EGF Gazprom Monitor, Issue 57, February 2016

A Snapshot of Key Developments in the External Relations of the Russian Gas Sector

By Dr Jack Sharples, EGF Associate Researcher on the external dimensions of Russian gas and Lecturer in Energy Politics at the European University of St Petersburg

• Gazprom and the EU:
  • Gazprom and the European Commission: European Commission proposes update to EU regulation on security of gas supplies; Gazprom and the EC could meet in March to discuss antimonopoly case
  • Gazprom in the Baltic region: Is Gazprom scaling back its Baltic LNG plans? Gazprom could lose its role as leading gas supplier to Lithuania in 2016; Latvia to liberalise its gas market; Plans for Estonian LNG terminal remain uncertain; Gazprom Export planning Baltic gas auction in March
  • Gazprom"s European contracts and arbitration: Gazprom extends contract with Hungarian Panrusgaz until 2019; Gazprom"s arbitration cases continue, as France"s ENGIE launches its own case in Stockholm
• Turkish Stream: Gazprom reduces gas supplies to six private Turkish gas companies over price dispute; Gazprom announces new gas pipeline across the Black Sea, signs MOU with Greek DEPA and Italian Edison
• Nord Stream: OMV CEO praises Nord Stream II
• Ukraine: A three-part dispute: contractual purchases, transit monopoly, and transit fees; Gazprom"s 2015 gas exports to Ukraine fall as Ukraine reduces both gas consumption and imports; Trilateral EU-Russia-Ukraine gas talks could resume in late March
• Belarus: Gazprom announces investment of up to $3.6bn in Belarusian gas infrastructure by 2020
• Asia: Gazprom"s Medvedev refutes both possibility of reduced exports via Power of Siberia and necessity of foreign funding
• Other: Five more years for Gazprom CEO, Alexei Miller