EGF Gazprom Monitor, Issue 18, November 2012

A Snapshot of Key Developments in the External Relations of the Russian Gas Sector
By Jack Sharples, EGF Associate Researcher on the external dimensions of Russian gas

Key points:

• Gazprom announces an agreement with Poland"s PGNiG to adjust gas prices and signs an asset-swap deal with BASFT Wintershall, but remains under pressure in Europe due to falling export volumes and the EU antimonopoly investigation
• Ukraine continues to press for reduced imports of Russian gas and receives first deliveries from RWE
• Gazprom appears set to expand its underground gas storage facilities and gas transmission capacity in Belarus
• Slovenia and Bulgaria confirm their final investment decisions for the South Stream project, as Gazprom"s partners also take the final investment decision on the offshore section, while Gazprom signs a new gas supply contract with Bulgargaz
• Turkish regulators approve Gazprom"s new long-term supply contracts with private Turkish energy companies
• Gazprom demonstrates the potential for shipping LNG from Europe to Japan as it charters the first LNG supertanker to traverse the Arctic during winter
• Novatek acquires 49 percent of Northgas, with Gazprom retaining its 51 percent stake in the company