Energy Blast – Aug 29, 2011

Russia is sending fresh supplies of fuel to Libyan rebels, following hints that Moscow could establish formal relations with them.  All five of the country’s refineries are currently offline ‘due to a lack of crude oil production and damage to facilities’.  A pipeline from Libya’s Mellitah refinery and Italy has been repaired.  Gas is expected to flow from Russia to Europe along the Nord Stream pipeline in October.  The CEO of Lukoil Bulgaria denies claims that the company violated tax and customs laws, and refuted accusations of price-fixing.  Kazakhstan is planning to retain crude export duty at a $40 per ton maximum for the next three years.  Gazprom is planning to build an underground gas storage facility in Irkutsk.  The FT reports that U.S. coal-fired power stations are coming under threat from new government regulations about pollution.