Caspian Energy Investor ¹ 16 (205)     8 Ìay 2006


ACCENT


  • GOODS TURNOVER BETWEEN ECO COUNTRIES GROWS 4 TIMES


    9TH SUMMIT OF THE ECONOMIC COOPERATION ORGANIZATION HELD IN BAKU

    A number of important statements was made during the 9th Summit of the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) held on May 5 in Baku. President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev, President of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan Khamid Karzay, President of the Islamic Republic Iran Makhmud Akhmadinejad, Prime Minister of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Prime Minister of Kazakhstan Danial Akhmetov, Prime Minister of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan Shaukat Aziz, Prime Minister of Tajikistan Akil Akilov, Chairman of the Legislative Chamber of the Parliament of Uzbekistan Erkin Halilov, Deputy Prime-Minister of Kirghizia Almanbet Matubraimov and Director of the Public Office coordinating matters of the Caspian Sea under the auspicious of President of Turkmenistan Hoshgelgy Babayev, ECO General Secretary Askhat Orazbai took part in the Summit.


  • KAZAKHSTAN PLANS TO TRANSPORT THROUGH BTC 25 MILLION TONS OF OIL A YEAR


    “EXPANSION OF DIRECT RELATIONS BETWEEN ENTREPRENEURS OF AZERBAIJAN AND KAZAKHSTAN IS OF GREAT IMPORTANCE FOR US,” A. ABBASOV SAID

    “KAZAKHSTAN IS INTERESTED TO COOPERATE WITH AZERBAIJAN NOT ONLY IN OIL SECTOR BUT ALSO COVER SUCH AREAS AS COMMUNICATION, AGROINDUSTRIAL COMPLEX, TRANSPORT, OIL-AND-GAS ENGINEERING,” B. IZMUKHAMBETOV.

    The Azerbaijan-Kazakh intergovernmental commission presided by the First Vice-Premier of Azerbaijani Government, Abbas Abbasov and the Minister of Energy & Mineral Resources of Kazakhstan, Bakhtykozha Izmukhambetov discussed outlooks of cooperation between Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan in various economic areas during the IV session held in Baku.

    The Agreement between the Governments of Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan on contribution and support of transportation from Kazakhstan to Azerbaijan through the Caspian Sea via the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan route turned to be one of the core aspects of cooperation. The document that is to be completed before May 2006 is destined to pump 25 million tons of the Kazakh oil through the BTC pipeline.


  • IN STRUGGLE FOR EUROPEAN AND ASIAN GAS MARKETS


    TRANS-CASPIAN ROUTE FOR EXPORT DELIVERIES IS BEING STUDIED...

    “We shall try to implement Stage-2 of Shah Deniz project as fast as possible,” Statoil Executive Director Helge Lund.

    The European direction is considered one of the most perspective opportunities for Caspian gas export. The European Commission is going to be submitted the project of the Trans-Caspian gas pipeline construction and participation of EU in this project. Kazakhstan currently views the opportunity to define a new direction of gas exportation through the Kazakhstan-Azerbaijan-Georgia-Turkey-Europe route. The Azerbaijan gas transported in this direction will reach the Turkish frontier already late 2006. Statoil Executive Director Helge Lund shared his views on commercial supply of the Azerbaijan gas to Europe already from implementation of Stage-2 of Shah Deniz project.

    Carve-up of the other Asian direction for gas exportation has already been started by Turkmenistan and Iran. The sides currently work out opportunities of construction of the India-Pakistan-India and Turkmenistan-China pipelines. Kazakhstan views the opportunity to construct a gas pipeline through the seabed of the Caspian Sea for gas exportation to Europe.


    • EXCLUSIVE


  • ENERGY STRATEGY OF UKRAINE UP TO 2030 IS A NEW VISION OF THE FUEL AND ENERGY COMPLEX OF THE COUNTRY, SAID I. PLACHKOV
    “The Eurasian Oil Transportation Corridor (EOTC) project covers interests of Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Russia, Georgia, Ukraine, the Baltic countries and EU. The project of Odessa-Brody Oil Pipeline is a key component of EOTC.” About development of the fuel and energy complex in Ukraine and future plans of the industry’s administration, the interview of Ivan Plachkov, the Minister of Fuel & Energy of Ukraine to Caspian Energy.


