Energy Blast – June 28, 2011

Russia has given notice for Belarus’ electricity supply to be cut off tonight, after Minsk failed to pay its outstanding debts.  Gazprom and Rosneft are in talks to create a joint venture for gas sales.  Competition is the fastest route to failure in the Arctic, say academic Arctic specialists: ‘developing the Arctic region is not an easy task, and not a task for a single operator, or even a single country. This is a global challenge of developing a whole region.‘  The first line of the Nord Stream pipeline has been completed, directly linking Russia and Germany, with deliveries to commence later this year.