Energy Blast – Feb 14, 2011

Russian joint venture TNK-BP is apparently contemplating an offer regarding the British oil firm’s deal with state-run Rosneft, but retracted an accompanying comment that suggested it had been invited to join.  Pleasing news for the AAR consortium, as a court has extended the injunction on the BP-Rosneft deal.  The Financial Times reports that TNK-BP’s Russian billionaire shareholders will likely demand at an upcoming board meeting that the venture participate in BP’s prospective alliance with Rosneft.  In somewhat of a baptism of fire, the Iranian nuclear scientist who survived an assassination attempt last winter has apparently been appointed Iran’s new nuclear chief.  According to Ria-Novosti, Russian state-controlled power trader Inter RAO UES is planning a joint venture with Syria in power supplies.  Reuters has an in-depth analysis of why Brent crude could become the ‘new norm’ in oil markets.  Is France to be Europe’s only extractor of shale gas?  Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi may replace Eni SpA Chief Executive Officer Paolo Scaroni following disagreements over its gas contracts in Russia.  Transneft minority shareholder Alexei Navalny, who has gone to court seeking access to documents relating to the activities of the monopoly oil pipeline operator, is, the Moscow Times reports, willing to enter into a confidentiality agreement with the company.  RusHydro and France’s Alstom have reached a deal to construct a $677 million turbine plant in the republic of Bashkortostan.