The drilling of the offshore gas project in Romanian Black Sea has begun.
On Tuesday, the owners of Romania's Neptun Deep offshore project announced that drilling had begun in the Black Sea. This could lead to the production of one the EU's biggest gas deposits in 2027, which would ease the transition from Russian gas. Neptun Deep is jointly owned by the oil and gas company OMV Petrom, and Romania's Romgaz. It holds approximately 100 billion cubic metres of recoverable gas. OMV Petrom, a majority-owned company of Austria's OMV, is the largest shareholder in Neptun Deep. Neptun Deep is expected to double Romania's production of gas and turn it into a net-exporter…
CERAWEEK - Small nuclear power struggles on the cusp of US electric demand boom
Small modular nuclear reactors are touted by everyone from the U.S. Energy Secretary to Big Tech as the answer to the booming demand for power. However, the technology has struggled to reach commercialization due to cost and regulatory obstacles. The artificial intelligence industry, which is powered by energy-hungry data centres, will likely increase electricity consumption in the United States. Small modular reactors supporters say that the technology would eventually be cheaper, faster and more efficient than nuclear power plants today because they will be constructed from mass-produced components rather than massive custom projects.
Hungary turns to Romania for help in diversifying its energy sources
Hungary wants to expand its gas sector cooperation with Romania to diversify energy sources. Their respective companies are already in negotiations for an agreement. Szijjarto stated that Hungary is keen to work with Romania in energy matters as Romania will soon become a net gas exporter as a result of a new offshore field starting production. In a few weeks, Romania could begin drilling at the Neptun Deep field, which is one of the most important gas deposits in the European Union. This will allow it to double its production and possibly become a net gas exporter.
Romanian government extends the energy price cap
Marcel Ciolacu, Romania's Prime Minister, announced on Thursday that the coalition government would extend the price cap for electricity to households and businesses up until June, and for gas, for one year. This is in order to protect consumers from recent increases in energy prices. Since November 2021, Romania caps gas and electricity bills for households, small business, hospitals, schools, and public institutions at certain monthly consumption levels, and compensates suppliers for any difference. The scheme was modified several times, and it was set to expire by the end of march.
Hungary's MVM expects the E.ON Energie Romania agreement to close in June or September
MVM Group, the state-owned energy firm in Hungary, expects to complete its deal to purchase a majority stake in E.ON Energie Romania by June or July. MVM's CEO told Portfolio.hu Thursday. E.ON announced this deal in December. It is subject to the approval of Romanian authorities. MVM, unlike most energy providers in Europe, gets a significant portion of its gas from Russia. In January, the Romanian energy ministry warned that this sale could be halted for security reasons. Romania's Energy Ministry expressed concern about MVM's relationship…
Gas funded by the EU brings light back to a separatist region in Moldova
On Monday, authorities in Moldova's separatist Transdniestria began heating apartments during winter conditions after a month-long power cut. The European Union funded the resumption of natural gas flows. Transdniestria - which separated from Moldova after the Soviet Union ended - relied on Russian Gas passing through Ukraine. But Kyiv refused a transit agreement beyond the new year, claiming it funded Moscow's almost three-year old invasion. The first 3 million cubic meters (mcms) of natural gases were shipped by Moldovan energy firm Moldovagaz to the Russian-backed separatist region on Saturday.
