relax and float south stream
http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Central_Asia/JC14Ag01.html

There's a Central Asian energy revolution going on. In the key arena of gas geopolitics, it's no secret Russia favors the creation of a gas "OPEC" - to the despair of the George W Bush administration. But Alexei Miler, the powerful head of Russia's Gazprom, was in for a rude shock this Tuesday when the three state gas companies in key Central Asian "stans" - Uzbekneftgaz, Turkmengaz and Kazmunaigaz - told him that starting next year, they will only sell their gas to Gazprom according to European rates. Gazprom, although with deep pockets, could have never expected that Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan would all gang up on it this way.

Gazprom used to buy around 4 billion cubic meters of gas from Uzbekistan at US$140 for a thousand cubic meters, and 8 billion cubic meters from both Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan at, respectively, $145 and $160 for a thousand cubic meters. According to the Russian daily Kommersant, by 2009 Turkmen gas will probably be charged from $250 to $270. Gazprom can realistically expect to sell its gas in Europe for around $300 the cubic meter.

The great loser, according to Russian daily Vremia Novostiei, is Ukraine, which basically buys Central Asian gas transported by Gazprom. But Ukraine could brandish the weapon of transit tax of Russian gas; thus "the alignment to an European level may offset the effect of the Central Asian diktat. In that case, it's Gazprom which will be the victim."

This new development threatens to turn upside down the success of Russian President Vladimir Putin' s visit to Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan in May 2007 - when he made sure that prized Turkmen gas would arrive in Europe only through Kazakhstan and Russia. Putin convinced the "stans" just as an "anti-Russian energy summit", as dubbed by Kommersant, took place in Krakow, uniting Poland, Ukraine, Azerbaijan, Georgia and Kazakhstan itself.

These five countries somewhat agreed to build a new pipeline from Odessa to Gdansk, bypassing Russia, and part of the TransCaspian pipeline. But the agreement was basically rhetorical. Poland wanted it to mean the beginning of an "energy NATO". It didn't work. Instead, Putin's key objective was reached - to reinforce Gazprom's iron clad position in an "energy dialogue" with the European Union (EU).

And now for a real energy war
What's taking place between Russia and the EU is more of an energy war than an energy dialogue. The EU and the US pin all their hopes on the 3,300 kilometer-long, $5.8 billion Nabucco pipeline, planned in 2004 and with construction about to start in 2009, already approved by the European Commission. Nabucco would transport Caspian Sea natural gas (potentially even from Iran, barring US opposition) from Erzurum in Turkey to Baumgarten an der March in Austria via Bulgaria, Romania and Hungary.

Nabucco is owned by a consortium including Romania's Transgaz, Bulgaria's Bulgargaz, Austria's OMV, Turkey's Botas and MOL and Germany's RWE. France's Gaz de France may soon join. Nabucco is thus the EU's channel to not import natural gas only from Russia.

Russia's answer to Nabucco is the 1,200km, $15 billion South Stream pipeline, carrying Siberian natural gas by way underground of the Black Sea from Russia to Bulgaria. From Bulgaria, one branch would run south through Greece and southern Italy while the other would run north, through Serbia and Hungary towards northern Italy. The memorandum of understanding for South Stream was signed in Rome in June 2007 by Gazprom and Italy's ENI.

It's very easy to see who's winning in the Nabucco vs South Stream war. In early January, Bulgargaz spurned insistent EU siren calls for Nabucco and opted for South Stream - despite the fact that Bulgaria is both a EU and NATO member. Then Serbia also came on board - with Gazprom taking a 51% stake in NIS, the Serbian oil monopoly.

What the three "stans" have done to Gazprom this week softly mirrors what Gazprom has done to Ukraine - no more gas if you don't pay what we want. This is enough to raise plenty of multinational heartbeats at the European Commission in Brussels - terrified that the EU, which import 40% of its gas from Russia, will become a hostage of Gazprom's whims.

The same day the three "stans" were handing Gazprom their new tariffs for 2009, energy experts from the 27 EU member countries were meeting in Brussels with Energy Commissioner Andris Piebalgs to debate what to do as Gazprom decided once again to pump less gas to Ukraine - and thus to Europe.

The Iraqization of Nabucco
Nabucco is hardly a solution for Europe, for a number of key reasons. Will the EU be able to buy Iranian gas via Nabucco? Will the "stans" have enough gas to supply both Russia and China? Will they renege on their deals with Gazprom? Or will they keep rising their prices to Gazprom, as they announced this week?

Turkmenistan, for instance, pledged to sell 50 billion cubic meters a year to Gazprom; it also has to provide 30 billion cubic meters for a pipeline to China starting in 2009; and it needs to supply 30 billion cubic meters for Nabucco. Few believe it can export that much.

All these variables have led Duma deputy speaker Valery Yazev to already declare "the death of Nabucco". Reinhard Mitschek, the head of the Nabucco consortium, flatly disagrees, extolling its "future potential".

Finally, in late February, Putin signed a bilateral agreement with Hungarian Prime Minister Ferenc Gyurcsany at the Kremlin. Hungary was also on board of South Stream; 10 billion cubic meters of gas a year running through Hungary after running through Bulgaria and Serbia. Now Romania is the only southern European country still pledged to Nabucco.

What this all graphically spells is Caspian - and Siberian - gas basically arriving to the EU via Russia. Bulgaria, deciding to go the Gazprom way, definitely split up the EU amalgamation. Italy also went the Gazprom way. Putin went to the heart of the matter in late February, while he was still president: "Our partners should do a very simple thing: they should take a calculator and see what is more profitable."

As for US deputy assistant secretary of state Matthew Bryza, he has been crying "Follow your wallet" like a madman; for him, it's Nabucco that makes commercial sense, cutting the EU's dependence on Gazprom by up to 25%. He insists this is all in European countries' "national interests" even though no US energy multinationals are part of the deal.

But what this is in fact is classic George W Bush administration thinking. First of all anything goes to bypass Russia. And of course there is always the unspoken, invisible Iraqi angle.

The Bush administration still hopes that the Iraqi Parliament will approve its key "benchmark" - the new Iraqi oil law, which will in fact denationalize the oil industry. Thus, in this best of possible worlds, Iraqi gas, pumped through Syria, would be able to fill Nabucco, which would not be wholly dependent on the "stans". And there's always that neo-con dream of regime change in Iran - enabling Iranian gas to reach Europe but under US terms.

Any speculation about what Russian president-elect Dmitry Medvedev is up to is idle. As Viatcheslav Nikonov, president of the Politika foundation, wrote in the Russian daily Izvestia, "Russia remains a force in itself, preserving sovereignty in all its domains" and developing its economic, political and military power. "We are too big to follow anyone."

Medvedev, says Nikonov, is all for "free market, democracy, the force of the state, sovereignty and traditions". He is a conservative. He was personally chosen by Putin. And he is a Gazprom man. So everybody better relax and float South Stream.

[Le Clerk]

^^Hey, good read. I think, If Russia does not behave in its relationship with Ukraine and other EEU countries, may find Southstream will heat a wall when trying to cross the Black Sea. What goes around may come around.

[nebunul]

^^ One more :lol::cheers: ...

[Any speculation about what Russian president-elect Dmitry Medvedev is up to is idle. As Viatcheslav Nikonov, president of the Politika foundation, wrote in the Russian daily Izvestia, "Russia remains a force in itself, preserving sovereignty in all its domains" and developing its economic, political and military power. "We are too big to follow anyone."


:nuts:
Rusia's economy ~ 1.286 trillion USD
EU's economy ~16.37 trillion USD

[Le Clerk]

^^Russia's economy is only about 6 times larger than the Romanian economy. Pretty unimpressive.

PS: Russia has a biggger dick than Romania, but also a fatter ass.:baeh3:

[golov]

So by your logic everyone in the world (including US) should blindly follow the EU just because their economy happens to be larger? Or maybe France and UK should be following Germany? Is that what you are trying to say?

Of course what is meant, and what I totally support, is that we should develop our own economy and political system etc. independently. Smaller countries will be perfectly happy under the EU umbrella, but not everyone

[nebunul]

So by your logic everyone in the world (including US) should blindly follow the EU just because their economy happens to be larger? Or maybe France and UK should be following Germany? Is that what you are trying to say?

Of course what is meant, and what I totally support, is that we should develop our own economy and political system etc. independently. Smaller countries will be perfectly happy under the EU umbrella, but not everyone

Come on golov ... It was Russia that said is too big ... not Europe !!!
^^ Dmitry Medvedev "We are too big to follow anyone."

[Yury]

:nuts:
Rusia's economy ~ 1.286 trillion USD
EU's economy ~16.37 trillion USD

why not PPP figures? And I would find it very hard to follow someone who even does not have his own foreign policy :D

[nebunul]

^^ Heheheh you're too small to follow it :) ...

[golov]

Smart-ass comments are not a good idea if you do not understand what you just read :)

Any speculation about what Russian president-elect Dmitry Medvedev is up to is idle. As Viatcheslav Nikonov, president of the Politika foundation, wrote in the Russian daily Izvestia, "Russia remains a force in itself, preserving sovereignty in all its domains" and developing its economic, political and military power. "We are too big to follow anyone."

[Le Clerk]

^^
That`s all that I know: http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showpost.php?p=17337074&postcount=290

Their website is still under construction: http://www.fortunegroup.ro/
----

România s-a branşat la resursele azere :cheers:

Romgaz poate construi depozite de gaze în Azerbaidjan, Petrom este aşteptată să extragă ţiţei, iar ţara noastră vrea să investească în producerea de energie termo, hidro şi chiar nucleară în fosta ţară sovietică.


http://www.evz.ro/articole/detalii-articol/795426/Romania-s-a-bransat-la-resursele-azere/

^^ Romania has signed an agreement with Azerbaijan which concludes the folowing:
1. Romania will support Azerbaijan to get into Nabucco;
2. Romania will support Azeri Soccar fueld distribution company to enter Romanian market

In exchange:
1. Petrom will have access to extract the Azeri oil and gas resources;
2. Develop gas deposits in Azerbaijan;
3. Romania may also involve in developing the hidro, thermal and nuclear industry in Azerbaijan.

[Gamma-Hamster]

^^Russia's economy is only about 6 times larger than the Romanian economy. Pretty unimpressive.
Nominal:
Russia - 1286 bln USD
Romania - 158.532 bln USD

PPP(IMF):
Russia - 2076 bln
Romania - 256,9 bln

8 times higher

[tomis3]

Nominal:
Russia - 1286 bln USD
Romania - 158.532 bln USD

PPP(IMF):
Russia - 2076 bln
Romania - 256,9 bln

8 times higher

Romania's nominal GDP in 2007 was 181 billion USD.

[Gamma-Hamster]

Romania's nominal GDP in 2007 was 181 billion USD.
Not according to IMF, their PPP data is out of date but as i understand nominal one is still correct.

[tomis3]

Not according to IMF, their PPP data is out of date but as i understand nominal one is still correct.

I don't know where they get their data, but National Institute of Statistics came out with numbers about a week ago for 2007, and that is the figure (181 billion) they gave. It's the most recent and most accurate in my opinion.

[nebunul]

Nominal:
Russia - 1286 bln USD
Romania - 158.532 bln USD

8 times higher

... and EU is 10 times+ bigger than Russia's :naughty:

[Yury]

don't worry, the Chinese will beat the EU soon ;)

[Alexriga]

... and EU is 10 times+ bigger than Russia's :naughty:

And Russia's gas fields are 10 times bigger than all EU resorces. So Russia don't want to be just useless resource appendix like UK is USA appendix or EE countries are EU "extra free bonus" countries.

[nebunul]

^^ Yeh right :nuts: ... you need to sell it though unless you swap it for vodka consumption ... and keep it all for yourselves :cheers::cheers::cheers:

[bgrs]

Bulgaria to export 200MW to Albania

In order to relax the pressure on the electro-distribution network and the frequent blackouts that occur, Albania signed treaties to import extra 150MW from Italy and 200MW from Bulgaria

Комисията по енергийно регулиране на Албания обяви, че е осигурена 450 мегавата електроенергия от България, Италия и от собствени източници за задоволяване на енергийните нужди на страната в пиковите часове, съобщават медиите в Тирана, съобщи радио Дарик.

Вносът ще намали натоварването на енергомощностите от 1000 на 550 мегавата.

Комисията уточни, че за нощните натоварвания на мрежата е договорен внос на електроенергия от България в размер на 200 мегавата, от Италия - 150 мегавата и от Албания 100 мегавата.

