Energy Blast – Jan 28, 2011

The $1 billion Rosneft-Exxon Black Sea deal has apparently been hailed by Russia’s Deputy Prime Minister (and Rosneft chairman) Igor Sechin as proof that the investment climate in Russia has improved; it is a well-known fact, as Dealbook points out, that global majors have had rocky time in Russia in the past.  The four oligarchs who make up the Alfa-Access-Renova consortium that owns 50% of TNK-BP have sought legal action to block the BP-Rosneft deal, which they forcefully claim violates a shareholder agreement between BP and their joint venture.  The Telegraph has a statistical breakdown of the major deal.  The British oil giant is expected to restore its dividend when it declares fourth quarter earnings, after a freeze during the Gulf of Mexico crisis.  Kazakhstan is, according to Reuters, planning a wave of privatizations in its oil, mining and power sector.  Ayman Asfari, chief executive officer of oilfield services provider Petrofac Plc, comments on demand for oil exploration in previously untapped areas in a video interview from Davos.  The New York Times interviews Charif Souki, the maverick behind Cheniere Energy, about the company’s long-running battle with the vicissitudes of global natural gas demand.