Russian Oil and Gas Industry: News #3

At least if the AC goes back home to the Far East she won't have to go the long way round Africa. Could even use the Panama route, or even, dare I say it, the Northern route.

The weather is crazy all over Europe last 2 weeks.
We had the heaviest rains in 3 decades just 2 weeks ago. Twice.
I am just 90 km away from the NS2 route.

https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/russian-vessel-moves-into-german-waters-nord-stream-2-pipe-laying-2021-07-19

MOSCOW, July 19 (Reuters) - Russian pipe-laying vessel Akademik Cherskiy will move to German waters to build a 2.6 km (1.6 miles) stretch of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline, the pipeline operator said on Monday.

The vessel had previously been in Danish waters.

US, Germany Reach Deal Allowing Completion of Nord Stream 2, WSJ Reports, by Morgan Artyukhina for Sputniknews, 20.07.2021.

Ukraine and Poland have claimed construction of a new gas pipeline from Russia to Germany that doesn't go through their territory is a threat to their security. Berlin has largely dismissed their fears, noting gas will continue to flow through existing pipelines on their lands and that sanctions can counter Russia potentially "turning off the tap."

Citing "officials from Berlin and Washington," the Wall Street Journal reported on Tuesday that the US and Germany had reached an agreement to allow completion of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline. According to the report, the two NATO allies could announced the deal as soon as Wednesday.

"Germany under the agreement will agree to assist Ukraine in energy-related projects and diplomacy," the New York paper noted.

The gas pipeline, which will bring heating and power-generating fuel to Western Europe from Russia via an undersea route beneath the Baltic, has been targeted by US administrations who claim it will give Moscow leverage over European affairs.

Last week, German Chancellor Angela Merkel came to Washington to meet with US President Joe Biden, during which time they discussed Nord Stream 2, among other topics. Afterward, Merkel said they had "come to different assessments as to what this project entails."

The longtime German leader said earlier this year that she didn't see what the hubbub in Washington was about, since "the gas delivered through Nord Stream 2, which isn’t yet flowing, is no worse than the gas from Nord Stream 1, that which flows through Ukraine, and that which comes across Turkey from Russia.”

Russian President Vladimir Putin has similarly said the project is purely economic in scope.

Biden, and former US President Donald Trump, have claimed the pipeline is a threat to Ukrainian and Polish energy security because it bypasses them via an undersea route. Trump tried to convince Berlin to renege on the deal and European Union investors to stop coordinating with Russian energy company Gazprom on the project. However, Trump was also partially motivated by his desire to convince Germany and other nations to buy American liquid natural gas instead of Russian gas.

In December 2020, Trump vetoed a bill that would have sanctioned Germany for continuing to pursue the project, which will bring an additional 55 billion cubic meters of gas westward each year, but his veto was overruled and the law took effect. Still, while the US sanctioned the Russian pipe-laying vessel Fortuna working on the pipeline and the limited liability company that owns it, KVT-Rus, it has waived sanctions on other target entities ever since, with Biden saying recently he would reconsider the policy after the pipeline is complete. Germany has rejected the very notion of US sanctions due to the pipeline, saying they violate European sovereignty.

In response, some critical Republican lawmakers, such as US Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX), have pledged to block any further consideration of nominations by Biden to ambassadorial posts until sanctions are imposed on the pipeline.

https://sputniknews.com/world/202107201083425749-us-germany-reach-deal-allowing-completion-of-nord-stream-2-wsj-reports/

The gas pipeline, which will bring heating and power-generating fuel to Western Europe from Russia via an undersea route beneath the Baltic, has been targeted by US administrations who claim it will give Moscow leverage over European affairs.

Russia already has leverage over Europe regarding gas supply... it wouldn't matter where it goes through it all comes from Russia and they can turn off any of those taps to block it if they choose.

Gas through NS is because while Russia is not prepared to use energy as a weapon the Ukraine certainly is and has stolen gas intended for other countries, for which Russia got the blame.

NS is their solution to the problem of unreliable transit countries.

Now the country that is actually the cause of the problems is squealing at all the income they will miss out on... but no lesson learned...