[Ivanski]

don't worry, the Chinese will beat the EU soon ;)

And can beat Russia too :) According to the last geo-political talks, US basicly keeps Russia as some kinda "empire under control" to be a buffer for the Chinese dragon, which is rising very high lately. Of course that's just theory.

[Ivanski]

deleted

[Yury]

it has beaten Russia long ago, hardly surprising if their population is 10 times bigger. But I prefer to see it as an opportunity rather than threat. And I heard that theory too. Could have been realistic in the 1990s, but today it would be a bit tough for the US to use Russia against China. On the contrary, they are cooperating together against the US.

[tomis3]

it has beaten Russia long ago, hardly surprising if their population is 10 times bigger. But I prefer to see it as an opportunity rather than threat. And I heard that theory too. Could have been realistic in the 1990s, but today it would be a bit tough for the US to use Russia against China. On the contrary, they are cooperating together against the US.

Good luck with that...Maybe you've heard that China's military budget is increasing at around 20% per year. They spend around 59 billion a year now, but the US thinks their real budget is already a very solid 150 billion....I wonder what they plan to do with all this fire power...can't all be for Tibetan monks...

But Russia need not worry...it has to focus on real enemys like Georgia, Ukraine, Poland, Romania and the Baltics.

[Ivanski]

Yuri I meant that according to the theory US is basicly in control with some of the major corporations or oligarchs in Russia. That should explain all the government-business issues.
I don't know about you but this getting bigger n bigger China is kinda scary to me.. I mean they can already take down satellites..I guess we're all gonna watch the Ping-pong champions league soon :D

[Yury]

tomis, why stereotyping? China is a force to be reckoned with and it is considered to be Russia's main potential strategic opponent alongside the US/NATO. By the way, Russia's military budget is $40 billion this yeah, also growing at 20% per year and is also believed to be underreported.

But at the same time, the attitude towards Russia among the Chinese is much more positive than in the West. Reading the local media or ralking to ordinary people really shows you a stark contrast between how differently Russia is perceived over there when compared to Western countries. So yes, at this point of time at least, Russian cooperation with China is going much better than with the US ;)

Ivanski, the US had some control over oligarchs in the 90s. It is believed to be one of the reasons why Khodarkovski got jailed. Today Russia is very careful with giving western enterprises any control over the "strategic assets". In fact, that's one of the pillars of Putin's state capitalism model.

[tomis3]

tomis, why stereotyping? China is a force to be reckoned with and it is considered to be Russia's main potential strategic opponent alongside the US/NATO. By the way, Russia's military budget is $40 billion this yeah, also growing at 20% per year and is also believed to be underreported.

But at the same time, the attitude towards Russia among the Chinese is much more positive than in the West. Reading the local media or ralking to ordinary people really shows you a stark contrast between how differently Russia is perceived over there when compared to Western countries. So yes, at this point of time at least, Russian cooperation with China is going much better than with the US ;)



Of course...China doesn't value democracy, freedom of speech, human rights...etc...they look at Russia and say...pretty good. We should get one of those Nashi gangs...but the way Russia is portrayed in the Chinese "media" is irrelevant.

Here is the point...Russia is mainly a European nation..in terms of culture, race and all the rest...Now here comes the fun part...Russia, this European country, owns about half the Asian continent...Now if I were a Chinese strategic political/military thinker, I could easily make the case that Russia is the last colonial power and that is has no right to be on the Asian continent.

Meanwhile, we the Chinese, are getting evermore crowded and running short on everything...land, food, water, clear air and...what am I missing??...ahh…natural resources...meanwhile...here is this great land right to the north of us that is mainly uninhabited and has everything we need....get my point?

[Ivanski]

Btw I've heard that there are already some illegal Chinese towns in some parts of Siberia. I don't know if it's true though.

[Gamma-Hamster]

here is this great land right to the north of us that is mainly uninhabited
And this land is called Mongolia. Mongolia have no nukes but for some reason is not part of China yet, how could it be?

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/7e/LocationMongolia.png/800px-LocationMongolia.png

[tomis3]

Btw I've heard that there are already some illegal Chinese towns in some parts of Siberia. I don't know if it's true though.

I've hear that around 20-25 million Chinese have already slipped into Siberia...don't know how accurate these figures are.

[Gamma-Hamster]

Btw I've heard that there are already some illegal Chinese towns in some parts of Siberia. I don't know if it's true though.
Pure bullshit and scaremongering:)

[tomis3]

And this land is called Mongolia. Mongolia have no nukes but for some reason is not part of China yet, how could it be?


Did you come up with that question on your own or did someone help you out?

[Gamma-Hamster]

Did you come up with that question on your own or did someone help you out?
I came up with this question after reading chinese section, where people always whine about how Russia ripped Mongolia, integral part of China how thy say, from them.

[Gamma-Hamster]

I've hear that around 20-25 million Chinese have already slipped into Siberia...don't know how accurate these figures are.
I've heard that there are russian troops in Atlanta:lol:

[nebunul]

Meanwhile, we the Chinese, are getting evermore crowded and running short on everything...land, food, water, clear air and...what am I missing??...ahh…natural resources...meanwhile...here is this great land right to the north of us that is mainly uninhabited and has everything we need....get my point?


Btw I've heard that there are already some illegal Chinese towns in some parts of Siberia. I don't know if it's true though.

Yep ... and AFAIK Russia's gov gave them a strict deadline to leave the country... I also watched a BBC program about a Russian town (?:dunno:) near Chinese border – where loads of Chinese market-traders have been told to leave also ... but maybe our Russian friends could expand on this ...

[bgrs]

BBC is a propaganda TV of the west!

BTW, our dickhead president, a former communist, accused BBC of making some evil campaign against Bulgaria after they showed a reportage about the poor conditions in a state-funded home for physycally and mentally disabled orphans.

I guess Putin's methods are contageous :)

[nebunul]

NO is not ... it's fair ... please trust me on this ... they show the truth in UK, USA, Romania, China etc ... besides, they do not present oppinions but news (realities) ...

[bgrs]

^^ Nooo, you've been brainwashed by their evil western propaganda,man! They are owned by some mysterious zionists and their aim is to brainwash the innocent population and make them suffer under the yoke of evil globalism (tm) under the rule of the evil USA and the Zionist Occupation Government (ZOG)!

And all of this happens with the help of the grey aliens, but they are undercover. I'm ALMOST certain that the aliens already control Microsoft for example...hell, yeah!

[nebunul]

True ...

[Cosmin]

Well, we all know what will happen to bgrs now that he opened his mouth and spoken the truth.:(

ZOG is after you! Microsoft too, you SUSE lover!:shifty:

[bgrs]

But you still don't know the ultimate truth! The truth so important that it would destroy our way of living and our society. It's kept in secret by the ZOG, Microsoft, CIA, MI-6, MOSAD and of course the aliens. But I'm gonna tell you!

The world is NOT a sphere! It's a dodecadone! It has edges. The evil aliens are using a force field to make us believe it's round, but it's NOT! And I can prove that!

When you drink excessive ammounts of alchohol, the influence of the force-field diminishes and if you are near the world's edge (e.g Bulgaria), you'd lose coordination and fall to the ground!

Do you need a better proof, heh? :)

BTW seriously, I'm not a SuSe lover :D

[bgrs]

And also the European Space Agency visited Bulgaria and noticed the effects of Ariana beer on that phenomenon. So they launched the Ariana rocket into space. What a bunch of retards! They need much stronger fuel, preferably rakia, not that lousy Ariana beer. That's why they're behind the NASA! And exactly that's why the USSR space agency was so successive! Their vodka is also a strong material!

[Le Clerk]

^^ Good ones :rofl:

[nebunul]

GAZPROM’S SOUTH STREAM PROJECT CAN BE HALTED IN THE BLACK SEA :wallbash:
http://jamestown.org/edm/article.php?article_id=2372860

http://img81.imageshack.us/img81/7366/gpuy9.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

Gazprom and the Kremlin have lined up Central Asian gas commitments upstream and European Union markets downstream for the South Stream pipeline project. Russia’s project seems to enjoy an unstoppable momentum against its rival Nabucco and other Western-backed projects for Caspian gas to Europe.

Nevertheless, South Stream can be halted in the Black Sea by Ukraine and Romania on a legal basis, at no risk to themselves and with appropriate Western support, until access can be opened to Central Asian gas for Nabucco.

The grounds for halting South Stream are familiar from the debate on the merits of EU- and U.S.-backed Nabucco versus Gazprom’s rival project. If South Stream is actually built, it would, inter alia:
1) monopolize markets in central and southeastern Europe, including EU member countries, while significantly expanding Gazprom’s market share in West European countries;

2) lock the Russian state monopoly in, and potential competitor suppliers out, for decades to come, in parts of EU territory;

3) enable Gazprom to take over critical infrastructure in Europe as part of supply deals;

4) deeply distort market economics through price dictation on gas and other forms of energy, also forcing consumers to bear inordinately high costs of Russian-delivered gas;

5) help perpetuate Russia’s monopsony on Central Asian gas;

6) facilitate Moscow’s nascent strategy to create a cartel of gas exporters (so-called “OPEC for gas”) under Russian leadership, with Iran in tow;

7) enable Russia to control, through South Stream, the Southern Corridor gateway for Central Asian and Iranian gas to Europe in the future;

8) set the stage for Gazprom’s continuing dominance in Europe through control of transport, even after Russia’s own gas export potential declines (as is forecast) in the years ahead;

9) pose manifold risks to the integrity of political and financial systems in Europe, as already noticed in several EU member countries with non-transparent links to Gazprom and the Kremlin; and

10) expose the EU to political whims of Serbia, a South Stream transit country, enticed by Moscow into ultranationalist politics, resulting in highly problematic relations to the EU.

These and other adverse consequences of South Stream can be avoided, if the project is stopped long enough for the EU and United States to set their own defective energy security strategies in working order. This would involve opening access to Central Asian gas through direct pipelines to Europe, as well as developing Iranian gas for liquefaction and shipping to international markets.

The South Stream pipeline is designed to run from Russia’s Black Sea coast to a point near Varna in Bulgaria. In that country, South Stream would bifurcate into a southern branch via Greece to Italy and a northern branch via Serbia and Hungary to Austria. There, Gazprom is developing a major storage and transmission center for Europe near Vienna.

The pipeline’s section on the seabed of the Black Sea is the key to the entire project. Gazprom lacks the technology for building such an ultra-deep pipeline. Italy’s ENI is set opportunistically to provide that technology, as ENI did in 1999-2002 for Gazprom’s Blue Stream One pipeline on the seabed of the Black Sea from Russia to Turkey. The South Stream seabed pipeline is much longer and more challenging technologically and financially than Blue Stream One.

South Stream’s 900 kilometer seabed section is planned to traverse Ukraine’s exclusive economic zone for most of its length, as well as a small part of Romania’s exclusive economic zone. This situation can give both countries potentially decisive leverage over the project.

Ukraine and Romania are not included in the South Stream project. Ukraine is, in a sense, an intended casualty of South Stream: this project is specifically designed to bypass Ukraine and reduce the share of Russian-delivered gas to Europe through Ukrainian pipelines (one motivation being to de-capitalize Ukraine’s transit pipeline system and introduce some form of “joint” control over it). Meanwhile, Romania is the only Nabucco consortium member to have turned down Gazprom’s offer to join South Stream. The country’s President Traian Basescu and parts of the government have correctly analyzed South Stream’s disadvantages and risks.

Both countries are interested in stopping South Stream. This pipeline, if built, would kill Nabucco, thus depriving Romania of alternative gas supplies and transit revenue from the Nabucco project, to which Bucharest remains loyal. For its part, Ukraine is interested in continuing large-scale transit of Russian-delivered gas to Europe, as opposed to seeing part of that transit re-routed through South Stream.

The Black Sea does not have a “neutral” zone in the usual sense of the term. Riparian countries divide the sea into exclusive economic zones bilaterally. These maritime zones are immediately adjacent to each other. Ukraine’s economic zone abuts directly on those of Russia to the east, Turkey to the south, and Romania to the west. Romania’s and Bulgaria’s zones also border each other. Thus, construction of the South Stream pipeline on its presently designated seabed route from Russia to Bulgaria would require the consent of Ukraine and Romania.

Theoretically, Russia could build the South Stream pipeline through Turkey’s exclusive economic zone, en route to Bulgaria. However, one of Russia’s rationales behind South Stream is to bypass Turkey, just as bypassing Ukraine. The Kremlin has abandoned its earlier intentions to expand Blue Stream One on the seabed to Turkey and continue it as Blue Stream Two overland from Turkey to Europe. Instead, Moscow has chosen to circumvent Turkey through South Stream. This move avoids difficult dealings with Ankara on the terms of overland transit. It also implements Moscow’s broader strategy to switch from overland to seabed gas transit pipelines wherever possible. In this case, Russia prefers contending with the limited jurisdictions of Ukraine and Romania in their maritime economic zones, rather than the fully sovereign jurisdiction of Turkey on land.

