Energy Blast – October 14, 2009

Gazprom and the Chinese National Petroleum Corporation have come to an agreement on the framework of gas deliveries to China; issues related to pricing still remain.  Apparently Russian Deputy Prime Minister Igor Sechin has said Russia could start gas deliveries to China in 2014-2015.  Russia has again raised the suggestion that member states of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization create an energy forum.  France’s environmental minister, Chantal Jouanno, has initiated a probe to investigate the reports that nuclear waste from France has been occupying open air parking lots in Siberia.  Norway expects the average price of oil to increase next year as demand grows alongside economic growth.  A new gas extraction technique from the US used to tap into inaccessible reserves is about to hit Europe.  The EU Commissioner for External Relations and European Neighborhood, Benita Ferrero Waldner, has said that EU-Russia relations are frequently problematized by the predominant issue of energy.  According to Ria-Novosti, under its existing contracts, Ukraine may not be able to guarantee gas supplies from Russia to Europe during the 2010-11 winter season.