Washington 'Quietly Urges' Kiev Not to Criticise US-German Deal on Nord Stream 2, Report Says, by Oleg Burunov for Sputniknews. 21.07.2021.

The US and Germany have reportedly reached a deal on the completion of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline, with both sides expected to announce the agreement later on Wednesday.

The Biden administration has "quietly urged" Ukraine to scrap its criticism of a US-German agreement regarding the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline project, Politico quoted unnamed sources as saying on Tuesday.

The insiders argued that Kiev's opposition to the deal may damage relations between Ukraine and the US.

The remarks come after The Wall Street Journal reported on Tuesday that Berlin and Washington had reached an agreement to allow the completion of Nord Stream 2, which is expected to be announced on Wednesday.

A separate report by Bloomberg asserted that the soon-to-be-revealed deal allegedly stipulates slapping sanctions on Russia if Moscow tries to use energy as a "weapon" against Ukraine. The report did not specify what actions by Russia could provoke the countermeasures.

No Ukraine-Germany Consensus on Nord Stream 2?

The report followed accusations by Oleksiy Arestovich, a freelance adviser to the head of the office of the Ukrainian president, that German Chancellor Angela Merkel betrayed Kiev's interests "in favour of Russia" during her talks with Volodymyr Zelensky on 12 July.

According to Arestovich, Zelensky failed to find "common ground" with Merkel on a number of issues, including Nord Stream 2 and the implementation of the so-called Steinmeier Formula, a mechanism to help resolve the conflict in eastern Ukraine.

Speaking to reporters after the negotiations, the Ukrainian president stressed that he was satisfied with the four-hour talks even though he admitted that he and Merkel "have different views on the Nord Stream 2 pipeline".

Zelensky earlier slammed the project as "a weapon against Ukraine" that will ostensibly become "a weapon against all of Europe in the future". He argued that the pipeline's "operational launch is not related to economics", urging Kiev's western allies to torpedo the project.

Nord Stream 2 Project

Nord Stream 2, which is 98 percent complete, aims to lay a 745-mile twin pipeline to transport gas from Russia directly to Germany via the Baltic Sea. The pipeline will pass through the territorial waters of Denmark, Finland, and Sweden and will bypass Ukraine.

Russia insists that the project is purely an economic endeavour and has reaffirmed on multiple occasions that it will not affect the gas transit through Ukraine as per existing contracts.

The project is opposed by the US and its allies in Eastern Europe, especially Poland and Ukraine, amid allegations by Washington that once Nord Stream 2 is operational, Europe will become even more dependent on Russia's energy resources, which will purportedly help Moscow use the pipeline as political leverage.

Washington has already introduced two rounds of sanctions on the project, in what Moscow views as an example of unfair competition meant to boost US liquefied natural gas (LNG) exports to Europe.

Germany has, in turn, consistently rejected the prospect of new extraterritorial sanctions against Nord Stream 2, describing American efforts to do so as an "encroachment on European sovereignty", and warning that it is closely coordinating the issue with its EU partners.

https://sputniknews.com/world/202107211083428380-washington-quietly-urges-kiev-not-to-criticise-us-german-deal-on-nord-stream-2-report-says/

Kiko wrote:Washington 'Quietly Urges' Kiev Not to Criticise US-German Deal on Nord Stream 2, Report Says, by Oleg Burunov for Sputniknews. 21.07.2021.

The US and Germany have reportedly reached a deal on the completion of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline, with both sides expected to announce the agreement later on Wednesday.

The Biden administration has "quietly urged" Ukraine to scrap its criticism of a US-German agreement regarding the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline project, Politico quoted unnamed sources as saying on Tuesday.

So in simpler words, the Murican elites have (finally) recognized that the Ukro-nazis are a hindrance in their plans vis-a-vis Germany so they have been told to STFU like a good little obedient pissant vassal state.

Funny how the fucking obvious will always assert itself!   Stupid banderite trash!!

