Energy Blast – June 22, 2012

Russian President Vladimir Putin says the country is open to foreign investment in its energy sector, as part of a ‘policy of openness’.  He added that Russia ‘would like our companies to participate in investment projects abroad on an equal footing and without discrimination.’ Bloomberg notes that Putin’s audience contained the heads of the world’s major energy companies.  Rosneft and ExxonMobil have been in early-stage talks about a joint venture to work on Iraq’s West Qurna-1 oilfield.  Russia’s Deputy Energy Minister talks about Arctic Oil.  Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev says that Russia will reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 25% by 2020.  Gazprom is ‘the world’s biggest loser’ in America’s natural gas boom, says this piece.