Moldova Gaz: Moldova sends first 3 mcm gas to Transdniestria
The company Moldovagaz said that it shipped the first 3 million cubic meters of natural gas to the Russian-backed separatist Transdniestria on Saturday. These were the first deliveries after the Russian gas transit via Ukraine was halted. The pro-Moscow enclave in which Russia has sent troops to support the breakaway administration has been without power and heat since New Year's Day. This is because Ukraine refused to renew the transit agreement for Russian gas after almost three years of conflict between Kyiv & Moscow. Vadim ceban, CEO of Moldovagaz…
Moldova will ship the first 3 mcm gas to breakaway regions on Saturday, says company
A Moldovan official in the industry said that the country will be sending 3 million cubic meters (mcms) of gas on Saturday to its separatist Transdniestria. This is the first fuel delivery to the region since the end of December, when the gas transit through Ukraine ceased. The morning delivery is to be made to the Transdniestrian Gas System, which already has a gas shortage to maintain pressure. Vadim Ceban, CEO of Moldovagaz, said that the contract between Tiraspoltransgaz and Moldovagaz stipulates that this amount of gas will be provided to Tiraspoltransgaz as a debt due by March 1, 2025. Since Jan.
Document shows that ten EU countries have called for sanctions against Russian LNG and gas
A document obtained by revealed that ten European Union nations have asked the 27-nation group to ban the imports of gas from Russia. This comes as Europe is debating new sanctions against Moscow for its war in Ukraine. The EU is currently preparing its 16th set of sanctions against Russia's economic system, in advance of the third anniversary Moscow's invasion of Ukraine on a large scale. This will take place in February 2022. The 10 countries include the Czech Republic as well as Denmark, Estonia, and Finland. They want Europe to do more to target Russia's oil exports to reduce the revenue flowing to Moscow.
The Moldovan President visits the area affected by blackouts and blames Russia's Gazprom
On Thursday, the Moldovan president Maia Sandu visited areas that were experiencing rolling power outages and blamed Russian Gas giant Gazprom. The energy crisis in the pro-Russian enclave of Transdniestria is a result of this. Dmitry Peskov, Kremlin spokesperson in Moscow, said that Moldova and Ukraine are responsible for the power and heating shortages. The foreign minister of Finland met with officials in both government-controlled Moldova and the separatist enclave and pledged to help both sides achieve a settlement. Transdniestria has been receiving Russian gas for over 30 years. However, Ukraine refused to extend the gas transit agreement past New Year's Day.
Sources say that OMV's Romanian subsidiary has agreed to supply gas to Germany
Three people with knowledge of the situation have confirmed that OMV's Romanian subsidiary has signed a contract to supply Uniper gas from its Black Sea Project starting in 2027. This comes as Europe looks for new ways to increase energy security following the breakup with Russia. The deal, which was not disclosed before, is for a five-year supply of 15 terawatts of natural gas to be delivered by the Neptun Deep Project. This comes after Russia stopped gas deliveries via Ukraine last month and the European Union began to reduce its energy purchases due in part to Moscow's invasion of Ukraine.
Sources say that Austria's OMV Romanian unit has agreed to supply gas to Germany
Three people with knowledge of the situation have confirmed that Austria's OMV Romanian has signed a contract to supply Germany's Uniper gas from its Black Sea Project from 2027. This is as Europe looks for new ways to increase energy security following its breakup with Russia. The deal, which was not disclosed before, is for a five-year supply of 15 terawatts of natural gas to be delivered by the Neptun Deep Project. This comes after Russia stopped gas deliveries via Ukraine last month and an overall reduction in energy purchases made by the European Union from Moscow as a result of its invasion of Ukraine.
Sources: Austria's OMV has agreed to supply Romanian Gas to Germany
Three people with knowledge of the deal said that Austria's OMV will supply Germany's Uniper gas from its Black Sea Project from 2027. This comes as Europe looks for new ways to increase energy security following the breakup with Russia. The deal, which was not disclosed before, is for a five-year supply of 15 terawatts of natural gas to be delivered by the Neptun Deep Project. This comes after Russia stopped gas deliveries via Ukraine last month and a general slowdown in energy purchases made by the European Union from Moscow because of its invasion of Ukraine. The contract volume would represent about 1.5% in Germany's imports of gas in 2024.
