Caspian Energy Investor ¹ 23 (212)     21 June 2006


ACCENT


  • KAZAKHSTAN JOINS BTC
    Kazakhstan keeps on developing its strategy on diversification of export routes to transport hydrocarbons to world markets. Last week (June 16) President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev and President of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev signed the joint agreement “About support and contribution to oil transportation from Kazakhstan through the territory of Azerbaijan and the Caspian Sea to world markets via the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan system.”


  • ALL ROADS LEAD TO CEYHAN
    Istanbul and Adana are going to become the centers of the official ceremony when the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan will be stated up

    Preparatory works dedicated to the official ceremony of opening of the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline are carried out in Istanbul and Adana.

    According to data of the Turkish press, the works are implemented by the Cabinet of Minister and the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Turkey in coordination with the Ministry of Energy & Natural Resources and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the country. 15 heads of states, 30 prime ministers and over 50 ministers of energy and foreign affairs were invited to take part in the ceremony.


    • EXCLUSIVE


  • FREIGHT FLOW THROUGH EUROPE-CAUCASUS-ASIA INTERNATIONAL TRANSPORT SEEMS QUITE ATTRACTIVE, AKIF MUSTAFAYEV SAID.
    “This region has not lost its qualified manpower. Development of transit in these countries will surely contribute to growth of production and employment in the region in future. Effective use of potential of TRACECA Countries will undoubtedly make the Europe-Caucasus-Asia Transport Corridor more competitive, profitable and safe,” the National Secretary of the Permanent Representation of the Permanent Secretary of IGC TRACECA in Azerbaijan Akif Mustafayev said in the exclusive interview to Caspian Energy Investor.


  • BSTDB TO CONTINUE CREDITING VARIOUS PROJECTS IN AZERBAIJAN TO SUPPORT THE NON-OIL SECTOR


    During the first six months of 2006 we focused our attention on the financial sector of Azerbaijan. In the second half of the year the bank is going to actively work in the producing sector. We search for such opportunities. To finance projects from the State Privatization Programme is good and timely business, we are ready to work in this direction, the Chairman of the Board of the Black Sea Trade & Development Bank, Hayrettin Kaplan stated in the exclusive interview to Caspian Energy Investor.


    • CASPIAN REGION


  • Kazakhstan


  • Georgia


  • Turkmenistan


  • Russia-Turkmenistan



    • GAS


  • PRICE OF RUSSIAN GAS FOR AZERBAIJAN TO BE RAISED NEXT YEAR


    Next year Gazprom JSC is going to raise gas price for Azerbaijan. The price will correspond to world gas prices and comprise around $230 per 1,000 m3, the Ministry of Industry & Energy of the country told Trend. The Russian Company is the only natural gas exporter to Azerbaijan.


  • EUROPE WANTS TO REDUCE DEPENDENCE UPON GAS TRANSIT THROUGH UKRAINE
    European gas consumers are interested to reduce dependence upon Russian gas transit through Ukraine, Ex-Chancellor of Germany and incumbent President of the North-European Gas Pipeline Gerhard Shreder said.



    • TRANSPORTATION


  • Caspian ports



    • ECONOMY


  • THREE-YEAR PROGRAMME AIMED AT BRINGING THE AZERBAIJAN LEGISLATION TO CORRESPONDENCE WITH EC LAW SUBMITTED TO THE CABINET OF MINISTERS


    The project of the TACIS National Action Programme for 2002 started in January 2004 is going to be completed in late July, the Coordination Bureau of EU International Technical Assistance Programmes for Azerbaijan told Trend. Its budget comprises 2 million EUR. The project is operated by French Company SOFRECO. The second stage of the TACIS Project “Assistance in implementation of the Coordination and Association Agreement between EU and Azerbaijan” will come to its end when the terms of implementation of the Action Programme for 2002 are completed.


    • SOCAR



    CONSORTIA



    COMPANIES


  • LUKOIL COMPLETES ENGINEERING DESIGN OF ENVIRONMENTAL FACILITY IN UZBEKISTAN
    During the course of implementation of the Kandym-Khauzak-Shady-Kungrad PSA LUKOIL Uzbekistan Operating Company completed the engineering design of a temporary storage and waste management facility for drilling cuttings on the Khauzak and Shady blocks in Bokhara Region (southwestern Uzbekistan).


  • GAZPROM TO LOSE INTEREST
    Gazprom still takes interest to purchase the gas transport system of Georgia, but the company can lose its interest, the Deputy CEO of Gazprom Alexander Ryazanov stated during the press conference held today (June 20). However, according to him, the leadership of Georgia delays solution of this matter.


  • SIGNATURE OF THE COMMERCIALITY DECLARATION FOR THE AZAR FIELD IN THE ANARAN BLOCK IN IRAN
    The National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC) signed a Declaration regarding commerciality of the Azar field in the Anaran block in the western part of Iran.

    The abovementioned document gives the participants of the project (LUKOIL Overseas – 25%, Norwegian company Hydro – 75%) an exclusive right to negotiate the further development of the oil field. Negotiations and preparation of a Master Development Plan are expected to take 8 months.


    • WORLD MARKET


  • MAZEIKIU NAFTA TO INVEST IN UPGRADING $1.3 BILLION WITHIN 4 YEARS
    Within 4 years the Lithuanian Oil Refinery Mazeikiu Nafta intends to invest in upgrading $1.3 billion, Giyedryus Karsokas, the Head of the PR Department told. “Investments will be mainly used to upgrade the petroleum refinery to reach maximum effective production and economy of energy resources in the production process. We also view the opportunity to completely refuse from mazut left after production of benzene and diesel fuel,” he said.