Under international maritime law, Ukraine and Romania can not officially veto South Stream outright. But they can question it thoroughly; can demand extensive study of the project’s impact on environment, shipping and maritime safety generally; and are entitled to evaluate these studies and independently assess their findings. They are also entitled to demand modifications to the Russian-proposed route.

In the Baltic Sea last year Estonia, Finland, Poland, Sweden, and Lithuania have used their rights under international law in this manner. They have thoroughly questioned Gazprom’s Nord Stream seabed pipeline project in most of its aspects and demanded modifications of its route. As a cumulative result, Nord Stream has been temporarily halted, and its overall prospects seem increasingly clouded for intrinsic reasons also.

Russian officials such as Deputy Minister of Energy and Industry Anatoly Yanovsky and Grigory Vilchek, deputy head of Piter Gaz (involved in the Nord Stream impact studies), now recognize that the government and Gazprom have failed to initiate consultations with Ukraine and Romania about South Stream’s seabed section. Moscow seems to repeat the costly error it made when failing to hold advance consultations with Baltic Sea riparian countries about the Nord Stream seabed pipeline. Whether these errors are of omission or of commission seems unclear. What is certain is that Ukraine and Romania -- similarly with the Baltic Sea countries -- hold legal leverage of a potentially decisive character over seabed pipeline projects.

[Le Clerk]

^^ Hmm, interesting analysis. It seems afterall that Russia's leverage onto EU and EE countries is not that powerfull as it seems to be, that Russia needs EE countries for its economy the same as EE countries need Russia....there can be some interesting outcomes out of this complex situation....:)

[Yury]

^^ Russians should build SS in such a way, that the pipeline passes from Ukrainian economic zone directly into the Bulgarian one. Romanians are such troublemakers :lol:

Of course...China doesn't value democracy, freedom of speech, human rights...etc...they look at Russia and say...pretty good. We should get one of those Nashi gangs...but the way Russia is portrayed in the Chinese "media" is irrelevant.

Here is the point...Russia is mainly a European nation..in terms of culture, race and all the rest...Now here comes the fun part...Russia, this European country, owns about half the Asian continent...Now if I were a Chinese strategic political/military thinker, I could easily make the case that Russia is the last colonial power and that is has no right to be on the Asian continent.

Meanwhile, we the Chinese, are getting evermore crowded and running short on everything...land, food, water, clear air and...what am I missing??...ahh…natural resources...meanwhile...here is this great land right to the north of us that is mainly uninhabited and has everything we need....get my point?

Btw I've heard that there are already some illegal Chinese towns in some parts of Siberia. I don't know if it's true though.

I've never heard about any Chinese towns. And as nebunul said, thousands of Chinese market traders were deported after new laws were introduced that only allowed Russian citizens to trade. According to the official statistics, less that one thousand Chinese settled in Russia last year, compared to some 48,000 Uzbeki nationals for instance. One should also realize that the border regions of South Siberia are the most densely populated areas of eastern Russia, while the Nothern China regions are among the least populated ones of China. So in many cases the Russian side of the border is actually more densely populated than the Chinese. Russians living there often cross over to buy investment property in China as it is cheaper than in Russia and prices are rising fast. And really I find it difficult to imagine Chinese moving to Siberia when then can much easier go to Beijing or Shanghai. Russia is not that tolerant towards immigrants either. So I would not expect any major demographic shifts.

A scenario of Chinese army invading is even less likely. Even if 3 million soldiers cross the border, what can they do? Spread around endless Siberian forests? Oil and gas fields of West Siberia are thousands of kilometres away and China will never be able to keep control of such territory. And Russia will not just sit and watch of course, it will strike back and with nuclear weapons, all in line with its military doctrine.

I have read some ridiculous statements in Western media like Russia faces a choice between integrating with the West or becoming Chinese colony. But I would take such suggestions at their face value, which is bullshit :D

[ruslan33]

^^ Nooo, you've been brainwashed by their evil western propaganda,man! They are owned by some mysterious zionists and their aim is to brainwash the innocent population and make them suffer under the yoke of evil globalism (tm) under the rule of the evil USA and the Zionist Occupation Government (ZOG)!

And all of this happens with the help of the grey aliens, but they are undercover. I'm ALMOST certain that the aliens already control Microsoft for example...hell, yeah!

your my man :cheers:

[Le Clerk]

^^ Russians should build SS in such a way, that the pipeline passes from Ukrainian economic zone directly into the Bulgarian one. Romanians are such troublemakers :lol:



From what I understood so far, the Ukrainians can be (and want to be) more of a trouble than the Romanians, who, as the articles goes, want to be principled with EU's imaginary common energy policy. :D

In any case, as I read the article, the pipe must go either through Turkey's waters, or through Ukraine's and Romania's waters. The first scenario is not very happy for Gazprom. The second may not be either, but we'll see.

All in all, Romania can achieve EU's policy to have an independent energy policy by procrastinating access rights for Southstream in its waters until Nabucco makes its way. :D

[Le Clerk]

Efectul Kosovo: Parlamentul Serbiei nu va ratifica acordul cu Rusia privind gazoductul South Stream

HotNews.ro
Duminică, 16 martie 2008, 10:01 Economie | Energie


Criza politica izbucnita in Servia a lovit, prin ricoseu, interesele rusesti. Multmediatizatul acord cu Gazprom privind construirea pe teritoriul republicii a unui gazoduct din sistemul South Stream nu va fi ratificat de Parlament din cauza lacunelor din legislatia tarii. Intr-o discutie cu agentia Taniug, presedintele legislativului de la Belgrad, Oliver Dulici, a anuntat ca aprobarea acordului cu Gazprom „nu este posibila, mai ales ca documentul nu a ajuns inca in parlament.

Daca guvernul ar fi trimis textul la timp, iar legislativul nu ar fi fost dizolvat, acordul ar fi fost ratificat”, a adaugat el.

Dulici a amintit ca la intalnirea cu conducerea Gazprom el a promis sa asigure ratificarea acordului semnat la 25 ianuarie la Moscova, „daca executivul il va remite spre dezbatere si aprobare, iar situatia politica va ramane stabila”.

E adevarat ca secretarul general al parlamentului sarb, Tamara Stoicevici, declarase anterior ca, din punct de vedere teoretic, ratificarea acordului în discuţie este posibila, parlamentul putand fi convocat la recomandarea executivului pentru o reuniune extraordinara, scrie publicatia Vzgliad.

Criza politica cauzata de pozitiile legate de Kosovo

Reamintim ca Executivul sarb a propus luni alegeri legislative anticipate la 11 mai, dupa ce premierul Vojislav Kostunita si-a anuntat demisia. Kostunita nu mai vrea sa guverneze cu partenerii sai proeuropeni, din cauza divergentelor legate de independenta Kosovo.

Decizia lui Vojislav Kostunica de a demisiona il pune in disputa deschisa cu presedintele tarii, Boris Tadic (cunoscut pentru atitudinea sa pro-occidentala). Tadic a obtinut un nou mandat in urma alegerilor din 3 februarie.

Serbia intrase in proiectul South Stream

Rusia si Serbia au semnat la sfarsitul lunii februarie au acord interguvernamental care deschide calea pentru constructia gazoductului South Stream pe teritoriul Serbiei. South Stream concureaza in mod direct gazoductul Nabucco, sustinut de Uniunea Europena, si la care participa si Romania.

Proiectul South Stream, care are costuri estimate la circa 10 miliarde de euro, va transporta gaze naturale din zona siberiana catre sudul Europei.

Serbia semnase, in ianuarie, un acord care prevede tranzitul gazoductului South Stream pe teritorul sau, precum si vinzarea catre Gazprom a unei participatii majoritare la grupul petrolier NIS. Analistii au considerat ca acordul are si motivatii politice, in sensul ca autoritatile sirbe au multumit Rusiei pentru sprijinul aratat in cazul situatiei din Kosovo.









Косово бьет по Газпрому
Парламент Сербии не будет ратифицировать нефтегазовое соглашение с Россией

14 марта 2008, 22:14
Фото: ИТАР-ТАСС
Текст: Дмитрий Бавырин, Михаил Гольдман


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Разгоревшийся в Сербии политический кризис по инерции ударил по российским интересам. Широко проанонсированное соглашение с Газпромом о строительстве на территории республики газопроводной системы «Южный поток» парламентом ратифицировано не будет – этого не позволяют сделать дыры в законодательстве страны. Кроме того, в республике больше нет ни полноценного правительства, ни парламента. Принять решение просто некому.

Провести заседания Народной скупщины для ратификации нефтегазового соглашения с Россией не представляется возможным, заявил в пятницу председатель сербского парламента Оливер Дулич агентству «Танюг».


«Крупных антироссийских сил в Сербии попросту не существует – это равносильно политическому самоубийству»

Спикер заметил, что утверждение соглашения с Газпромом «нереально, тем более что энергетическое соглашение все еще не поступило в скупщину». «Если бы его правительство направило вовремя, а парламент не был распущен, соглашение было бы ратифицировано», – заявил он.


Дулич напомнил, что на встрече с руководством Газпрома обещал обеспечить ратификацию подписанного 25 января в Москве соглашения, «если правительство направит его в парламент, а политическая ситуация будет стабильной».


Ранее генеральный секретарь сербского парламента Тамара Стойчевич заявила о «теоретической возможности» того, что скупщина соберется по рекомендации правительства на внеочередное заседание и ратифицирует рамочное нефтегазовое соглашение.

«Парламент распущен, но он вправе проводить заседания и принимать решения по текущим и неотложным вопросам. Однако мы до сих пор не получили из правительства на ратификацию текст соглашения. Если это произойдет и кабинет министров укажет на необходимость рассмотреть данный документ как неотложный, заседание скупщины может быть созвано», – указала Стойчевич.

Как поясняют сербские правоведы, Народная скупщина не успела принять закон, регламентирующий ее действия в подобных ситуациях, а потому понятия «текущие и неотложные вопросы» не является законодательной нормой, которой можно было бы воспользоваться в нынешней ситуации.


Напомним, в конце января в Москве было подписано российско-сербское межправительственное соглашение о сотрудничестве в нефтегазовой отрасли, которое предусматривает строительство сербского участка будущей газопроводной системы.



На эту темуСербия потеряла парламент
Медведев поддержал Сербию
«Южный поток» поворачивает в Сербию
Газпром прибавил Сербии
«Южный поток» ведут в Сербию

Ключевые слова: Газпром, Сербия, энергетика
«Южный поток» предназначен для транзита и поставок природного газа на Балканы и в другие страны Европы из России через акваторию Черного моря.

А 25 февраля тогда еще первый вице-премьер Дмитрий Медведев прибыл с коротким визитом Белград , дабы проконтролировать, как идет работа над проектом газопровода. И президент Сербии Борис Тадич, и премьер-министр Воислав Коштуница подтвердили, что взятые на себя обязательства республика выполнит.

Но вскоре политическая ситуация в Сербии кардинально изменилась. Премьер Коштуница заявил о том, что «в правительстве уже нет единой политики в отношении Косова, и оно не может нормально функционировать».

А 10 марта правительство Сербии в ходе заседания, посвященного его расформированию и уходу Воислава Коштуницы с поста премьер-министра, приняло предложение о роспуске Народной скупщины.

Спустя три дня президент Сербии Борис Тадич подписал указ о роспуске скупщины и назначил досрочные выборы в парламент на 11 мая.

Судя по всему, ратификация соглашения, без которой невозможно создать смешанное российско-сербское предприятие и начать практические работы по прокладке сербского участка газопровода «Южный поток», действительно отложена. Но не отменена.

Согласно законодательству республики, распущенный парламент может принимать лишь те законы, работа над которыми была начата еще до роспуска, чего в случае с нефтегазовым соглашением сделано не было. В законе имеется оговорка о «неотложных решениях», но не регламентировано, что к ним относится.

Проблемы, таким образом, чисто юридические. Политических же нет, как и не было. За данное соглашение, выгодное как России, так и Сербии (последней в первую очередь для повышения «сырьевого авторитета» в Европе), и за его ратификацию выступают все основные политические силы страны.

Это в одинаковой степени относится к обеим демократическим партиям – Тадича и Коштуницы, разногласия которых и привели к нынешнему кризису. Но разногласия эти касались исключительно расстановки приоритетов в вопросах возвращения Косова и евроинтеграции.