For diversification.
Trying not to put all eggs into one basket.
It is something they are doing for years now.
South Stream was just another project targeted at different receivers.
Functionally Balkans and Italy are places where they have quite strong - relatively of course - positions.
Now they target the Indian Ocean.
The discussion about a pipe with Russian gas for India is at least a decade old, with some agreements actually put on the table as far as 5 years ago, with MoU signed between Modi and Putin at BRICS summit. The only doubt is its route, as they considered three different ones, starting from a direct one via Himalaya. The others are Iran-Pakistan-India and China-Myanmar-India. I consider the last one as most possible because Iran would be hardly interested in being a transfer country for a gas he produces in numbers, plus not sure if India is interested receiving strategic asset via Pakistan
Still, there is a pipe being built from Karachi to Lahaur by Russkies, plus they have excellent relations with Myanmar. So they have already secured two directions.
It is actually kinda funny, as the London-based goons are already yapping and meddling in India for that matter, showing NS2 as "the last nail to EU coffin" for 2 years now.
Plus the usual "they can't afford a $25 bln project". Probably these hired talking heads suppose that the audience is uninformed enough to take this bullshit bait. Maybe they should keep in mind, that even if it would cost the 25 grands for a 6kkm pipe, it is a quarter of what they spent last decade for pipes Pipe blowers

I am not quite sure if you are just joking
The difference in a gas price has nothing to do with charity.
Contracts were signed on a different date, with different volumes, and different market prices at the moment, and last but not least, a different customer.
Of course that Russia is leveraging the energy sources as a tool, but it is a carrot, not a stick.
The amortization of fixed assets is different for a newly build object and the one that is operating for more than a decade. That alone makes fixed costs of transportation different for both - it will be bigger for the newly build one. That hits the price, too.
You can not build a stable business that requests so giant investments in infrastructure - fixed assets you need to physically build - with a burse-like environment. It is too unstable. Imagine a British pound-like attack on the oil prices, while not having long-term contracts.
You need to secure a cash flow. A cash flow is the Bible of any market company.
Sometimes you earn less but are stable. This is a good, old fashion business way, not some speculative dickhead pool dancing.
Sure LNG gives you extra flexibility, but it can not compete with a pipe-delivered gas. It is simply unrealistic, LNG requires so many technical operations and energy applied. If you have those capabilities, it is just fantastic. Especially combined with a solid grid of pipes running to your diversified customers.

It is a possibility, that Iran would act as a broker here. The gas would be essentially Iranian, still, the invoice would be Russian
Just like it is now with "American LNG" and "non-Russian coal"
But hardly can imagine a pipe with a strategic resource for India running via Pak.

Either the Ukrainian donkey dies, or the American chief ruler, by Gevorg Mirzayan for VZGLYAD Russian newspaper. 23.07.2021.

Recently, German Chancellor Angela Merkel paid a visit to the United States. Experts and journalists have different names for this visit. Someone is talking about a farewell tour - in the coming months, Angela Merkel, who has ruled Europe as an uncrowned empress for almost 16 years, and besides, the former and about the chairman of the liberal world during the term of Trump's tenure (who renounced this traditional status for the American president), is leaving his post.

Others claim that everything was much more complicated. Joseph Biden, who came to power, intends to mend transatlantic relations. Well, or at least to repair the desire for this, because the split in them was not a consequence of Trump's activities, but a consequence of systemic divergences of American-European interests. Where Washington pressed (Russian, Iranian, Chinese issues), Germany tried to negotiate. “Unfortunately for Germany, the end of the Cold War saw an enduring moral triumph, not a strategic victory that required a constant readiness to finish off the enemy. And over the decades that have passed since then, the German government has turned into an economic machine operating on the principle of "Germany above all else", which moves away from the West, seeks only monetary gain and is ready to trade with anyone, "  writesRichard Grenell, a former US ambassador to Germany under Trump, who was noted for many boorish antics. For which, in a completely sovereign country, he would be declared persona non grata.

Nevertheless, Biden intends to repair American-European relations precisely with the help of Germany, on which the United States will continue to rely on as governing Europe. Biden is ready to invest much less than Trump in anti-European and anti-liberal EU countries such as Poland and at the same time take into account German interests much more. In return, he asks for public loyalty, joint action against China, and collective steps to maintain world order. Apparently, at a meeting with Merkel, he discussed the details of this package deal.

