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☆ Russia calls for international probe into Nord Stream blasts after blogger report
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-09 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

MOSCOW, Feb 9 (Reuters) - A blog by a U.S. investigative journalist alleging the United States was behind the explosions that ruptured the Nord Stream gas pipelines should become the basis for an international investigation, Russia's top lawmaker said on Thursday. Volodin said the United States should pay "compensation to countries affected by the terrorist attack." Moscow, without providing evidence, has repeatedly said the West was behind the explosions affecting the Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipelines last September - multibillion-dollar infrastructure projects that carried Russian gas to Germany under the Baltic Sea. President Vladimir Putin has accused "Anglo-Saxon" powers of blowing up the Nord Stream pipelines, a Kremlin-designed project to circumvent Ukraine in exporting its gas directly to Germany and further to Europe. Russia's foreign ministry said on Wednesday the United States had questions to answer over its role in explosions on the undersea Nord Stream gas pipelines last year.

☆ White House says blog post on Nord Stream explosion 'utterly false'
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-08 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

WASHINGTON, Feb 8 (Reuters) - The White House on Wednesday dismissed a blog post by a U.S. investigative journalist alleging the United States was behind explosions of the Nord Stream gas pipelines as "utterly false and complete fiction." "This is utterly false and complete fiction," said Adrienne Watson, a spokesperson for the White House National Security Council. The pipelines are multibillion-dollar infrastructure projects designed to carry Russian gas to Germany under the Baltic Sea. The United States and NATO have called the incident "an act of sabotage." On Wednesday, Russia's foreign ministry said the United States had questions to answer over its role in explosions on the pipelines.

☆ Russia: U.S. has questions to answer over Nord Stream explosions
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-08 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Companies Gazprom PAO FollowFeb 8 (Reuters) - Russia's foreign ministry said on Wednesday the United States had questions to answer over its role in explosions on the undersea Nord Stream gas pipelines last year. Reuters was unable to verify the report, published by U.S. investigative journalist Seymour Hersh on his blog, alleging U.S. involvement in the explosions. The White House said on Wednesday that Hersh's account was "utterly false and complete fiction". Moscow, without providing evidence, has repeatedly said the West was behind the explosions affecting the Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipelines last September - multibillion-dollar infrastructure projects that carried Russian gas to Germany under the Baltic Sea. Russia said the countries "have something to hide" and are purposefully blocking Russia out from the investigation.

☆ Russia vows to push Ukrainian army back in response to longer-range rockets
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-02 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

"We're now seeking to push back Ukrainian army artillery to a distance that will not pose a threat to our territories," he added. In this context, he said it was an "objective reality" that Russia had expanded its territory by incorporating four regions of Ukraine last year. The Kremlin said on Wednesday that longer-range rockets would escalate the conflict but not change its course. Ukraine and the West accuse Russia of waging an illegal war designed to expand its territory. Reporting by Reuters, writing by Andrew Osborn and Mark Trevelyan Editing by Gareth JonesOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Russian piped gas exports to Europe falls 30% in January to new lows - data
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-31 | by ( Oksana Kobzeva | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

According to calculations, based on daily data of Russian gas exports via Ukraine and the TurkStream pipeline, Gazprom's gas exports to Europe fell in January to some 1.8 billion cubic metres (bcm) from 2.5 bcm in December. Gazprom halted gas supplies last year via the Yamal-Europe pipeline which traverses Belarus, Poland and terminates in Germany, as well as through the undersea Nord Stream 1 pipeline, which was blown up in September. According to European gas transmission group Entsog and Gazprom's daily reports on its transit via Ukraine, Gazprom's average daily gas supplies to Europe have declined to 58.1 million cubic metres (mcm) this month from 81.9 mcm in December. Gazprom has not disclosed its own statistics on exports and output since the start of the year. The company had said its gas exports outside ex-Soviet Union fell last year by 45% to 100.9 bcm.

☆ Turkey to host summit of gas buyers, sellers next month
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-30 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

ISTANBUL, Jan 30 (Reuters) - Turkey will hold a natural gas summit on Feb. 14-15 to bring together gas supplier countries and Europe's consumer countries in Istanbul, Turkish Energy Minister Fatih Donmez said on Monday. "We will bring together supplier countries from the Middle East, Mediterranean, Caspian and Middle Asia with consumer countries from Europe," Donmez said. In October, Russia's President Vladimir Putin proposed setting up a gas hub in Turkey following explosions that damaged Russia's Nord Stream gas pipelines under the Baltic Sea. Some Western capitals were concerned that a Turkish hub including Russian gas could allow Moscow to mask exports that are sanctioned by the West over the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Turkey has the infrastructure and experience in gas trade and authorities are taking steps for it to be a hub where regional benchmark prices are set, Donmez said.