В вопросах сотрудничества с Россией оба политика демонстрируют завидное единство. Солидарна с ними и Сербская радикальная партия Шешеля – Николича (к Николичу, проигравшему Тадичу президентские выборы, вообще прилип ярлык «пророссийского кандидата»).


Именно партии Николича, Тадича и Коштуницы, очевидно, поделят на грядущих выборах в парламент места с первого по третье. А крупных антироссийских сил в Сербии попросту не существует – это равносильно политическому самоубийству.


Вопрос ратификации договора с Россией только в сроках. В соответствии с законом, на учредительное заседание парламент нового созыва должен собраться через 30 дней после объявления результатов выборов, то есть не ранее середины июня.

[Yury]

^^ no worries, Serbs will elect a new parliament in May and they will ratify it

[Le Clerk]

^^ You gotta love independent countries: Romania saying NO to the US and now Serbia saying NO to Russia. The world is turning into a big revolutionary place. Nobody listens to the big bosses anymore....:bash:

[Yury]

when did Serbia say NO? It's just because the government got dissolved.

[Ivanski]

Of course they will say "yes", when we gave agreement and there was still an opportunity for SS not to pass directly trough Serbia they almost got massive heartattack cases there :lol: Funny but not so long ago they used to make fun of other EE states for being pro-Russian and they- so Westernized :p

[Le Clerk]

Source: NewsIn
14 Martie 2008


Romania's plan to build a national power company will be laid out to the EU commissioner for energy, Andris Piebalgs , according to the Economy and Finance Minister Varujan Vosganian's plan who is taking part these days at the European Council's works in Bruxelles.

Romania's energy strategy which was endorsed at the beginning of September 2007 focuses on the set-up of a national energy company consisting of the power companies that belong to the state: Electrica Muntenia Nord, Electrica Transilvania Nord and Electrica Transilvania Sud.

The Prime Minister Calin Popescu Tariceanu, also present in Bruxelles, pledged the new company would comply with the legislation which separates production, transportation and distribution activities.

The newly-created company should be listed on the Bucharest Stock Exchange one year after it was created and should have a private board of shareholders in two to three years, when 55 percent of the shares will be sold. The new entity should have a capitalization of several billion euros and a huge investment capacity, Vosganian said in September 2007.

Lively debates over Bruxelles' plans to open the power market for competition are ongoing within the EU. The power market is currently dominated by big public companies in many of the large states such as France or Germany. Therefore, the EC wants to divide the electricity producing units from the transportation networks.

The reform of the power market targets to hike competition and investments in new transportation pipelines and energy networks as well as to encourage new entries on the market.

[Ivailo]

Judjing by the Russian position about the Kosovo issue and the strong pro-Russian moods in Serbia, I don`t see what can make the Serbian politicians refuse ratifying the agreement.Probably some of them aren`t satisfied with the price for the oil refinery, offered by Russia but if they knew that ten years ago their Bulgarian colleagues sold twice bigger refinery at 4 times lower price, it would definitely change their perception for criminal privatization.
And if I understood correctly, in the article is said that strong anti-Russian politicy in Serbia can`t exist at the moment because it would be equal to political suicide.

[Le Clerk]

^^


Serbia reviews plans to sell state oil company NIS to Gazprom


HotNews.ro
Luni, 17 martie 2008, 15:25 English | Regional Europe


The new Serbian government will revise the agreement made with Gazprom for the sale of its state energy company NIS, Serbian Economy minister Mladjan Dinkic announced, quoted by Russian electronic daily Gazeta. In his opinion, the documents do not reflect Serbian interests.

Dinkici argued that negotiations need to be continued until both parties find a common stand. Parliament speaker Oliver Dulic announced this weekend that the agreement with Gazprom would not be accepted nor ratified, since the document did not reach the Parliament yet.

Russia and Serbia signed in February an intergovernmental agreement opening up the way for the South Stream pipeline to cross Serbia. South Stream is a direct competitor of the Nabucco project, sustained by the EU and several countries including Romania.

[Le Clerk]

The current proposals for windpower investments may reach 4.000 MW, but the national carrier - Transelectria deems that the existing distribution networks can only transport 1.500 MW. :bash:


1,5 miliarde de euro pentru eoliene

Autor: Ziarul Financiar
Data: 17-03-2008 Proiectele de investitii in producerea de energie din surse eoliene anuntate pana in acest moment valoreaza 1,5 miliarde de euro.

"Exista interes foarte mare din partea investitorilor romani si straini in realizarea de investiii in domeniul energiilor regenerabile, indeosebi in cea eoliana. Investitori importanti, precum grupul spaniol Iberdola, grupul Enel, dar si altii, si-au anuntat intentia de a dezvolta proiecte in energie eoliana in valore de aproximativ 1,5 miliarde euro", a afirmat Gabriel Baleanu, expert in Ministerul Economiei si Finantelor.

Printre companiile care au anuntat astfel de intentii se mai numara Electrica, Eviva, subsidiara a grupului portughez Martifer, CEZ (Cehia), E.ON (Germania) si Verbund (Austria).

La sfarsitul lunii februarie, operatorul sistemului de transport al energiei Transelectrica a anuntat ca a primit cereri de racordare la retea a 4.000 MW instalati in turbine eoliene, reprezentand 25% din puterea totala la nivel national, valoare care insa depaseste posibilitatile retelelor existente. Din acest motiv, compania a apreciat ca pentru inceput vor putea fi integrati in sistem pana la 1.500 MW.

Sursa: www.zf.ro/articol_165210

[Yury]

oh those pro-Western Serb parties. Will only happen if Dinkic's G17 and Tadic's DS forms the new government though.

[nebunul]

Romania wants to build second nuclear power plant after 2020

BUCHAREST (Thomson Financial) - Romania plans to build a second nuclear power station to ensure its future energy independence, the head of Nuclearelectrica, Teodor Chirica, said.
'After 2020, we'll need a second nuclear power plant, with between two and four reactors,' Chirica said at an energy strategy seminar here.
Romanian Prime Minister Calin Tariceanu said in October that Bucharest was planning a second nuclear power station 'so as not to be dependent on resources like gas and oil which are running out.'
The current Cernovada power plant in the country's southeast, which currently has two reactors in operation, supplies around 17 percent of Romania's electricity needs.
Another two reactors are set to go into operation by 2014-2015, and Romania launched an international tender for their construction, the cost of which was estimated to be 2.2 billion euros.
For the project, a joint venture was set up between Nuclearelectrica and six foreign investors -- Arcelor-Mittal, Czech utility CEZ, Electrabel of Belgium, Enel of Italy, Iberdrola of Spain and German power giant RWE.
The six will each take stakes of 10-15 percent in the joint venture.

[Le Clerk]

Romania wants to build second nuclear power plant after 2020

BUCHAREST (Thomson Financial) - Romania plans to build a second nuclear power station to ensure its future energy independence, the head of Nuclearelectrica, Teodor Chirica, said.
'After 2020, we'll need a second nuclear power plant, with between two and four reactors,' Chirica said at an energy strategy seminar here.


^^ I think they got it wrong. Romania will need a new nuke after 2020, but cannot build it AFTER that date, but only before. AFAIK, the gov plans to start works for the second NPP after the 3rd and 4th reactors at Cernavoda will be fully operational, that is 2014-2015, so that by 2020, a new NPP will become operational (or, at least that's what I've read recently in the Romanian press).

Also, windpower is deemed to be insecure, as it may fluctuate according to seasons or weather inconsistecies, so a new NPP will be needed for sure. No country can trust too much on windpower generation. :cheers:

[Le Clerk]

The study will cost 1,5 million EUR (out of which 750 k will be provided by the Swedish gov). The submarine cable is planned to transport electricity from Russia, Ukraine, and Romania to Turkey, which registers a 8% increase in consumption yearly. The construction costs are estimated at 400 million EUR and the cable's capacity will be at 600MW/h. The project has been agreed by Turkey and Romania in 2004.



Studiul de fezabilitate pentru cablul submarin dintre Romania si Turcia va fi finalizat in 2009

Business Standard
17 martie 2008

Contractul pentru studiul de fezabilitate privind cablul electric submarin ce va uni Romania cu Turcia va fi semnat in luna iunie cu firma care va castiga licitatia iar studiul va fi finalizat in martie 2009, a declarat, pentru NewsIn, directorul general al Transelectrica, Stelian Gal.

"Transelectrica si TEIAS, compania similara de transport energie electrica din Turcia lucreaza impreuna la dezvoltarea unui proiect privind o noua interconexiune in cablu submarin, ” 400 kV HVDC Link ” intre cele doua tari. Ideea proiectului este de a valorifica capacitatea in dezvoltare de export al energiei electrice din Romania pe piata de energie electrica din Turcia care inregistreaza o crestere record a consumului de energie electrica de peste 8% anual", a spus directorul general Transelectrica.

Prin cablul subteran ce va uni Romania de Turcia se va putea transporta energie electrica intre Rusia, Ucraina, Moldova, Romania si Turcia. Alte variante includ transportul de electricitate intre Turcia, Romania, Polonia, Serbia si Ungaria, insa studiul de fezabilitate urmeaza sa stabileasca si alte posibilitati de trasport al energiei intre statele europene.

"In ceea ce priveste obtinerea grantului, Transelectrica a depus la autoritatile suedeze “Aplicatia de solicitare a grantului”, s-a realizat auditul solicitarii grantului si urmeaza sa primim confirmarea acordarii acestuia la sfarsitul acestei luni sau cel tarziu la inceputul lui aprilie. Studiul de fezabilitate va costa in jur de 1,5 milioane euro. Jumatate din suma o va plati guvernul suedez, iar cealalta jumatate, noi impreuna cu Nuclearelectrica. Suedia va plati acest grant (n.r. ofera gratuit jumatate din necesarul de investitii) cu conditia ca firma care va realiza studiul de fezabilitate sa fie din Suedia. Imediat ce vom primi acesti bani de la ei, urmeaza licitatia pentru a alege firma castigatoare si apoi vom demara efectiv studiul de fezabilitate. Licitatia va avea loc intre companiile suedeze si sunt mai multe care s-au aratat interesate. Studiul de fezabilitate va dura noua luni, deci va fi gata undeva in martie 2009", a afirmat Stelian Gal.

Transportatorul turc de electricitate, TEIAS, partenerul Transelectrica in proiectul cablului submarin, nu poate efectua investitii in afara granitelor tarii sale. In etapa de realizare si aprobare a Studiului de Fezabilitate, TEIAS va avea rolul de consultant tehnic.

Directorul general al Transelectrica estimeaza ca va semna Contractul de executie a Studiului de Fezabilitate cu firma castigatoare in luna iunie. Primul Raport aferent studiului de fezabilitate va fi prezentat in prima parte a lunii decembrie 2008, urmand ca raportul final sa fie prezentat in luna martie 2009, a adaugat Stelian Gal.

Potrivit acestuia, Transelectrica a solicitat si a obtinut acordul de principiu al SNN- Nuclearelectrica, ca principal producator pe piata de energie electrica, de a participa impreuna la finantarea studiului de fezabilitate.

"Astfel, structura finala de finantare a studiului se prezinta astfel: 50% din valoarea sa este acordata printr-un grant acordat de statul suedez companiei Transelectrica pentru realizarea acestui studiu, 25% din valoarea studiului vor fi suportate de Transelectrica din surse proprii sau surse atrase si restul de 25% va fi contributia Nuclearelectrica, companie care are deja in functiune la Cernavoda doua unitati nucleare si urmeaza sa construiasca in parteneriat cu alti investitori si unitatile 3 si 4, fiecare de 700 MW ", a afirmat Stelian Alexandru Gal.

Demararea studiului de fezabilitate a fost intarziata, deoarece firmele care isi anuntasera initial intentia de a finanta un sfert din costurile studiului (Akfen Holding Co.Inc. Turcia, Unit Investment Bv Turcia si Statkraft Group Norvegia) au dorit sa stie care sunt beneficiile participarii lor la proiect. Transportatorul turc de electricitate a considerat insa ca este suficient faptul ca aceste firme au acces la informatiile legate de proiect.

Dupa finalizarea studiului de fezabilitate al cablului submarin, Romania si Turcia vor face un anunt international pentru atragerea investitorilor interesati de acest proiect. Costurile de constructie a cablului sunt estimate la 400 de milioane de euro, fiecarei tari revenindu-i constructia statiei de conversie de pe teritoriul sau si a portiunii de cablu ce va tranzita platforma continentala. Finantarea proiectului ar urma sa fie asigurata prin credite, surse proprii si instrumente ale pietei de capital. Sistemele energetice din cele doua state vor fi interconectate prin statiile de la Constanta si Pasakoy, iar capacitatea de transport va fi de 600 MW. Proiectul a fost initiat in baza unui Memorandum de intelegere incheiat intre autoritatile celor doua state in aprilie 2004.

