Energy Blast – Dec 22, 2010

Global miner Rio Tinto is apparently finalizing a $3.8 billion takeover bid for much-coveted, Africa-focused Riversdale Mining.  According to an unidentified oil ministry official, Oil & Natural Gas Corp. and Sistema have agreed to combine their Russian energy assets.  Lukoil is apparently making steady progress in talks on potential oil projects with Indonesian state oil company PT Pertamina.  Talks between Hungarian and Russian officials on Surgutneftegaz’s 21.2% stake in Mol Nyrt., are, according to Hungary’s Development Minister, moving ‘slower’ than on other issues such as an ‘energy cooperation package’.  Delays for Gazprom: the world’s biggest gas producer apparently envisages output reaching pre-crisis levels by 2015, as opposed to 2013.