Gas
Germany stops planned sale of VW’s gas turbine business to China
Est. 2minGermany's cabinet blocked the planned sale of the gas turbine business of Volkswagen unit MAN Energy Solutions to a Chinese company on Wednesday (3 July), with ministers citing security reasons.
Why backing Germany’s LNG investment is a roadblock – not a bridge to the future
Est. 5minThe European Commission's recent decision to greenlight €40 million in State aid for a new Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) terminal in Brunsbüttel, Germany is a short-sighted gamble riddled with environmental and legal concerns. Stéphanie Nieuwbourg is a legal expert at …
Auditors question EU’s gas crisis response, joint purchases
Est. 4minThe EU’s response to the gas crisis failed to take affordability into account, while the joint gas purchasing mechanism provides no apparent value, the bloc’s auditors have found.
EU approves 14th Russia sanctions package, includes first-ever LNG sector measures
Est. 4minEU member states on Thursday (20 June) approved a 14th package of sanctions against Russia over its war in Ukraine, which for the first time included a ban on re-exports of Russian liquefied natural gas (LNG) in the EU. "This package …
EU’s 14th package of Russia sanctions held up by Germany
Est. 2minBRUSSELS, June 14 (Reuters) - The European Union failed on Friday to agree a 14th package of sanctions against Russia, EU diplomats said, as Germany held out over the extent to which EU companies would be responsible for sanctions violations.
Officials from the 27 EU countries have been debating for more than a month on a package including a ban on Russian LNG trans-shipments and a plan to make EU operators responsible for sanctions violations by subsidiaries and partners in third countries.
Ambassadors were set to discuss and decide on the issue on Friday evening, but the sanctions topic was withdrawn from the meeting agenda at the last moment. The ambassadors are next due to meet on Wednesday.
The late Friday meeting had been meant to reach an agreement before a Ukraine peace conference in Switzerland this weekend.
Hungary, Russia's closest EU ally, was previously holding out, but appeared willing to accept the sanctions package, which requires EU unanimity.
However, EU diplomats said that Germany expressed reservations about the impact on its industry of the clause on third country subsidiaries and partners.
Under the sanctions package, the EU was also set to ban from its ports ships that have contributed to Russia's war effort.
This could include the transport of goods generating significant revenue for Russia, goods or technology used in the defence and security sector or shipment of fuels outside the G7 price cap system. (Reporting by Philip Blenkinsop, Jan Strupczewski and Julia Payne; Editing by Andrew Heavens)
Germany’s Uniper wins $14 billion arbitration ruling against Gazprom
Est. 4minGerman utility Uniper has won a multi-billion euro arbitration against former long-time supplier Gazprom, it said on Wednesday (12 June), allowing it to tear up dormant gas supply contracts and potentially setting a precedent for similar cases.
Germany, Czech Republic seek EU talks on fully quitting Russian energy
Est. 3minGermany and the Czech Republic are pushing the European Union to hold talks on how to eliminate the remaining energy sources Europe imports from Russia, EU diplomats told Reuters on Tuesday (28 May).
EU approves law to hit gas imports with methane emissions limit
Est. 3minEU countries approved a law on Monday (27 May) to impose methane emissions limits on Europe's oil and gas imports from 2030, pressuring international suppliers to cut leaks of the potent greenhouse gas.
ICC tribunal bans Gazprom from placing gas dispute at Russian court
Est. 2minAn International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) tribunal has prohibited Russia's Gazprom from continuing with Russian legal proceedings against CEZ, the Czech energy company said.
EU backs sanctions on Russian propaganda outlets as part of next sanctions package
Est. 3minFour Russian state media outlets will be added to the European Union's blacklist, while other measures for the 14th sanctions package against Moscow are still in the early stages of discussion following a meeting of EU ambassadors on Wednesday (15 May).
New EU scheme could hike petrol, gas prices higher than expected, key lawmakers admit
Est. 5minThe EU’s new carbon pricing scheme for road and heating fuels (ETS2) – set to be introduced across the bloc in 2027 – could lead to higher price hikes than initially thought, key lawmakers told Euractiv.