[Le Clerk]

Business Standard
18/03/2008


Electrica and Warmetriebe to invest 400 million EUR in biomass power plants. The jointventure will be signed in April this year, and the resulting company will be owned 50/50 by Electrica and Warmetriebe.

Electrica willl also invest 100 million EUR in windpower generation. Overall, in the coming 5 years, Electrica will invest 650 million EUR in maintenance and energy production projects.


http://www.standard.ro/articol_35173_12/electrica_si_warmetriebe__400_mil__euro_in_centrale_pe_biomasa.html

[Le Clerk]

Business Standard
18/03/2008

The new power plant is expected to produce 800 MW, more than one nuclear reactor. E.ON and Enel, who only own electricity distribution companies in Romania, want to become electricity producers.


http://www.standard.ro/articol_35229_12/e_on_si_enel_negociaza_cu_termoelectrica_proiectul_de_la_braila.html

[Turnovec]

Some of the newly installed generators on our Black Sea coast ...

http://photo-cult.com/pics/305/pic_10003699_0305296.jpg

[Le Clerk]

^^ Hmm, gorgeous. I love them on the coast! Makes me come. :crazy:

PS: Is that E.ON, cause the red at the tip of the rotors looks like E.ON's branded red?

[Turnovec]

^^ To tell you the truth i have no idea which is the company that built them. There were at least 3 of them who decalared investment plans in wind generators on our North-East coast, but i am not sure if E.on is amongts them.
Either way E.on runs the electricity company in N-E Bulgaria so they might be ... or maybe those red stripes are put there just for safety measures ...

[Le Clerk]

Business Standard
20 martie 2008


The Rompretrol group, taken over last year by Kazakh state-owned KazMunaiGas, is targeting turnover this year worth $10-12 billion (€6.3-7.5 bln), up from $7 bln (€4.4 bln) last year, mainly due to an increase in the volume of crude oil and traded refined products, according to a declaration yesterday by the group’s Chief Executive Officer, Dinu Patriciu.

This year’s trading of crude oil will reach seven million tons, and 8 million tons of oil products, according to Patriciu. He added that the Dyneff fuel distributor, taken over by Rompetrol three years ago, will increase its contribution in 2008 to the group’s turnover to some $3.7 bln from $3 bln in 2007. Rompetrol imports ten million tons of crude oil, of which six million from KazMunaiGas.

Patriciu added that a 10 percent rise in the price of raw materials will lead to a 5 percent increase of the price of fuel at the pump. Rompetrol Gas, trade division of the group’s liquified petroleum gas, has invested $10 million (€6.3 mln) in a new bottling station in Arad. The company operates a similar station in Navodari and intends to open another unit in Bacau this year, whose investment is estimated to cost $10 mln.

The company is targeting a rise in market share this year to 15 percent from 8 percent in 2007, and to 21 percent in 2012, through investments in its distribution network and the attraction of new clients.

According to Rompetrol Gas’ General Manager, Veron Toma, the LPG market in Romania is up to 500,000 tons, worth $500-550 mln. Rompetrol Gas is estimated turnover this year worth some $100 mln, almost double that of 2007 of $54 mln.

Rompetrol also intends to operate some 350 Expres mobile gas stations this year, up from 100 units at present.

[Le Clerk]

Rompetrol.com
2008-03-20 15:26


Midia Marine Terminal – company of The Rompetrol Group which is in charge with the construction of the crude oil offshore terminal in Midia harbour, the Black Sea - has selected Van Oord Offshore B.V., a Dutch company to be its general contractor, and the supplier of the basic equipment necessary to completing the terminal is also a Dutch company: Bluewater Energy Services B.V. The value of the project Midia marine terminal is currently estimated to USD 90 million. The project was initiated in June 2006 and will be completed this fall.

“We have finished the technical project and the first equipments are to be supplied in April. All necessary licenses for starting the investment have been obtained, the geotechnical and geophysics studies with respect to the building site of the pipeline, both at sea and on land have been carried out and were based on a very comprehensive study carried out by Midia Marine Terminal Company. We analysed all environmental data available with respect to the wind, wave, water temperature, earthquake conditions. I can say that the project benefits from the most exhaustive environmental study and the best professionals in the field”, according to Tudorel Dumitraşcu, General Manager of Midia Marine Terminal Company.

The floating marine terminal for oil unloading is positioned at 8.7 kilometres into the Black Sea, in the area where Petromidia refinery is located. The terminal may receive crude tankers of maximum 160,000 DWT, of Suezmax class, the maximum transfer capacity will reach 14 million tons of crude per year.

When the project is completed, ships may unload oil by using a floating landing system connected to a submarine and land pipe linking to the crude tank park of Petromidia refinery. Compared to the route through Constanta Harbour, this project shortens by 33 kilometres the pipeline access route of oil between tanker and refinery, whilst achieving important cost reductions, of at least USD 4-5 / t. The crude will be pumped through the pipes of the marine terminal with a 7000 cubic metre per hour flow.

The project will enable the Rompetrol Group to become an important component of a crude oil supply chain from the Caspian Sea to Petromidia plants, ensuring an important oil flow for both the Romanian and Central European markets.

http://www.rompetrol.com/online/index.php?_website_id=67&news_id=347&news_website_id=0&id=1&newscategory_id=1

[Alexriga]

Some of the newly installed generators on our Black Sea coast ...

http://photo-cult.com/pics/305/pic_10003699_0305296.jpg

Wind generators are great!

[Darhet]

Electricity - production in Eastern Europe / Balkans :

(kWh)

Russia production 1,000,000,000,000 2007 est.
Electricity - consumption 985,200,000,000



Ukraine production 192,100,000,000 2006
Electricity - consumption 181,900,000,000

Turkey production 154,200,000,000
Electricity - consumption 129,000,000,000

Poland production 146,200,000,000 2005
Electricity - consumption 120,400,000,000

Czech Republic production 77,380,000,000 2005
Electricity - consumption 59,720,000,000

Greece production 56,130,000,000
Electricity - consumption 54,310,000,000

Romania production 56,910,000,000 2005
Electricity - consumption 48,170,000,000

Bulgaria production 45,700,000,000 2006
Electricity - consumption 37,400,000,000

Serbia production 33,870,000,000 2004
Electricity - consumption ?
Hungary production 33,690,000,000 2005
Electricity - consumption 35,980,000,000

Slovakia production 29,890,000,000 2005
Electricity - consumption 24,930,000,000

Belarus production 29,080,000,000 2005
Electricity - consumption 29,490,000,000

Slovenia production 14,900,000,000 2006
Electricity - consumption 13,710,000,000

Lithuania production 13,480,000,000 2005
Electricity - consumption 9,296,000,000


Bosnia and Herzegovina production 12,220,000,000 2005
Electricity - consumption 8,574,000,000

Estonia production 9,599,000,000 2005
Electricity - consumption 6,888,000,000


Latvia production 4,778,000,000
Electricity - consumption 6,090,000,000

Macedonia production 5,935,000,000 2006
Electricity - consumption 8,929,000,000

Albania production 5,385,000,000 2005
Electricity - consumption 3,323,000,000


Kosovo production 3,996,000,000 2006
Electricity - consumption 4,281,000,000

Moldova production 3,881,000,000 2005
Electricity - consumption 5,551,000,000

Montenegro production 2,864,000,000 2005 est
Electricity - consumption 18,600,000


Wind Energy - 9 Wind farms and 4 U/C- in Poland
http://www.psew.pl/en/

http://www.elektrownie-wiatrowe.org.pl/zagorze/photos_big/53%20Z.jpg
http://www.elektrownie-wiatrowe.org.pl/zagorze/photos_big/48%20Z.JPG
http://www.elektrownie-wiatrowe.org.pl/zagorze/photos_big/P0008811.JPG
http://www.elektrownie-wiatrowe.org.pl/zagorze/photos_big/2.jpg
http://www.elektrownie-wiatrowe.org.pl/galerie/rozne_gal/farma%20wiatrowa%202.jpg
http://www.elektrownie-wiatrowe.org.pl/galerie/rozne_gal/img0005.jpg
http://www.epa.com.pl/pict_wind/ewi_1.jpg
http://www.elektrownie-wiatrowe.org.pl/zagorze/photos_big/9.jpg
http://www.elektrownie-wiatrowe.org.pl/zagorze/photos_big/P0005798.JPG
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4e/Lktrwnwtrw.jpg
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/1a/Gniezdzewo_turbiny_wiatrowe.jpg/800px-Gniezdzewo_turbiny_wiatrowe.jpg
http://www.elektrownie-wiatrowe.org.pl/galerie/cisowo_gal/cis2.jpg
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/46/Elektrownie_wiatrowe_k._Swarzewa.jpg/800px-Elektrownie_wiatrowe_k._Swarzewa.jpg
http://www.eez.pl/images/stories/str_gl/P5030046.jpg


http://www.elektrownie-wiatrowe.org.pl/zagorze/photos_big/24.jpg
http://www.elektrownie-wiatrowe.org.pl/zagorze/photos_big/25.jpg
http://www.elektrownie-wiatrowe.org.pl/zagorze/photos_big/P0008198.JPG
http://www.elektrownie-wiatrowe.org.pl/zagorze/photos_big/P0008563.JPG

Installed windpower capacity (MW)2007 Eastern Europe / Balkans
Greece 746MW
Poland 276 MW
Turkey 146 MW
Czech Republic 116 MW
Ukraine 89 MW
Bulgaria 70 MW
Hungary 65 MW
Estonia 58 MW
Lithuania 50 MW
Latvia 27 MW
Romania 8 MW
Slovenia 5 MW

[joce23]

^^
nice pics and interesting data ! :cheers:

Romania may triple energy produced from renewable sources by 2020
http://nineoclock.ro/index.php?page=detalii&categorie=business&id=20080321-512236

49.4 pc of electric power suppliers are confident of the Romanian electricity market.

The national production of energy from renewable sources may reach 171 TWh by 2020, from 53 TWh in 2005, if important investment is made in the sector, the President of the Romanian National Institute for the Study of Energy Sources (IRE), Jean Constantinescu, said yesterday, according to Rompres. He believes that the quantity of power generated from hydrological sources may double by 2020, reaching 40-44 TWh, while the energy obtained from biomass could go up from 32.2 TWh to 88 TWh in the same period.

The IRE official is of the opinion that Romania could generate 23 TWh from wind sources with one condition: there should be some contingency groups such as small gas-fired facilities that can be started fast as the wind source is not very even. ‘Unfortunately, Romania’s Energy Strategy does not include such correlations’ Constantinescu said during a seminar on energy efficiency.

The Vice-President of the chamber of Commerce and Industries, Nicolae Vasile, in turn, pointed out that IRE had been told about intentions to develop wind energy facilities of 5,000 MW. ‘The carrying out of such intentions would take an investment of about EUR 5 bln’ Vasile stressed.

The target of the European Commission by 2020 is to have 20 per cent of the used energy coming from renewable sources. ‘Romania’s potential use of renewable sources of energy is above the committed level, with the condition of a positive investing climate’ the IRE official further noted.

49.4 per cent of the electricity suppliers have confidence in the Romanian electric power market, according to the results of a questionnaire made public yesterday by the Association of Electricity Suppliers of Romania (AFEER) and SC Power Advisors SRL. The indicator stemming from the questionnaire shows a maturing trend on the electricity market towards a higher level of transparency and competition. Other trends identified by the questionnaire are a moderate growth of market openness in 2008 as well as the main orientation to small industrial consumers. The questionnaire was run among 39 electricity suppliers representing nearly half of the active participants on the Romanian revenant market in 2007. This is the first programme trying to measure the confidence of suppliers in the Romanian electricity market using a questionnaire to gather their opinions. The questions asked inquired about how electricity suppliers perceived relevant aspects for the operation of a competitive market.

[JuMPer]

3 new wind generator complexes, construction begins as of end of the month.
By 2010 Bulgaria will have 300MW of wind power

Три нови ветрокомплекса ще се изграждат от края на март

21 Март 2008 | 09:41


До 2010 г. в България инсталираните мощности от ветрогенератори да бъдат около 300 мегавата. Това обяви председателят на Асоциацията на производителите на екологична енергия Велизар Киряков на семинар "Ролята на европейските структурни фондове и на асоциациите в развитието на възобновяемия енергиен сектор в България".