Of course, Russia is not so worried about the subtleties of the liberal hierarchy. We do not participate in this world, we are not going to play by its rules, and at the same time we understand that whoever leads this high community, he will in every possible way try to drag Russia into it - or punish for resistance, because modern liberalism does not imply freedom of choice and will ...

However, at the same time, at a meeting between Biden and Merkel, a much more pressing and specific issue for Moscow was discussed: the Nord Stream 2 project. Yes, the Americans cannot stop the project, it is almost completed - however, the pipeline still needs to be launched and certified. In addition, we would like to launch it at full capacity (and not half as required by the European Third Energy Package, which prohibits filling the pipe with gas from one supplier). This means that we will have to negotiate with the United States. And here we are with the Germans, rather, in the same boat - the project is extremely important for Germany both economically (obtaining cheap Russian gas in large volumes against the background of the country's refusal from coal generation in the foreseeable future), and politically - thanks to SP-2 Germany turns into one of the largest gas hubs in Europe.

To promise is not to overlap

Following the talks, the parties agreed on the following. The Americans state their dissatisfaction with the project, but they will no longer interfere with its implementation. In exchange, the Germans actually guarantee the preservation of Russian transit through Ukraine and in 2024 (when the current contract between Gazprom and Kiev expires) they will seek to extend it for 10 years. In addition, Berlin promised to "do something" if Moscow uses energy as a weapon (that is, somehow blackmail Ukraine with gas). Finally, Ukraine itself will be given money in the so-called green fund - for the transition to environmentally friendly energy sources.

How much money will be given to Kiev for theft, Moscow does not particularly care - not Russian money. As for the first two conditions (the continuation of transit through Ukraine and the prevention of a situation when the Russian Federation uses gas as a weapon), the Kremlin is more than happy with such a compromise.

As for the preservation of Ukrainian transit, no one is going to cancel it. Even if Nord Stream 2 is filled to 100% (that is, by 55 billion cubic meters), several tens of billion cubic meters of gas will still have to be sent through the crumbling Ukrainian gas transmission system - Europe needs too much Russian gas. Perhaps the situation will change after the launch of all the threads of the Turkish Stream, but this will not happen soon. Moreover, under the current contract in 2021-2024, Moscow undertook either to pump through Ukraine at least 40 million cubic meters of gas, or (in the case of less transit) to pay as if it had pumped all 40. Therefore, Kiev in any case will not be left behind.

If we talk about "gas weapons", then this is a very delicate point, its understanding depends solely on the subjective interpretation. In the understanding of the West, for example, the use of gas weapons can be considered the refusal of Gazprom to renew the contract with Kiev for the supply of gas if Ukraine refuses to pay the market price for it. And here from Merkel, as from the leader of the EU and one of the "guilty" in the "Nord Stream - 2", it is required to undertake obligations to prevent such a scenario. Apparently, she took them. Kiev, of course, wants clarification on this issue. “We did not hear the most interesting, how the parties will try to ensure this. There is no specifics that President Volodymyr Zelenskyy requires (yes, Ukraine has long been talking with Berlin in such an orderly tone), ”  saidpress secretary of the Ukrainian president Sergei Nikiforov. A number of experts write that as part of "protecting Ukraine's energy security from Russian blackmail," Germany and the West as a whole are investing in Ukrainian generating capacities. Such a scenario is still unlikely - maybe they will throw up some cents, but serious investments in Ukraine are now, to put it mildly, inappropriate. They will plunder.

Therefore, the obligations may be given in the form of some kind of memorandum or declaration, which will list the actions of the West in the event of Russian blackmail. However, again, let's be honest - Germany can at least prescribe an obligation to shut off the SP-2 valve in the event of any actions by Moscow against Kiev, but at the same time it will be obvious to everyone that in practice such a decision will not be made. Instead, there will be endless political consultations and negotiations until the situation is resolved.