In the pro-Russian region of Moldova, thousands are left without gas or heat
Authorities said that more than 51,000 households in Moldova's pro Russian separatist enclave were without gas, and 1,500 apartment blocks had no heating for winter. Moldova and Russia have been trading blame over an escalating crisis. Transdniestria (a breakaway region dominated by Russian speakers along the Ukrainian border) had been receiving Russian gas through Ukraine for decades. It used it to produce electricity that was sold to the rest Moldova and provided 80% of its power. This gas, along with the flow to Central and Eastern…
In the pro-Russian region of Moldova, thousands are left without gas or heat
Authorities said that more than 51,000 households in the pro-Russian separatist region of Moldova were without gas, and 1,500 apartment blocks had no heat for winter. This was after Ukraine refused to renew a transit agreement last week with Russia. Transdniestria (a separatist region dominated by Russian speakers along the Ukrainian border) had been receiving Russian gas through Ukraine for decades. It used it to produce electricity that was sold to the rest Moldova and provided 80% of its power. This gas, along with the flow to Central…
After gas cutoff, the breakaway region of Moldova faces prolonged blackouts
Local authorities reported that Saturday saw a longer period of rolling power outages in Transdniestria (the pro-Russian breakaway region of Moldova), which is now without Russian gas because it no longer transits through Ukraine. The flow of Russian gas through Ukraine into central and eastern Europe ceased on New Year's Day, after the transit agreement between the two warring nations expired and Kyiv refused a renewal. Transdniestria is a predominantly Russian-speaking enclave that has lived alongside Moldova since it broke away in the final days of Soviet rule. It received gas from Russian company Gazprom via the pipeline which crosses Ukraine.
Officials say that the breakaway region of Moldova will face new power outages on Saturday.
Local authorities have confirmed that power cuts will continue in Transdniestria on Saturday. The region, which is a breakaway Moldovan region, has been left without Russian supplies after Ukraine decided not to renew a contract for Russian transit gas. After the expiration of the transit agreement, Kyiv refused to do business with Moscow. Transdniestrian officials announced that the first rolling blackouts had begun on Friday night. The region that is mainly Russian-speaking, located along the Moldova-Ukraine frontier and that split from Moldova in 1990, received Russian gas through Ukraine and used it for electricity production.
The industry in the breakaway Moldovan region shuts down due to lack of Russian gas
An official confirmed on Thursday that the cutoff of Russian gas supply to Moldova's Transdniestria region, which is a breakaway region of Moldova, has forced all industrial companies - except for food producers - to close. The Russian gas cutoff to Central and Eastern Europe through Ukraine on Wednesday has caused a severe and immediate impact on the mainly Russian-speaking region of 450,000 people that split off from Moldova during the Soviet Union's collapse in the 1990s. Sergei Obolonik told a local channel that "all industrial enterprises were idle except those involved in food production, which directly ensures food security for Transdniestria".
After gas was cut off, the power plant of the breakaway region in Moldova switches to coal
Transdniestria's main power plant has switched to coal since Russian gas supplies were halted Jan. 1. It should be able to provide electricity to residents of the breakaway region in January and Febraury, according to the leader of the region. The cutting off of Russian gas through Ukraine on Wednesday has caused heating and hot-water supply cuts in the mostly Russian-speaking territory, which split from Moldova early in the 1990s. Russia also has 1,500 soldiers in this area. Transdniestria leader Vadim Krsnoselsky stated in a late-night statement on Wednesday that gas reserves in the region could last 10 days in the northern part and twice that in the southern.
Orban: Hungary is in talks with Ukraine about Russian gas deliveries via Hungary
Viktor Orban, the Prime Minister of Hungary, said that Hungary was in talks with Russia, Ukraine and other countries to keep open gas deliveries via Ukraine, even though it imports Russian gas via Turkstream. The pipeline via Ukraine is one of the main Russian gas routes into Europe. However, it will close at the end this year because Kyiv doesn't want to extend the five-year transit deal that brings gas to Slovakia and the Czech Republic. Orban said in a press briefing: "We're now trying to pull off the trick... Orban stated that talks are ongoing…