През 2005 г. Българияе разполагала с 13 мегавата мощности от ветрогенератори. През 2007 г. те са 29 мегавата.До няколко месеца започва изграждането на три големи ветропарка - на нос Калиакра, в район "Хаджи Димитър", община Каварна, с капацитет от 156 мегавата, и в близост до Девня, между община Суворово и Вълчи дол, с инсталирана мощност от 60 мегавата. Обектът на нос Калиакра попада в защитената от "Натура 2000" и е на пътя на прелитащите птици. Има предупреждение от ЕС и Министерството на енергетикататрябва да се произнесе по проекта.

До 31 март Държавната комисия за енергийно и водно регулиране трябва да определи новите преференциални цени на електроенергията от ВЕИ за 2008 година.

Според Закона за ВЕИ, присъединяването към електроразпределителната мрежа трябва да стане в срока, заявен от производителя на даден ветрогенератор. Електроразпределителните дружества нарочно бавят присъединяването на произведеното от вятър електричество към електроразпределителната система. По думите му цената на произведената от вятър енергия е конкурентноспособна - между 4 и 5 евроцента за киловатчас, колкото е и цената на произвежданата от въглища енергия, а атомната електроенергия възлиза на 5,1-6,1 евроцента.

[nebunul]

http://img148.imageshack.us/img148/7572/eemw3.gif (http://imageshack.us)
^^ Romania's yellow dot ^^ - location for projects described below

121 (approved) aeolian sites/projects in North Dobrogea (Tulcea County) & Eco (Austria) to build 22 wind turbines - 220MWh (250 ha/75 mil Euro)
source RO - http://www.romanialibera.ro/a120604/morisca-pentru-baietii-destepti.html

[Le Clerk]

^^ Iberdrola has also acquired a project in the same 'dot' and intends to build windpower sites with a total output of 800 MW by 2010.

[bgrs]

Sooo the region near Ruse is good for building those ugly things...and still only two of them there. What a shame :)

[ВОДА]

New EUR 250 Mln Investment In Maritza East PP Near Stara Zagora

http://www.chambersz.com/images/stories/Panoramen-r-1-a.jpg

http://www.chambersz.com/index.php/content/view/11127/109/

Срязването на целика – инвестиция от над 250 млн. евро на Мини Марица-изток ЕАД

На 21 март 2008 г. изпълнителният директор на „Мини Марица-изток” ЕАД инж. Иван Марков преряза лентата и даде старт на срязването на въглищния целик* между рудниците „Трояново-север” и „Трояново-1”. Със срязването започва и добивът на въглища в най-благоприятната зона за открито разработване на Източномаришкото находище.

[ruslan33]

Ukraine has banned Rosukrenergo (where Gazprom owns 50 percent) from exporting the gas outside the country, stripping it of the last profit-generating tool. People in Naftogaz say that the purpose is to prevent the repetition of the January crisis, when Rosukrenergo sold 1.5 billion cu meters of cheap gas to Europe and Gazprom offered the expensive gas of Russia as a substitute.
Naftogaz briefer Valentin Zemlyansky said yesterday he himself saw the March 12 ruling of the cabinet dedicated to the sale of imported natural gas in Ukraine. The document specifies that, starting from January 1, the gas of Rosukrenergo could be used exclusively to meet the demand of Ukraine in line with the gas balance of 2008.

The key purposes of the ruling, Zemlyansky went on, are to secure the fuel and energy balance of Ukraine that provides for importing 55 billion cu meters of gas a year and to avoid the crisis similar to the one happened in January when Gazprom demanded from Ukraine to pay $314 per a thousand cu meters to $321 per a thousand cu meters for $1.5 billion of Russia’s gas.

Ukrainian News reported that the same ruling of the cabinet committed the State Customs Service of Ukraine to preliminary clear the gas supplied to the gas transport system at the price of $179.5 per a thousand cu meters for Naftogaz exclusively.

Zemlyansky said that Naftogaz will ensure the transit supplies under all foreign contracts. The official didn’t exclude the scenario, whereby Rosukrenergo would buy gas from Naftogaz on border of Ukraine and Poland for selling in Europe. Rosukrenergo supplied 10.2 billion cu meters to the EU in 2007.

Meanwhile, Europe’s clients of Rosukrenergo expect the new initiative of Ukraine to break their gas contracts and trigger a scandal at the EU level.

http://www.kommersant.com/photo/512/DAILY/2008/046//KKI_008536_00230_1_t208.jpg
http://www.kommersant.com/p869570/Rosukrenergo_Ukraine/

[Alexriga]

http://img148.imageshack.us/img148/7572/eemw3.gif (http://imageshack.us)
^^ Romania's yellow dot ^^ - location for projects described below

121 (approved) aeolian sites/projects in North Dobrogea (Tulcea County) & Eco (Austria) to build 22 wind turbines - 220MWh (250 ha/75 mil Euro)
source RO - http://www.romanialibera.ro/a120604/morisca-pentru-baietii-destepti.html

Wjw. Now I understand why Denmark has so many wind power stations.

[bgrs]

RWE favoured for Bulgaria nuclear stake-source

SOFIA, March 24 (Reuters) - German utility RWE (RWEG.DE: Quote, Profile, Research) is poised to become the key investor in a planned Bulgarian nuclear power plant, a source close to the process said on Monday.

The country short-listed RWE and Belgian Electrabel, owned by France's Suez (LYOE.PA: Quote, Profile, Research) for a 49 percent stake in the 4.0 billion euro ($6.18 billion) plant at the Danube River town of Belene earlier this month.

"RWE is the clear favourite for now," the source, who asked for anonymity, said. "There are talks between the two bidders to see whether they can share the minority stake between them, with RWE having the leading role."

Bulgaria wants the 2,000 megawatt nuclear plant to make the country a major electricity exporter in the Balkans again after it was forced to shut communist-era reactors as a condition of joining the European Union.

Last week, Bulgarian Economy and Energy Minister Petar Dimitrov said the process is advanced and a winner for a strategic partner in the plant, to be controlled by state owned utility NEK, could be picked within days.

He said he expected to see whether the two bidders will sweeten their offers and to determine the stake they would like.

The source said RWE has offered about 400 million euros in investment immediately so that the project to build two 1,000 megawatt reactors starts quickly.

The source said the global credit crunch makes the financing of the plant, whose capital cost could reach six billion euros, difficult and RWE's offer has played a vital role.

Another source, who also asked for anonymity said RWE was looking into ways to take a partner.

Dimitrov has said that NEK would choose a lead manager for the financing of the plant once it picks a strategic partner or partners for the minority stake.

Two French banks, Societe Generale (SOGN.PA: Quote, Profile, Research) and BNP Paribas (BNPP.PA: Quote, Profile, Research), have expressed interest in structuring the debt for Belene, sources close to the process have said.

Moscow had offered to finance the plant, but Dimitrov said the country was not looking into that option.

NEK has contracted Russia's Atomstroiexport, controlled by gas company Gazprom (GAZP.MM: Quote, Profile, Research), along with France's Areva (CEPFi.PA: Quote, Profile, Research) and Germany's Siemens (SIEGn.DE: Quote, Profile, Research) to build the plant.

The reactors are expected to come online in 2013-2014.

[Turnovec]

^^ So guess nebunul was right :)

RWE Power ... via Moscow ... 100% :)

[petet]

Some of the newly installed generators on our Black Sea coast ...

http://photo-cult.com/pics/305/pic_10003699_0305296.jpg


I'm againts!!!They will stop the stream of all birds!!! :bash:

[petet]

Guys,do you know what one fckn' american politic said about KOZLUDUI when Putin said he will built BELENE

American $hit : "Sorry,Bulgaria.We made a big effort"

[Yury]

those Americans :ohno:

[Dulgeroff]

Guys,do you know what one fckn' american politic said about KOZLUDUI when Putin said he will built BELENE

American $hit : "Sorry,Bulgaria.We made a big effort"

Can you be more clear?

[Le Clerk]

HotNews.ro
25 martie 2008, 14:44 English | Regional Europe

Starting April this year, Ukraine might reduce gas transit deliveries to Poland, Polish daily Gazeta Wyborcza warns, quoted by RBK Daily. According to report, the Kiev government placed an interdiction on the RosUkrEnergo company to provide gas for exports. Polish experts estimate a reduction of gas suppliers both for Poland but also for Romania, Hungary and Slovakia.

According to experts, RUE does not have the necessary capacity to honor its contractual obligations and cannot thus compensate the deficit of raw material. This mission will most probably be transferred to Gazprom.

Ukraine's PM Yulia Timoshenko plans to block the gas transit destined for RUE across Ukraine starting with April 1, the publication announces. This happens as recently the Polish company PGNiG signed with RUE a contract for the delivery of 2.3 billion cubic meters of gas per year.

The Polish daily argues that this decision might also influence the energy market in Romania, Hungary and Slovakia. RUE delivers to its European partners some 7.5 billion cubic meters of gas per year. If the Ukraine government does make this decision, Gazprom will have to compensate for the rest.

[Le Clerk]

HotNews.ro
Vineri, 28 martie 2008, 16:11 English | Business


Lukoil Bulgaria intends to buy the Iliantza oil base from the Bulgarian Petrol company. The company press office confirmed that the parties wait for the anti-monopoly institutions for approval, in order to sign the deal. Market players believe that the next step is for Lukoil to buy a part or all the Petrol chain of gas stations.

The Russian company denied so far the rumors in the Bulgarian press. Lukoil already holds an oil plant in Burgas, the control stock being obtained in 1999, for 101 million dollars.

At the beginning of 2005, Lukoil increased its participation to 93.16%, after buying 22.05% more of the shares at the high-quality fuel producer.

The plant processes some 6-7 million tons of crude oil per year. In a previous statement, Valentin Zlatev, head of Lukoil Bulgaria, said that the company analyzes the possibility to acquire specialized assets, like gas stations and oil plants, from Petrol. According to his statement, some 290 - 300 gas stations would be enough for Lukoil-Bulgaria, so that the anti-monopoly legislation would not be a problem.

[Le Clerk]

The construction of the plant will start in 2009 and finish in 2011, and it's output will be at 860 MW, more than the output of one nuclear reactor. When it will be finished, the plant's output will be at 8-9% of Romania's total electricity output. This move signals Petrom's intentions to enter the electricity market, besides the oil and gas markets.


Ziarul Financiar
01.04.2008

Petrom (SNP), cea mai mare companie romaneasca, a semnat contractul pentru construirea centralei electrice de pe platforma rafinariei Petrobrazi cu consortiul format din General Electric (SUA) si Metka (Grecia), valoarea contractului fiind de peste 400 mil. euro.

Conform contractului, consortiul va construi si va livra la cheie, pana in septembrie 2011, o centrala de producere a energiei electrice cu o capacitate instalata de 860 MW care va functiona pe baza de gaze naturale. General Electric a anuntat inca din luna octombrie a anului trecuta ca incepuse discutiile cu Petrom pentru livrarea de echipamenete pentru investitia de 500 mil. euro de la Brazi

[RODINVEST]

With gas from were?

Any way with gas prices going up so high I see Valea Jiului being reactivated in 10 to 15 years.

[Le Clerk]

^^ Petrom is a gas producer. Anyway, I strongly think that they made their calculations and concluded that it's worthwhile building the power plant now and in the long future. Plus, the plant will also produce heat to the city.

[RODINVEST]

I do not agree with this project. On the other hand i do not know anything about energy but gas seems a little risky. With Ukraine next to us wouldn't a coal one be more feasible?

[nebunul]

With gas from were?

Any way with gas prices going up so high I see Valea Jiului being reactivated in 10 to 15 years.

GAZPROM ... their buddies

[Le Clerk]

The statement was made at the meeting between G.W.Bush with the Romanian PM within the NATO summit in Bucharest.

Business Standard
04/04/2008


Bush, interesat de proiectele regionale energetice
04 aprilie 2008

Presedintele SUA, George Bush, s-a aratat interesat de proiectele regionale in domeniul energiei, in vederea diversificarii surselor de aprovizionare, potrivit participantilor la discutiile dintre liderul american si premierul Tariceanu.

Conform surselor citate, in cadrul intrevederii cu Tariceanu, presedintele american a fost interesat si de dezvoltarea cooperarii cu Romania in domeniul energetic.

Presedintele american a discutat pe tema energiei si cu omologul sau roman, Traian Basescu, in cadrul intalnirii pe care cei doi au avut-o marti la Neptun."Trebuie promovata cooperarea economica, pentru ca exista un potential considerabil aici (la Marea Neagra - n.r.). De asemenea, independenta energetica. Natiunile ar trebui sa aiba la alegere o varietate de surse de energie, pentru a nu fi captivele unui singur furnizor", a declarat Bush la finalul intrevederii cu Traian Basescu.