That is, either the Ukrainian donkey dies, or the American chief ruler.

https://vz.ru/opinions/2021/7/22/1109950.html

It is a possibility, that Iran would act as a broker here. The gas would be essentially Iranian, still, the invoice would be Russian

Sounds reasonable... till you ask the obvious question... why is Russia bending over backwards to sell cheap energy to the EU... the US and EU have made it pretty clear that Russia is not a friend but a rival and sometimes an enemy... I would say let them work out some solutions for themselves and if it makes sense for Russia to help them then so be it, but otherwise I would say expand their fleet of ships that can carry piped gas in liquid form (ie efficiently compressed) and deliver it as gas to countries that can't handle liquefied gas deliveries...

GarryB wrote:

It is a possibility, that Iran would act as a broker here. The gas would be essentially Iranian, still, the invoice would be Russian

Sounds reasonable... till you ask the obvious question... why is Russia bending over backwards to sell cheap energy to the EU... the US and EU have made it pretty clear that Russia is not a friend but a rival and sometimes an enemy... I would say let them work out some solutions for themselves and if it makes sense for Russia to help them then so be it, but otherwise I would say expand their fleet of ships that can carry piped gas in liquid form (ie efficiently compressed) and deliver it as gas to countries that can't handle liquefied gas deliveries...

It is quite easy my friend.
It is called business.
In order to sell the gas to EU, they must deliver it at a price that will nullify the political bias.
And they succeeded, keeping 48% of the European market at the moment.
Keep in mind, that Russia is one of four leading gas suppliers to Europe, and the other 3 are Norway, Algeria, and Qatar now.
Not so long time ago, there was an extensive gas extraction running in the Netherlands. This made a wealth of the Netherlands back in 60s.
Now, they turning off its capacity, mainly due to environmental and safety issues - several earthquakes struck the Netherlands due to the extraction in 2010-2018.
Algeria has both LNG on hand and what is more important, a pipeline called MEG leading to Spain. It is not very impressive with 12 bln m3, but it is there.
LNG will never be competitive against the piped gas because it requires lots of applied processes for liquefication and gasification. The infrastructure needed, and safety measures, cost actually more than building a pipeline with pumping stations, bypasses, and all that shit. The tanker fleet is not for free, and it does not operate for free. Each tanker requires a 20+ member crew, and that are all well-paid jobs. It might not be that impressive, as long as you don't multiply the 20-30 by the tanker's number.
The idea of selling the other gas as yours is something normal in this business because there are transportation costs applied. You can buy a Qataree tanker full of gas, and just direct it to the customer you secured the contract with. It is much faster and more efficient to packing your own ship at Yamal, and send it to let's say to Nicaragua. This is a way Americans buying Russian LNG, and this is a standard spot transaction. "I have a contract for 2 bln m3 in Ecuador, who can deliver there for the best price?". It might be profitable, but as I said, a perfect combo is when you have this added to solid pipes, solid contracts with a guaranted cash flow for years of operation. You can build a stable business then.

India in talks with Russia over investments in Russian oil and gas assets – sources, 25.07.2021.

India is negotiating investments of between two and three billion dollars in Russian oil and gas exploration and production projects with the Russian government, the Business Standard newspaper reports, citing unnamed officials.

According to the paper, the Russian government has offered several oil and gas fields to India’s natural resources exploration firm ONGC Videsh and to any potential consortium it may form for the project.

“This will be for exploring and producing oil and gas in Russia. While the project and scope have not been finalized, talks have begun,” one of the sources told the newspaper.

Sources say the countries are also in talks over India's investment in oil and gas exploration projects in the Arctic, namely in the development of the Vostok Oil project. The project’s annual crude production could be up to 100 million tons, according to preliminary estimates.

The cited sources stated that three Russian Far Eastern regions, namely Yakutia, Sakhalin Oblast and Amur Oblast, have so far shown interest in investment by India in their oil and gas sectors.

