Energy Blast – March 23, 2010

The Financial Times reports upon Ukraine’s hopes that Russia will lower natural gas prices in exchange for certain management rights over the pipeline used to export gas.  Naftogaz Ukrainy will pay for Russian gas supplies with its own funds as of April, Ukrainian Prime Minister Nikolai Azarov has reportedly claimed.  Vladimir Putin has invited Danish Prime Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen to study the construction of Nord Stream.  The first pipelay vessel to begin construction on the pipeline has made its way to the Baltic Sea.  Meanwhile mines dating back to World War One and Two are being disarmed along the Swedish leg of the route.  Lukoil will imminently discuss its 2009 results in order to determine whether it will buy back shares from ConocoPhillips.  A new gas field in Uzbekistan has been discovered by the joint Gissarneftegaz and UzGazOil venture.  Romania has ratified Nabucco.  Shell and PetroChina make their first foray in to coal-bed methane.