Romania, a carei dependenta de importurile de gaze rusesti (37%) este mult mai redusa decat a Ungariei sau Bulgariei (100%), este singura tara care a ramas fidela proiectului european Nabucco, Bucurestiul nefiind interesat precum Budapesta sau Sofia de proiectul rival South Stream, propus de Gazprom. Conducta Nabucco, promovata de UE si SUA, ar urma sa ofere o alternativa la gazele si conductele rusesti, aducand gaz din Azerbaidjan prin Turcia, Bulgaria, Romania, Ungaria si Austria. (Newsin)

http://www.standard.ro/articol_38274...nergetice.html

[Le Clerk]

The Russian-Romanian Chamber of Commerce placed an order worth of 5 billion USD for engineering services in the field of oil and gas exploitation from Romanian companies specialized in the field. The services are to be provided to Russian oil and gas companies operating in Russia.

:eek2::?





Ruşii au o ofertă de cinci miliarde dolari pe proiecte cu România

The Money Channel
Luni, 07 Aprilie 2008


Ruşii vor să importe servicii de engineering din România. Oferta lansată Camerei de Comerţ Româno-Ruse se ridică la 5 miliarde de dolari pe proiecte din domeniul exploatării de petrol şi gaze, dar firmele româneşti nu par deloc interesate. Ruşii au trimis oferta acum 6 luni, dar nu a fost depus niciun proiect până în prezent.

Interes din partea rusească de a face afaceri în România există, dar nu acelaşi lucru putem spune şi de investitorii români. Deşi pe adresa Camerei de Comerţ Româno-Ruse a venit o ofertă tentantă de 5 miliarde de dolari, au trecut mai bine de şase luni, iar oamenii de afaceri români nu au depus niciun proiect.



"Am primit din partea unei firme de consultanţă de la Moscova o cerere de ofertă de servicii de engineering care însumează 5 miliarde de dolari. Noi am încercat să o promovăm. Un prim răspuns am primit la vreo patru luni şi cam atât. Am legat discuţii cu institute de cercetare din domeniul petrolului şi gazelor pentru că în acest domeniu era oferta şi am primit doar promisiuni şi nimic scris, dar există acest potenţial, există cerere. Nu şi-au pus problema profitului, toata lumea şi-a pus problema riscului", a declarat pentru The Money Channel Mihai Maxim, preşedintele Camerei de Comerţ Româno-Ruse.

[Yury]

haha, so there were some outcomes of the Putin-Basescu meeting after all :D

[Le Clerk]

^^ I do not understand what is happening??! The order came a few months ago actually, but only recently made it to the public (after the NATO summit). It is actually a huge order, unprecedented so far for the Romanian oil and gas engineering services (except maybe for the communist period, when the Romanian oil and gas companies actually build the entire Irakian oil extraction industry). This is great news! Let's see what outcome it'll have.

I think Putin threw the bate before he came to Bucharest :lol:

[RODINVEST]

Nothing will come of it.We no longer have the means to fill such an order.

[Le Clerk]

Yes, we do. Check Petrom Service S.A. (http://www.petromservice.ro/), which also has the website in Russian as well (how many Romanian companies have website in Russian?). If you look at their website they attend at many oil industry related events in Russia. AFAIK, they also have some ongoing projects in the Middle East.

Petrom Service is a huge company, with about 10.000 employees in Romania and abroad.

[cezarsab]

petrom is the most powerful company in romania...i think they can do it...
good job...

[Le Clerk]

^^ Petrom Service is currently a different company from Petrom. However, Petrom Service used to be part of Petrom before Petrom's privatisation. Petrom Service wound up from Petrom before its privatisation with OMV, yet continued to supply maintenance and other engineering services to Petrom and to other private and public oil and gas companies activating in Romania, and abroad.

Nevertheless, Petrom Service is a huge service company, the biggest in Romania and one of the biggest in the region.

[Yury]

is that deal real? Have there been any reports in English language? I have not found anything in Russian so far

[Le Clerk]

There is no deal as yet. It is just a piece of news about an order placed by the Russian-Romanian Chamber of Commerce in Romania for Romanian companies in the field of oil and gas engineering services. We do not know yet whether any contract has been signed. I think it will also be difficult to know whether any such contract has indeed been signed since most such agreements are confidential. I am looking forward for more news on the subject. :cheers:

[Le Clerk]

Here's a restatement of the news that the consortium for the construction of the future nuclear reactors has been agreed.

The Diplomat
April 2008

Romanian power producer Nuclearelectrica has concluded an agreement to allow six companies to construct two more nuclear reactors at Cernavoda power station. Enel (Italy), Electrabel (Belgium), Iberdrola (Spain), CEZ (The Czech Republic), ArcelorMittal Romania and RWE (Germany) and Nuclearelectrica will set up a mixed company that will build, operate and exploit the reactors. Total investments in the joint company are estimated to be 2.3 billion Euro.

[dia]

Нext to Pazardjik in Bulgaria is planned the construction of a big solar central. The investment should be about 30mln levs for a central with 50kw capacity.

Строим най-големият соларен парк в Източна Европа

От: Сграда.com
editors@sgrada.com


Близо до Пазарджик ще бъде изградена най-голямата слънчева централа в Източна Европа.
Тя ще заема общински терен от 2 хил. дка, като избраната земя попада 5 - 7 категория. За промяна на статута й фирмата-инвеститор ще трябва да плати над 2 млн. лв. Кметът на Пазарджик Тодор Попов вече е внесъл в Общинския съвет предложение за продажба на парцела, като определената минимална цена е 476 123 лв.

Вложената в соларния парк сума ще е над 30 млн. лв. Името на инвеститора все още не е оповестено, но според информацията той ще работи в партньорство с международната корпорация Helium Energy.

Слънчевата централа ще бъде с инсталирана мощност от 50 мегавата. Освен нея е предвидено изграждането и на завод за производство на соларни батерии.

[bgrs]

^^ It's megawatts, not kilowatts

[nebunul]

President of Azerbaijan Confirms Energy Co-operation Agreement between Azerbaijan and Romania
http://capital.trendaz.com/index.shtml?show=news&newsid=1173208&lang=EN


Azerbaijan, Baku, 10 April - The President of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, confirmed the Agreement on Co-operation between the Ministry of Industry and Energy of Azerbaijan and Ministry of Economy and Finance of Romania, which was signed on 12 March in Bucharest. The Ministry of Industry and Energy of Azerbaijan is responsible for realizing the Agreement. The Foreign Ministry of Azerbaijan is responsible for notifying the Romanian side once all internal State procedures of the Agreement are fulfilled.

[nebunul]

Nigeria: Romanian company to Establish Refineries in Delta, Lagos

A Romanian company is set to establish refineries in both Delta and Lagos states.
The company, BSM International petroleum (http://bsmrefinery.com/?p=home) refinery and petrochemicals Limited, has said it will recover oil, diesel, petrol and kerosene when it commences operations with an expected initial daily turn out of over 17 barrels per day.
The quantity is to rise to 200 barrels per day with operations further extended to other states of the Federation and already, 250 hectares of land has been given for the situation of the site.
The president and chairman, board of directors of the company, Lateef Lai Ogungbadero, made this known when a delegation of the company paid a working visit to the Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission (NIPC) in Abuja.
He disclosed that the company, whose headquarters is located in Romanian, is expected to employ about 10,000 Nigerians, some of who will undergo training in Romania and also have Romanian partners.
According to him, the company will also establish transportable stations aimed at taking care of the industrial and other areas which will be done in collaboration with the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).
Already, it has appointed some local group freight forwarders to handle equipments coming into the country for the commencement of the project which is expected to take off towards the end of this month.
The president, who did not state the amount of money that will be used for the establishment of the company, revealed further that it has entered into discussions with some ECOWAS countries in a bid to extend the project to those countries.
Ogungbadero thus enjoined the Federal Government and state governments involved to provide adequate security for both staff and equipments in order to enhance smooth operations. Similarly, the executive secretary of NIPC, Engr. Mustafa Bello, who was represented by Dr. Ghaji Bello, director, investor relations of the NIPC commended the company and its idea of extending operations to other states.
He said the reasons for the commencement of operations in Lagos and Delta is born out of the fact that Lagos State consumes the highest quantity of fuel in Nigeria and Delta is one of the oil producing states with abundant raw materials.
Bello, who noted that the refineries in Nigeria are moribund, said the country needs projects to solve its problems especially in relation to oil.
http://allafrica.com

[ruslan33]

German Chancellor, Angela Merkel, has once again defended Nord Stream, a natural gas pipeline that will run along the Baltic Sea bed from Russia to Germany. The Chancellor considers it to be strategically important for Europe's energy security.

Speaking to journalists at the European Council’s Parliamentary Assembly in Strasbourg, Merkel said it is pointless to discuss whether the project is viable.

From the very start, the project has met with fierce opposition from environmentalists.

Russia’s energy giant Gazprom is the primary stakeholder in Nord Stream, while German companies E.ON, Ruhrgas and Wintershall share control over the rest.

Construction of the pipeline is scheduled to start in 2010.

http://www.russiatoday.ru/business/news/23515

Merkel Ich liebe dich :lol:

[RODINVEST]

Germans singing to the russian tune, very sad.

[ruslan33]

Germans singing to the russian tune, very sad.

No Germany a good partner and ally of Russia and not ass-licking americas butt like Poland or Romania :lol:

[ruslan33]

Russia's state nuclear corporation, Rosatom, is inviting international bids to build a nuclear power plant in Kaliningrad, Russia’s enclave in the Baltics. The company is ready to offer a stake of up to 49 per cent in the project, which will cost 5 billion euros.

European firms are likely to win additional orders for up to half of the plant’s equipment.

Rosatom boss Sergey Kiriyenko says initial talks have already been held with European suppliers.

An agreement on the construction of the nuclear plant was signed on Wednesday between Rosatom and the government in Kaliningrad.

http://www.russiatoday.ru/business/news/23570

[Alexriga]

Germans singing to the russian tune, very sad.

And why do you think so? It is much better for Germany to buy cheaper gas through straight pipeline, Ukraine STEALS gas regularly and is partner who can hardly be trusted. If pipeline would go through Belrussia and Poland than gas prize would be higher because of transit fee.

[ruslan33]

^yes and Germany is a free country to decide and to do what it wants. In germanies interests the North stream is "Must" for Germany. Baltics or Poland want gas from azerbaijan and kazakhstan so they can go a build a new expensive pipeline for their own costs.

[ruslan33]

The winners of the Global Energy Awards have been announced for 2008. Russian physicists Oleg Favorsky and Eduard Volkov and Canadian Clement Bowman will share the 30-million ruble prize for their discoveries in the filed of alternative energy. It was also announced that scientists affiliated with agencies that manage the awards and the fund for them will no longer be eligible for the awards. Three years ago, the award was given to the head of the international awards committee, vice president of the Russian Academy of Sciences Zhores Alferov. Alferov has since left the committee. The president of Russia will give the winners medals and checks for their shares of the prize money on June 7.
Volkov and Bowman received awards for “theoretical grounding, creation and exploitation of effective technology to process synthetic fuel from oil shale and bituminous sands.” According to Volkov world reserves of those substances are four times greater than oil reserves. “Our research has shown that oil shale and bituminous sands can replace petroleum when it runs out,” he said.

Favorsky was given the award for “research in the field of gas dynamics, development and creation of a gas turbine engine, an apparatus for decentralized electrical energy and a high-efficiency gas transmission station.” Under Favorsky's leadership, electrical space equipment has been developed, and aircraft engines have been converted for use in Gazprom gas transmission stations.

The Global Energy Awards have been given out since 2002. The initial prize fund was $1 million. The awards were founded by Russian physicists as an alternative to the Nobel Prize and has the largest prize for any non-governmental award in Russia. The awards are sponsored by Gazprom, Surgutneftegaz and GidroOGK (replacing RAO UES of Russia, which will cease to exist this year). About 500 scientists sit on the awards committee. Seventeen scientists have won the award so far.


http://www.kommersant.com/p883326/Global_Energy_Awards/

[ruslan33]

And why do you think so? It is much better for Germany to buy cheaper gas through straight pipeline, Ukraine STEALS gas regularly and is partner who can hardly be trusted. If pipeline would go through Belrussia and Poland than gas prize would be higher because of transit fee.

Even Ukrainian president Yuschenko admits that Naftogaz is stealing gas :ohno:

http://www.kommersant.com/p-12375/Naftogaz_gas_trafficking/

[joce23]

Constanta-Trieste pipeline deal to be signed
http://www.b92.net/eng/news/business-article.php?yyyy=2008&mm=04&dd=18&nav_id=49522

BELGRADE -- Companies from Romania, Serbia, Croatia and Italy will form a joint venture for the construction of a pan-European oil pipeline.