On energy, the ministry has “completely overhauled the previous government’s Russia-friendly policy” to reduce Germany’s dependence on Russian natural gas, it said. “That tells you something.”Germany consistently underestimated the Russian threat and gave counterintelligence work a low priority, but that is changing now in the wake of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, experts and Western officials said. Last April, Berlin expelled 40 Russian Embassy employees for allegedly working for Russian intelligence services. Germany’s intelligence services failed to anticipate that Russia would invade Ukraine, a failure that has yet to be the subject of any publicly released “lessons learned” review. Such a review would show Germany is serious about altering its approach, the Western official said.

☆ The Nord Stream pipeline attack shows what Russia can do, Western officials say, even if they can't prove Russia did it
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-23 | by ( Christopher Woody | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

After months of investigation, Western officials can't prove Russia blew up the Nord Stream pipelines. While they can't name Russia as the culprit, officials say the attacks illustrate what Russia can do. The vulnerability of undersea infrastructure, like pipelines and data cables, is a growing concern. Four months on, investigators are unable to prove Moscow was behind the attack, but officials say the explosions illustrate the threat malign actors — especially Russia — pose to vital undersea infrastructure. Despite the uncertainty, the attack has only added to concern about threats to undersea infrastructure, particularly cables and pipelines, that connects continents and powers economies.

Below are answers to the most urgent questions:HOW HAS GERMANY RESPONDED TO THE LOSS OF RUSSIAN GAS? Germany launched a multi-layered strategy to reign in demand and source alternatives following Russia's invasion of Ukraine and the subsequent decline in gas deliveries. Germany is now getting more pipeline gas from neighbouring Europe and Norway, buying liquefied natural gas (LNG) via existing European terminals, and constructing new LNG terminals on German coastlines, as well as achieving gas savings. Gas stocks are 89% full, enough to get Germany to the end of March even in a prolonged cold spell, according to most recent statistics, before re-filling starts in the April to September storage season. As a rule of thumb, Germany depletes its stocks by a rate of around 1% per day if temperatures fall below zero degrees, the regulator has said.

☆ Nord Stream 2 German subsidiary wound up -report
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-20 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

FRANKFURT, Jan 20 (Reuters) - The German subsidiary of the consortium behind the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline has been wound up, German news portal T-Online reported on Friday citing trade registry documents. Nord Stream 2 would have doubled Russia's gas export capacity to Germany via the Baltic Sea but Germany withheld permission to operate after Moscow's sent troops into Ukraine last February. "It has no information about a dissolution of the company," the spokesperson said, but noted a provisional debt restructuring moratorium granted to Nord Stream 2 AG, the company's Switzerland-based parent, had been extended until January 10. Nord Stream 2 was not immediately available for comment. As-yet unexplained explosions occurred on the parallel Nord Stream 1 pipeline and on one line of the twin-piped Nord Stream 2 in Swedish and Danish waters in September 2022.

☆ Germany's gas situation is secure this winter, regulator says
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-17 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

[1/2] The landfall facilities of the 'Nord Stream 1' gas pipeline are pictured in Lubmin, Germany, March 8, 2022. REUTERS/Hannibal HanschkeBERLIN, Jan 17 (Reuters) - Germany's gas supply situation is secure and gas shortage is unlikely to happen this winter, the head of the country's network regulator said on Tuesday. "With savings, gas inflows, good storage levels ... We are very, very optimistic that we will no longer have to worry about a gas shortage this winter," Klaus Mueller said at an energy summit organised by Handelsblatt newspaper. Mueller said he expected a relatively warm winter which will help the power supply situation in both France and Germany. Reporting by Riham Alkousaa, Christoph Steitz and Vera Eckert Editing by Paul CarrelOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Uniper CEO: Nord Stream can be fixed, but unclear if Germany wants Russian gas
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-17 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

Companies Uniper SE FollowGazprom PAO FollowFRANKFURT, Jan 17 (Reuters) - The damaged Nord Stream pipelines can be fixed in around six months to a year, the boss of bailed out German gas trader Uniper said on Tuesday, adding that it still remained unclear whether Germany wants the supply relationship to continue. "The first question that needs answering: what's the political will on a European level and in Berlin to bring Russian gas to Germany?" outgoing Uniper (UN01.DE) CEO Klaus-Dieter Maubach told the annual Handelsblatt Energy summit. Reporting by Christoph Steitz and Vera Eckert; editing by Matthias WilliamsOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Russian gas will eventually return to Europe as nations 'forgive and forget,' Qatari energy minister says
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-16 | by ( Natasha Turak | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