  • EBRD IMPLEMENTS IMPORTANT ENERGY AND INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS IN AZERBAIJAN


    The present situation requires an efficient device to circulate cash to be gained from the oil and gas export. This money should work in the cost-effective manner, become an asset and create numerous job opportunities in other industries,” Raymond Convey, the Azerbaijan Country Director of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development told Caspian Energy Investor in the exclusive interview.


    • CASPIAN REGION


  • Caspian Sea’s status


  • Kazakhstan



  • KAZTRANSGAZ ACTIVATES ITS OPERATION
    KazTransGaz activates its operation. The Company purchased the 100-percent package of stocks in Almatygaz JSC in Kazakhstan and plans to buy assets of Georgian Tbilgaz and Kirghiz Kirghizgaz.


  • Turkmenistan



    • GAS


  • RUSSIAN INTERESTS IN ENERGY SECURITY OF EUROPE


    GAZPROM CANNOT REACH UNDERSTANDING WITH GERMAN E. ON ABOUT ASSETS EXCHANGE

    The strategy of energy security offered by Russia meets the national interests of both Russia and EU countries. On the one hand, western countries are worried about energy dependence upon Russia, but on the other hand it is obvious that Russia will supply Europe with gas within the next decade. The North European Gas Pipeline project is implemented for this purpose, however, the negotiations about inclusion of Yuzhno-Russkoye field’s development in the project held between Gazprom and German E. ON are at a deadlock. The German side is not ready to hand to the Russian Company the European assets in some objects and offers to pay necessary sum.


    • TRANSPORTATION


  • Baku – Novorossiysk

  • Poti-Baku-Aktau-Almaty

  • Caspian ports


    • ECONOMY


  • OPPRESSIVE EXPORT OR FIRST SYMPTOMS OF THE DUTCH DISEASE?
    Outcomes of the economic reforms in Kazakhstan amaze because of their size and impact, in particular those in the oil-and-gas industry of the country. But according to the macroeconomic indicators for 2005 promulgated by the National Bank of Kazakhstan, the flow of direct foreign investments in the country considerably decreased, although the overstated export was reached due to high world prices on energy carriers.

    • SOCAR


  • AZERBAIJAN TO BE WELL-PROVIDED FOR OIL FOR 50-60 YEARS
    STATE OIL COMPANY OF AZERBAIJAN PLANS TO DEVELOP FIELDS INDEPENDENTLY

    To date foreign companies have invested around 18 billion USD within the frame of oil contracts in Azerbaijan. In the near future SOCAR is going to invest about 200 million USD in development of a new field in the Caspian Sea.

    • COMPANIES


  • IN STRUGGLE FOR THE LITHUANIAN CONCERN


    IN IQ 2006 NET CONSOLIDATED PROFIT OF MAZEIKIU NAFTA GOES DOWN

    The main buyers of Mazeikiu Nafta stated about their interest in purchasing assets of the Lithuanian Concern. As before the list of the main buyers includes Lukoil, KazMunayGaz, PKN Orlen and from now on TNK-BP. Moreover, the Lithuanian Concern has promulgated its net consolidated non-audited profit for IQ 2006.

    • WORLD MARKET


  • NOBODY IS PLEASED WITH HIGH OIL PRICES


    BOLIVIA NATIONALIZES OIL AND GAS

    Neither consumers nor producers are interested in high oil prices. Ali Ibn Ibrahim An-Naimi, the Minister of Petroleum & Mineral Resources of Saudi Arabia told on Tuesday. Meanwhile, the President of Bolivia, Evo Morales who considers capitalism “the most dangerous enemy of mankind” kept his pre-election word to return natural resources to his people. On May 1, the red-letter day, he signed the decree about nationalization of oil and gas resources of the country.