Energy Blast – April 12, 2012

Vladimir Putin has urged domestic energy producers to meet ‘the challenge’ of a changing energy market place as the US ramps up output of shale gas.  The AP has a useful rundown of the uses, costs and major exporters of natural gas.  Having abandoned the Belene nuclear project, Bulgaria’s government will reportedly begin the pre-construction process of a 1,000 megawatt reactor at its Kozloduy nuclear plant on the Danube river.  The BBC offers a report by industry expert Michael Grimston on Rosatom’s interest in purchasing a new site at Wylfa on Anglesey in the UK, its first venture into Western Europe.  According to Iranian state television, Tehran will apparently present new proposals at international talks this weekend aimed at reducing concerns about its nuclear program.  Volga Gas Plc has a disappointing drill at the Yuzhny Romanovskaya-1 well in southern Russia.