Konstantin Simonov,
The Head of NESF | Dear fuel-interested readers! I am happy to welcome you here on the National Energy Security Fund internet site. If you are here then you are probably interested in the following subjects: - Money streams in oil and gas industry
- Competing projects of Russian energy development
- Future of Russian oil and gas corporations
We, at the National Energy Security Fund, are highly concerned about these issues too. Hence, we will try to be your guide in the world of big politics and energy business. Our main goal is to show how energy resources and political power in Russia interlink. «Study what hasn’t been studied» is the motto we are guided by sniffing out the smell of the money, oil, and gas in the Russian government lobbies. |
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| Russia's political system has clearly become vibrant. Resignations and new appointments, personnel purging and scandals – these factors have become a new norm of current politics in Russia. Administrative competition in the country is growing, and it has evident outcomes in the oil and gas sector. The number of conflicts is expanding, while the role of state regulators is becoming very significant. Moreover, interests of companies in the sector do not always coincide, which puts regulators into a complicated situation. The National Energy Security Fund is focusing on key sectoral conflicts that relevant ministries and services are engaged in. More reports » |
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 | The new report analyzes the situation which followed «reformatting» of the political system in Russia within the «Successor» operation. Currently the new management structure and inter-elite situation have been formed aggressively in view of the existing model of «Putin-Medvedev» duumvirate. More reports » |
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The boom in shale gas production in the US and its wide-ranging influence on markets rocked the gas world. Liquefied gas deliveries were redirected, altering the already fragile balance of demand and supply in traditional markets for pipeline gas in Europe.
World market has shown interest to liquefied gas. Russia has so far been aside of it. However, producers have announced several large LNG projects. The new study will help investigate this delicate subject and understand what is in store for LNG production and export in the nearest years.
"Russia 2010. Report on Transformation" is a special publication prepared by experts and edited by Konstantin Simonov. This is the seventh edition of the Report published by the Economic Forum and the Eastern Institute.
Developments in the Middle East attract great attention. Many experts believe this region plays a major role in formation of oil prices and the future of the world market of hydrocarbons. The situation in the region is indeed developing very quickly. A conflict between Saudi Arabia and Iran has put an end to plans of creating OPEC-2. Saudi Arabia is changing its strategy, while Iran is increasing its presence on the world oil market; the latter also intends to become a serious natural gas exporter being ready to join the South Corridor project and intriguing against Russia. Meanwhile, the war in Syria may intensify at any moment affecting Iran’s production potential and Turkey’s transit possibilities. These events directly influence the supply of hydrocarbons on the market. It means all oil producers are concerned about them, at least because they need to understand the level of oil prices in the future.
The sector has been under sanctions imposed by the USA, Canada and the EU for almost two years. They restrict access to credit resources and technologies, create problems with marketing and change the psychology of operation of Western companies in Russia making the latter more cautious and careful. Has Russia found a response to this challenge; has it benefited in some way, e.g. accelerated import substitution that Russian officials are so fond of taking about? Answers to these and other questions are found in a new report by the National Energy Security Foundation.
The new study analyses state corporations that many consider a new long-term direction of Russian economy development. Currently, these corporations are becoming nearly the main mechanism for Russian elite to convert and cash out political power. Therefore it is important to understand affiliation of different state corporations with dominating political players, their role in the 2008 election campaign and place in the next executive power configuration that we will see completed by spring-summer 2008. It is also interesting to analyze possible ways the state corporations may transform into other forms of property in the nearest and medium-term future.
The new study analyzes political and socio-economic state of Russia after Duma election on December 2 2007 and possible consequences of power shuffle in March-May 2008.