Attacks on the US LNG Pause are Dangerous and Unfounded – Here’s Why
Est. 4minThe recent decision by U.S. President Biden to temporarily pause approvals for upcoming LNG export projects to assess their impacts on human rights and environment has been attacked on both sides of the Atlantic. But the claims that the pause threatens EU energy security are completely unfounded; on the contrary, locking in decades of even more climate-wrecking fracked LNG is a danger for our energy security and our future as a whole.
Austria appeals to European Commission in escalation of German gas tariff dispute
Est. 4minVienna has escalated an ongoing dispute with Germany over gas transit fees, which Austria says are not warranted, to the European Commission via the European Parliament.
EU ‘declaring war’ on energy sector methane emissions
Est. 3minThe European Parliament adopted a pioneering new law to reduce methane emissions in the energy sector on Wednesday (10 April), but the oil and gas sector quickly pointed to potential implementation problems.
The Russian gas transit to Europe via Ukraine must end in 2025
Est. 5minAs the 2024 expiration of the Russian gas transit contract via Ukraine approaches, the EU faces a pivotal choice, writes Sergiy Makogon.
Bulgaria using Turkish Stream pipeline as a geopolitical weapon, reveals Borissov
Est. 4minBulgaria has introduced the special gas tax on the transmission of Russian gas through Turkish Stream to punish Austria for its Schengen opposition, the leader of Bulgaria's largest party GERB Boyko Borissov announced on Wednesday (3 April).
Ukrainian storage and pipelines can be key to east Europe’s gas supply security
Est. 4minUkraine’s location and infrastructure can make it a crucial gas trading hub in east Europe. More trade gives Europe a larger and wider choice of gas suppliers, which means more security and lower prices for the continent.
France’s Total gives up exploration of Bulgaria’s largest gas field
Est. 2minFrench multi-energy company TotalEnergies is withdrawing from oil and gas exploration in the potential Khan Asparuh field in northern Bulgarian waters of the Black Sea, an annual report by the project's other partner, Romania's OMV Petrom, quoted by Bulgarian Capital Weekly, reads.
Leaked documents reveal Kremlin control over Turkish Stream pipeline construction through Bulgaria
Est. 3minLeaked documents from the emails of Russian politicians show that the Kremlin, through Russian and Belarusian companies, had full control over the construction of the Turkish Stream gas pipeline through Bulgaria from 2019-2021, despite then-Prime Minister Boyko Borisov’s claims that the project was under the Bulgarian government’s control, Capital reported.
Europe’s mild winter leaves gas stocks at record high
Est. 4minEurope is on track to end the winter with a record volume of gas in storage, which has pushed futures prices back to pre-crisis levels once inflation is taken into account.
Bulgaria negotiates with Azerbaijan to boost gas supplies to Balkans, Ukraine
Est. 3minBulgaria has started negotiations with Azerbaijan to increase gas supplies to Romania, Moldova and Ukraine through the future vertical Balkan gas corridor, the Bulgarian parliament’s press centre announced on Monday.
Germany’s gas tariff puts EU energy solidarity at risk, energy commissioner says
Est. 2minGermany's levy on cross-border gas trading puts the EU's energy solidarity at risk and hurts efforts to cut the bloc's reliance on Russian gas, the bloc's energy commissioner and deputy Czech PM told reporters on Monday (4 March) following a meeting of EU energy ministers.
Bulgaria to become main route for Russian gas imports to EU, Ukraine in 2025
Est. 4minWith the expected end of Russian gas transit through Ukraine at the end of this year, the Balkan Stream gas pipeline through Bulgaria will become the main supply route for the EU and Ukraine, as discussed during the visit of the EU’s top energy official, Ditte Juul Jorgensen, to the dispatch centre of state-owned gas company Bulgartransgaz (BTG).
Gas consumption in France down 20% from 2021 levels
Est. 3minGas consumption in France in 2023 has fallen by more than 10% in one year and by around 20% compared to 2021, according to the latest figures from France's main transmission operator, GRTgaz, published Tuesday (February 27).