According to the Mining and Energy Ministry and Transnafta, the agreement will be signed in Bucharest on April 22.

The Serbian delegation, to be made up of representatives from the Ministry of Mining and Energy and Transnafta will leave for Bucharest on Monday, April 21.

The agreement was to be signed earlier this month, but Romania called for the pipeline talks to be postponed because of the NATO Summit, held in Bucharest on April 1-4.

In April 2007, a ministerial declaration was signed in Zagreb, according to which the states on the route and the European Union voiced their political support for the project.

The government appointed Transnafta as the main Serbian company for this project.

The pan-European pipeline, 1400 km long and with an annual capacity of between 60 and 90 million tonnes of oil, is to pass through Romania, Serbia, Croatia and Slovenia to Italy. The pipeline is to carry oil from the eastern part of the Black Sea to the European market.

The construction of the Constanta-Pančevo-Omisalj-Trieste pipeline should cost about USD 3.5bn.

[bgrs]

BNP Paribas will be the bank funding the NPP Belene project

The construction should start this year.

A contract between NPP Kozloduy and the Ukrainian "Radii" company for modernization of blocks 5 and 6 was signed today. The lifetime of both reactors will be increased to 60 years.

БНП "Париба" ще осигури финансирането на строителството на АЕЦ "Белене". Решението е от снощи, съобщи днес министърът на икономиката и енергетиката Петър Димитров. До края на годината трябва да бъде направена и първата копка на централа, заяви миникстър Димитров.

Днес бе подписан договор за подмяна на Унифицирания комплекс технически средства - УКТС, на трите канала на системата за безопасност на 5-и и 6-и енергоблокове на АЕЦ „Козлодуй”. Изпълнител на проекта е украинското научно-производствено обединение „Радий”, избрано след конкурсна процедура.

Подписването на договора между АЕЦ „Козлодуй” и „Радий” се извършва по време на официалното посещение в България на министъра на външните работи на Украйна Володимир Огризко.

Модернизацията на АЕЦ “Козлодуй” ще позволи да се пристъпи към подготовка на необходимите документи за удължаване на експлоатационния срок на блоковете до 60 години.

[Turnovec]

^^ btw , "Die Welt" wrote on Sunday that RWE might withdraw from the tender for Belene ....

RWE mulls withdrawal from Belene nuclear power plant –Die Welt

German energy giant RWE is considering withdrawal from the race to buy 49 per cent in the company that will build Bulgaria’s second nuclear power plant at Belene, German newspaper Die Welt reported on April 20.

The newspaper quoted company sources as saying on April 18 that RWE would re-align the investments earmarked for buying the minority stake in the nuclear power plant to the acquisition of British Energy.

The shift in the energy strategy was reported to have been put up at a meeting of the supervisory board of the company over project safety concerns and doubts regarding the Russian technology, regardless of the fact that it has gained the approval of the European Commission.

Furthermore, German banks have reportedly given up on plans to finance the project because of environmental concerns and the technology’s potential threat. If RWE pulls out, this will be the second company after Electricite de France to withdraw from the tender.

RWE and Belgian Electrabel were shortlisted by project manager – the National Electricity Company (NEC) – as the finalists in the tender to pick the buyer of 49 per cent of the company that will operate the nuclear power plant. The operator is yet to be set up.

Sources close to the deal named RWE as the favourite because it offered to immediately invest 400 million euro and give a substantial premium for RWE’s preferred status. Currently, NEC is finalising negotiations with RWE and Electrabel, but runners-up are Germany’s E.ON, Italy’s Enel and the Czech CEZ.

Bulgaria wants the 2000-MW plant in the Danube town of Belene to make the country a major electricity exporter in the Balkans again after it was forced to shut communist-era reactors as a condition of joining the European Union in January 2007.

Nuclear energy accounts for one third of the country’s power needs and the local Government is among the EU countries, which believe nuclear energy is part of the solution to climate change, as proponents say atomic power emits almost no greenhouse gas emissions.

NEC would retain 51 per cent of Belene,which would be built by Russia's Atomstroiexport, controlled by gas company Gazprom, with France's Areva and Germany's Siemens as subcontractors. The construction costs have been set at four billion euro, but the total outlay on the project is expected to be closer to seven billion euro.

[new bulgaria]

The news from Bloomberg:

BNP Paribas to Help Arrange Funding for Bulgarian Nuclear Plant

April 22 (Bloomberg) -- Bulgaria chose BNP Paribas SA,
France's largest bank by market value, to help raise funding for
the construction of a 4 billion-euro ($6.3 billion) nuclear power
plant on the banks of the Danube River.

Bulgaria's National Electricity Co., the state-run utility
that oversees the project, selected the Paris-based bank in a
tender that started last July, the Economy and Energy Ministry said
on its Web Site today.

Suez SA's Belgian unit, Electrabel SAm and RWE AG, Germany's
second-largest utility, were short-listed March 11 for a 49 percent
stake in a venture to build and run the 2000-megawatt nuclear plant
in Bulgaria.

Russia's Atomstroyexport was chosen in 2005 to build the plant
with Areva SA and Siemens AG.

[Le Clerk]

Business Standard
23/04/2008




Romania, Croatia and Serbia sign Constanta-Trieste oil pipeline agreement


Romania, Croatia and Serbia signed an agreement to develop the Constanta-Trieste oil pipeline (PEOP) in Bucharest, but construction depends on Italy and Slovenia’s participation.

“Without Italy and Slovenia there will be no project,” said Vladimir Vrankovic, Executive General Manager and member of the Board of Directors of the Croatian JANAF company.

Viorel Palasca, State Secretary with the Ministry of Economy and Finance, said that Slovenia and Italy have not appointed the companies to represent them in the project.

“Italy is expecting the election of a new government, which will decide if the country will get involved in the project. However, the project can go forward. There are other options,” said Palasca.

Oil Terminal and Conpet will represent Romania in the project, along with Serbian company Transnafta and Croatian company JANAF.

Palasca said that the management will be made up of a council of six members, two from each country.

The social capital has 2,100 shares and each country will control one third. Palasca added that several companies have already expressed their interest to invest in the project, and well as suppliers, such as Azherbaijan and Kazakhstan. The Romanian state will try to include Oil Terminal and Conpet on the list of investors.

A $2 million feasibility study carried out by the World Bank indicates that there is an annual transport volume of 60 million tons of oil. The study includes three options for the building of the oil pipeline. Construction would begin next year and be completed in 2013. At an annual volume of 60 million, Romania could obtain profits of $3 billion in 20 years, according to Palasca.

[ruslan33]

http://www.kommersant.com/p885767/natural_gas_prices/

Price for the natural gas exported by Gazprom are rising much faster than forecast, the monopoly's management reported today to the board of directors. It is estimated that the profit the company derives from exports will be quadrupled. The board of directors will consider pricing policy for the CIS and Baltic countries today.
According to a source, natural gas is selling for much more than was predicted in the extremely conservative Gazprom budget for 2008-2010. This is because the company's budget assumed oil prices of $60-64 per barrel this year, while the real price of $118 per barrel also hold gas prices up. Thus, gas in Latvia is selling for $346 per 1000 cu. m., while it was budgeted at $254 this year, $222 in 2009 and $206 in 2010. The Baltic countries buy about 5.5 billion cu. m. of gas per year.

The high prices in the Baltic countries makes up for the prices charged the CIS member states. Of those, only Georgia pays a relatively high price, $270 per 1000 cu. m. Its neighbor Armenia pays $165 and will continue to pay that price for the next three years. In the other CIS countries, Gazprom intends to gradually raise the price of its gas to the average European price, defined as the price of gas at the border of Poland and Germany, minus transportation costs.

In Belarus and Ukraine, customs duties are also taken off that price. The price for gas n Belarus indicated in the Gazprom three-year budget was $120 per 1000 cu. m. for all three years. In reality, Belarus is paying $128 this year, and will pay $203 next year and $254 in 2010. The price Ukraine will pay has been under negotiation for four months now, without an official agreement.

[Le Clerk]

Business Standard
25/04/2008




Gaz de France: We have no limit regarding investments in Romania


Gaz de France, the major shareholder of Romania’s largest gas distributor, is considering the construction of a thermal power plant of 800 MW in Romania, according to the group’s President, Jean Francois Cirelli, for Business Standard.

Thus, the company would become the first integrated utility supplier on the local market. According to specialists, the minimum investment would be €600 million, if the production is based on natural gas and €1.2 billion if the raw material is coal. “We are ready to invest and we have no limit, except project viability,” Cirelli said.

Distrigaz Sud, the company purchased two years ago by Gaz de France, posted turnover worth €1 bln in 2007.

Gas de France’s strategy targets expansion on the electricity market and consolidating gas storage system. The company aims to own a fifth of natural gas storage capacity by 2012. “We plan to develop in Romania storages in saline cavities. We are examining a partnership with Salrom [Romania’s national salt company]. Talks have just began, we agreed with Salrom to make a feasibility study for this project,” Cirelli said.

The project with Salrom is the first one of this kind in Romania and the third for Gaz de France, after Germany and Britain.

Cirelli confirmed that Gaz de France is interested to participate in the gas pipe Szeged-Arad, which would allow Romania to diversify supply sources with imported gas.

[Le Clerk]

The new plant will bring the Navodari refinery among the 25 refineries in the EU in terms of output and will upgrade the refinery for the production of EURO 5 gasoline. Until 2010, Rompetrol will invest EUR 250 million in upgrading the technology and environment protection at the Navodariu refinery.


Daily Business
24/04/2008




Rompetrol Rafinare investeste 65 mil. euro intr-o fabrica de hidrogen


Rompetrol Rafinare Constanta va investi aproximativ 65 mil. euro pentru construirea unei noi fabrici de hidrogen pe plaftorma Petromidia.

"Noua instalatie face parte din amplul program de investitii asumat de rafinarie pana in 2010, care vizeaza atat o pozitionare intre primele 25 de rafinarii din Europa, cat si atingerea unei capacitati de rafinare de 5 milioane de tone", a declarat Cosmin Turcu, directorul general al Rompetrol Rafinare.

"De asemenea, aceasta va avea un rol important si in trecerea productiei de carburanti a rafinariei de la standardele Euro 4 si Euro 5 la exclusiv Euro 5", a mai spus Turcu.

Cu o capacitate de 40.000 metri cubi/ora, noua instalatie are un termen de executie de 30 de luni si va asigura procesului tehnologic hidrogen cu o puritate de 99,98%. In acelasi timp, aceasta va livra pentru uzul intern al platformei aproximativ 40 tone/ora de abur de inalta presiune.

Rominserv, contractorul general al grupului Rompetrol si al acestui proiect, a incheiat recent un contract cu compania Technip Olanda pentru furnizarea de tehnologie, know-how, engineering, echipamente si utilaje tehnologice pentru noua fabrica de hidrogen. Technip va asigura si asistenta tehnica la montaj, realizarea probelor si la punerea in functiune a instalatiei (inclusiv teste de performanta).

De la preluarea rafinariei, in 2001, Grupul Rompetrol a alocat aproximativ 225 milioane de dolari pentru realizarea de investitii tehnologice si de mediu. Pana in 2010, investitiile Rompetrol Rafinare se vor ridica la aproximativ 250 milioane de dolari, acestea urmand sa fie realizate in conditii de maxima eficienta tehnologica si de protectie a mediului, conform normele internationale in vigoare.

Rompetrol Rafinare a inregistrat anul trecut o cifra de afaceri de 3,2 miliarde dolari, in crestere cu 24% fata de 2006, in timp ce profitul operational (EBITDA) s-a majorat cu 16%, ajungand la 141 milioane dolari.

Capacitatea reala de procesare a rafinariei s-a ridicat in 2007 la 3,8 milioane tone de materie prima, in comparatie cu 1,15 milioane tone in 2000, inainte de preluarea acesteia de catre Grupul Rompetrol.

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23-24 APRIL 2008 - BUCHAREST, ROMANIA
www.buildgreencee.com

Discover the demand for energy efficient and ecological buildings, products and services in Europe’s most promising construction region.
Build Green CEE will bring together visionary investors, real estate developers, construction companies, architects, engineers, technology and service providers, building management companies, real estate agencies, students and professors, NGOs, and public authorities eager to explore and benefit from the opportunities of building green.
Within a context of rising energy prices, more stringent building codes, new technology and innovative financing, now is an opportune time for top companies to participate in the spectacular construction growth of the region and a mounting desire for better construction and energy efficiency.