Energy Blast – April 23, 2012

Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov is currently in energy-poor Tajikistan for talks with President Emomali Rahmon on developing gas ties.  In the wake of criticism from Vladimir Putin, TNK-BP has defended its environmental record by arguing that contamination was the result of ‘inherited environmental problems, accumulated since 1962’.   An oil spill has been noted at Russia’s Arctic Trebs oil field.  Italy’s oil and gas major Eni has started gas production at the Samburskoye field in western Siberia, with the objective of raising gas and liquids output from the field to 145,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day in 2015.  A consortium led by France’s EDF and Russia’s Rosenergoatom has agreed on plans to extend the lifespan of Bulgaria’s Kozloduy nuclear plant.  Russian billionaire Victor Vekselberg’s Renova Group has made a joint bid with South Africa’s Waterpan Mining Consortium for a mine controlled by First Uranium Corp.  According to Turkey’s Energy Minister Taner Yildiz, Turkey’s state electricity power company EUAS and Canada’s CANDU, a unit of SNC-Lavalin Group, will discuss constructing a nuclear power plant in the eurasian state.  Surgutneftegaz will continue to please investors with an increase in dividend payments for 2011.