Energy Blast – July 13, 2010

President Medvedev has voiced what some reports see as his strongest criticism of Iran to date at an ambassadorial meeting in Moscow, suggesting that Tehran may be using its nuclear program for the manufacturing of weapons.  The US has apparently welcomed the remarks.  Meanwhile Iranian Petroleum Minister Masoud Mir Kazemi and Russian Energy Minister Sergei Shmatko are expected to meet tomorrow to discuss a ‘road map’ on cooperation in the energy sphere.  Gazprom is in preliminary discussions with Nabucco-oriented German utility RWE over the South Stream pipeline.  Lukoil, who have won a Black Sea tender, details of which can be found here, is apparently nearing an agreement on tax breaks in order to develop its Caspian Sea oil fields.  Surgutneftegaz, which has a 20% stake in MOL, has apparently sued the Hungarian major in order to get listed on its share register.  China is, according to Bloomberg, buying unprecedented amounts of uranium, up to 5,000 metric tons this year.  Apparently BP’s new containment cap on the gushing Deepwater well has been successfully installed.