India sees oil and gas-related interaction with Russia as a "flagship sector of commercial cooperation between the two nations,” India’s Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla said earlier. The country has also been looking at extending economic ties with Russia in areas such as coking coal, timber and liquefied natural gas (LNG), as it sees great potential there.

https://www.rt.com/business/529919-india-russia-oil-gas-investment/

In order to sell the gas to EU, they must deliver it at a price that will nullify the political bias.
And they succeeded, keeping 48% of the European market at the moment.

The EU needs Russian gas supplies to meet their energy needs now and those energy needs are going to go up in the future as their alternative supplies go down and maybe even disappear.

Russia does not need to sell their crack for quarter price... the customer has already become addicted... but even if they weren't there is an entire world out there that Russia can ship product to where they will pay a lot more than what the EU pays for its gas.

This is a double win because Russia will make more money on the gas it sells, and the EU will have to crawl to Russia to buy energy at what ever Russia decides to set the price as. It could back fire and the EU might spend some real money and sort out its energy problems for itself, but Russia will be making more money for the gas it sells than it does now, but without all the political bullshit they get from the EU about it.

No matter what the solution for the EU the result will be more expensive energy costs which makes them less competitive on the international trade front, and it makes Russian products look even better.

Talk about helping out countries with transit fees how about building a pipeline from Russia through North Korea to South Korea and perhaps even ending up in Japan so South Korea and Japan can get cheap piped gas and North Korea can also buy Russian gas and earn money from the gas transit going through their country to SK and Japan... it is a win win. SK and Japan could use cheap energy and NK would like the income too.... Russia could help them with infrastructure to use more gas in their economy.

Screw Europe.

Why do you consider they are selling for a quarter the price?
They don't.
They are selling it at market prices, adjusted by lots of factors, political included.
Cooperation in the energy sector alone is big leverage for Russia's foreign policy, and of course that there is some truth behind the statement about "weaponizing pipelines".
"Weaponizing" is a propaganda word used to describe the situation, when the common goals & interests of both Russia and the EU can be a decisive factor for decision making.
And those decisions are more and more often against the US dominance.
If you run a major business with major European companies, you are far more influential than it seems in the first picture.
NS2 final success was due to the fact, that there are tons of Euro companies' investments accompanying it. Not the opposite. If that would be a Gazprom deal, with the EU being just a customer, it would have been dumped down the toilet a long time ago. Sure, they would pay some fines if applied, who cares?
A European business is the one responsible for pushing the project forward, just the same way as Russia's political influence.
Sometimes I have a feeling, that you are seeing the European issues with a rather far perspective, which is obviously true considering that you live on the opposite part of a planet.
What you see in the headlines, is only a politically fueled fog&mirrors tactic. Some obvious bullshit is presented to the whole world on, daily basis, to justify the agenda.
EU and Russia have broad cooperation on many matters, and this cooperation is being performed quietly and steadily, without much care for politics.
Hell, the Aurus project would not be possible without cooperation with BMW.
The whole turbine business is being developed along with Siemens.
All the success of Lada, or Gaz Group lately, is a matter of cooperation with Renault.
It is European lobbyists responsible to calm things down, as they have billions in pipelined projects.
Why screw it?

Most of all, the speedy launch of SP-2 is dissatisfied with Ukraine, which fears a decrease or termination of transit flows of Russian gas and a loss of about $ 3 billion annually for this.

A most excellent outcome.  Zelensky has said publically that without transit fees, there is no money for the Ukropi military.  Russias' interests are best served by using the decaying unmaintained Banderite-controlled pipework network to the absolute least extent possible.

Screw Ukropistan.  Those bastards deserve so much worse than just a loss of some money...   but this is a good start, and something to build upon.  

To prevent this from happening, at a recent meeting in Washington between Biden and Merkel, an agreement was reached, according to which Berlin undertakes to put pressure on Moscow if it refuses to renew the agreement on gas transportation through Ukraine.

pfftt...  What is Berlin going to do?  Cry?  Have a tanty?  Stop buying gas and just accept the reality of needing to load shed entire cities when the electrical grid loses steam in Winter?

           

These idiots make me laugh.  German cucks trying their best to be servile to their ((masters)) in Washington, but realising that doing so will cost them biggly.