On Friday, Russian energy supplier Gazprom said it would not resume its supply of natural gas to Germany through the key Nord Stream 1 pipeline, blaming a malfunctioning turbine. Hannibal Hanschke | ReutersThe European Union's rejection of Russian energy commodities following Moscow's invasion of Ukraine won't last forever, Qatar's Energy Minister said during an energy conference over the weekend. EU countries have dramatically cut down their imports of Russian energy supplies, imposing sanctions in response to Moscow's brutal, full-scale invasion of Ukraine. "But Russian gas is going back, in my view, to Europe," al-Kaabi said. Italy has dramatically reduced its reliance on Russian gas by replacing it with energy sources from alternative producers, such as Algeria.

☆ Russia suggests Sweden has 'something to hide' in Nord Stream blast probe
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-12 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Companies Gazprom PAO FollowJan 12 (Reuters) - Russia questioned on Thursday whether Sweden had "something to hide" over explosions that damaged the Nord Stream gas pipelines last year, as it slammed Stockholm for not sharing information in the ongoing investigations into the blasts. Swedish and Danish authorities are investigating four holes in the Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipelines which link Russia and Germany via the Baltic Sea and have become a flashpoint in the Ukraine crisis. Zakharova said Sweden was "concealing" facts about what it had discovered in the investigation, suggesting that "the Swedish authorities have something to hide". Sweden and other European investigators say the attacks were carried out on purpose, but they have not said who they think was responsible. Construction of Nord Stream 2, designed to carry Russian gas to Germany, was completed in September 2021, but was never put into operation after Berlin shelved certification just days before Moscow sent its troops into Ukraine in February.

☆ Why we still like Coterra Energy despite the recent fall in natural gas prices
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-12 | by ( Kevin Stankiewicz | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

U.S. natural gas prices rose nearly 4% Thursday to roughly $3.81 per million British thermal units (MMBtu). Thursday's natural gas gains — on top of a 0.88% jump on Wednesday — reverse some of its recent losses. As recently as Dec. 15, U.S. natural gas prices settled at nearly $7 per million British thermal units. Pioneer Natural Resources (PXD), by contrast, has generated 11% of its operating revenue from natural gas over the same span. This helps explain why the Club hasn't run for the hills as natural gas prices fell in recent weeks.

☆ German 2022 gas imports dropped 12.3%, Norway helped replace Russia - regulator
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-06 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Norway took over from Russia as the number one supplier, accounting for 33% of the total volume, with Russia supplying 22%, the regulator said in a statement. "The missing gas shipments from Russia were partly compensated by additional imports, among other origins, via the Netherlands, Belgium and Norway," the statement said. Reuters GraphicsThe Berlin government has also rushed through provisions for liquefied natural gas (LNG) to arrive on board ships to plug gaps. Total German gas exports amounted to 501 TWh, down by a third from 749 TWh a year earlier. Germany's gas storage levels currently stand at a comfortable 90.72%, way above the 40% threshold that the regulator deems critical at the start of February.

☆ Czech firm Net4Gas missing latest payments from Gazprom
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-05 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Companies Net4Gas sro FollowGazprom PAO FollowPRAGUE, Jan 5 (Reuters) - Czech natural gas transmission system operator Net4Gas (N4G) has not received the latest monthly contracted payments from Russia's Gazprom, a government minister said. Net4Gas had been in the past shipping Russian gas from Germany through the Czech Republic to Slovakia and on to Austria. In October, Fitch Ratings agency affirmed N4G at 'BB+' and said its base scenario assumed "full or near-complete shut-off of Russian pipeline gas to Europe and no payments from Gazprom." The Czech Republic has scrambled to get alternative supplies through liquefied natural gas shipments and flows from Norway and elsewhere. Flows between Slovakia and the Czech Republic have been running in both directions depending on demand.

☆ Germany and Norway plan hydrogen pipeline
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-05 | by ( Anna Cooban | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

London CNN —Germany just took a step closer to finding a long-term, greener replacement for Russian natural gas and coal. The power plants, jointly owned by RWE and Equinor, will initially run on natural gas produced in Norway before transitioning to “blue” hydrogen, also produced in Norway using natural gas and pumped through the underwater pipeline, the companies said. The ultimate aim is to generate so-called “green” hydrogen using renewable energy produced by offshore wind farms, they said, without providing target dates. The European Union has a target to build a 40 gigawatt renewable hydrogen production capacity by 2030. Norway is now Europe’s biggest supplier of natural gas, according to EU official statistics.

