Energy Blast – May 5, 2011

Domestic fuel supplies have stabilized, after shortages in regional areas caused the government to halt exports – some blame the original shortage on Putin’s February call to cut prices.  Novatek was apparently the only company to submit an application to submit tenders for four oil and gas properties in Yamal-Nenets ‘that fulfilled requirements‘: analysts are drawing comparisons with Bashneft’s tender to work with Trebs and Titov.  Bashneft and Tatneft could seek up to $329 million per year from the government to compensate on losses from potential tax hikes.  The Construction of the Nord Stream pipeline will end tomorrow, and is due to start operations in the fourth quarter.  Ukraine is in talks with ‘Western energy giants‘ in search of a partner to help it develop its ‘tantalizingly large shale [gas] deposits‘ which could eventually help to ‘alter the geopolitics of natural gas‘.