☆ New threats will corrode infrastructure M&A
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-30 | by ( Lisa Jucca | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Private equity infrastructure funds attracted $121 billion globally in 2021, nearly 60% more than in 2017, according to data from PitchBook. The rising cost of insuring against cyberattacks will also dull the appeal of telecoms networks and power grids. The urge to make the world a cleaner place means building and upgrading power infrastructure in both developed and developing countries. Pressure to establish energy security at home also means governments will want to own key infrastructure assets, regardless of the financial incentives. If private investors conclude some infrastructure assets have lost their appeal, states will step in.

☆ Russian pipeline gas exports to Europe collapse to a post-Soviet low
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-28 | by ( Vladimir Soldatkin | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Russian direct gas exports to Germany, Europe's largest economy, were halted in September following blasts at the Nord Stream pipelines in the Baltic Sea. Sweden and Denmark have both concluded that four leaks on Nord Stream 1 and 2 were caused by explosions, but have not said who might be responsible. Russian gas exports via the Nord Stream 1 pipeline totalled record-high 59.2 bcm last year. The 100.9 bcm of Russian gas pipeline supplies, which Gazprom defines as exports to "far abroad", or outside the former-Soviet Union, is one of the lowest since the collapse of the Soviet state in 1991. One of Gazprom's previous post-Soviet lows of gas sales to "far abroad" was at 117.4 bcm in 1995, according to Gazprom Export.

☆ Russia's Lavrov: EU not conducting proper investigation of Nord Stream explosions
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-21 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Dec 21 (Reuters) - Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Wednesday it appeared no European countries were conducting a proper investigation into the series of explosions that ruptured the Nord Stream gas pipelines in September. "After the explosions on Nord Stream - which, it appears nobody in the European Union is going to objectively investigate - Russia stopped gas transportation through the northern routes," Lavrov said. Russia has blamed Britain for the explosions - claims rejected by London. Investigators in Sweden and Denmark say they were the deliberate results of sabotage, though they have not named any possible culprits. The Nord Stream 1 and Nord Stream 2 pipelines have a joint annual capacity of 110 billion cubic metres - more than half of Russia's normal gas export volumes.

☆ European countries switch off Christmas lights this winter to cut energy usage as Russia keeps tight hold on gas supply
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-21 | by ( Kate Duffy | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

European countries have turned off or reduced Christmas lights this year to cut down on energy use. Russia's crackdown on gas supplies to Europe has led to energy-saving measures on the continent. United KingdomThe infamous Christmas lights in London are running for fewer hours this year, according to the organizer the New West End Company. Smaller towns across the UK have also decided to switch off their Christmas lights in order to save money, per reports. GermanyAccording to the German non-profit environmental organization, Deutsche Umwelthilfe, Christmas lights in houses, apartments, and cities should be unplugged this year.

A large dent has also come from industrial sectors forced to curb output as high gas prices make production uneconomic with some firms shifting production to regions with cheaper energy. FIGHT FOR SUPPLIESThe obvious way to boost supplies is through liquefied natural gas (LNG). That may not happen next year, meaning Europe would face fierce competition for LNG that would drive up the cost. Record high prices in Europe, however painful, helped the region to secure record volumes of LNG imports this year. Benchmark European gas prices hit a peak in August of more than 300 euros/MWh.

☆ Germany ups reliance on Huawei for 5G despite security fears -survey
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-16 | by ( Sarah Marsh | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Many European countries have banned Chinese companies from all or part of their 5G networks on security grounds, amid intense diplomatic pressure from the United States. Germany, home to operators like Deutsche Telekom (DTEGn.DE) and O2 (O2Dn.DE), passed an IT security law two years ago setting high hurdles for makers of telecommunications equipment for the "critical components" of 5G networks. The German network agency referred Reuters to regulation that shows differentiated treatment for core and RAN components. The information security office did not reply to a request for comment on whether the high share of Chinese components could pose a security threat. A strategy paper by Germany's Greens-run economy ministry has recommended increased scrutiny of components from authoritarian states in critical infrastructure.

☆ Kremlin: No decision yet on repair of Nord Stream gas pipelines
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-15 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Companies Gazprom PAO FollowDec 15 (Reuters) - Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Thursday that no decision had been made yet on whether to go ahead with a repair of the undersea Nord Stream gas pipelines that were damaged by explosions in September. He was commenting on Canada's plans to revoke a sanctions waiver that allowed turbines for Nord Stream 1, Russia's biggest gas pipeline to Europe, to be repaired in Montreal and returned to Germany. "Only repairs can affect Nord Stream now. Or launching the only surviving line of Nord Stream 2," Peskov told reporters. Peskov added there was no decision on whether to start gas exports via the intact part of the Nord Stream 2 line.

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