Saturday, April 22, 2017

Energy Boost Success - IN CYPRUS / CYPRUS WEEKLY

April 22, 2017
Charles Ellinas

With the collapse of global oil prices, the question just over a year ago was ‘is this the end of the shale boom?’ A year later, technology and OPEC’s production cuts have breathed new life into the US shale oil industry.

This revival has a global impact and is one of the factors keeping global oil and gas prices low, which also impacts development of East Med hydrocarbons.

A period of low oil prices forced the US shale industry to cut costs and boost efficiency. Over the last two years US shale companies re-organised and reshaped themselves into more efficient and fitter, lower cost, companies, precisely in response to the difficult times they went through.

Pipelines and Pipedreams - ECFR

HOW THE EU CAN SUPPORT A REGIONAL GAS HUB IN THE EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN
Tareq Baconi
  • Large natural gas discoveries in the eastern Mediterranean have raised hopes that the region could serve EU energy needs, helping it to fulfil its goals of energy diversification, security, and resilience.
  • But there are commercial and political hurdles in the way. Cyprusʼs reserves are too small to be commercially viable and Israel needs a critical mass of buyers to begin full-scale production. Regional cooperation – either bilaterally or with Egypt – is the only way the two countries will be able to export.
  • Egypt is the only country in the region that could export gas to Europe independently because of the size of its reserves and its existing export infrastructure. But energy sector reforms will be needed to secure investor confidence in this option.
  • There are now two options for regional export: to build a pipeline that connects Israel and Cyprus to southern Europe, or to create a network of pipelines into Egypt, from which gas could be liquefied and exported.
  • The EU should explore regional prospects by strengthening its energy diplomacy, developing more projects of common interest, working to resolve the Turkey-Cyprus dispute, and incentivising reforms in Egypt.


ECFR - PIPELINES AND PIPEDREAMS - TAREQ BACONI

Thursday, April 20, 2017

Italy court revokes order that had halted work on TAP pipeline: lawyer - REUTERS

Thu Apr 20, 2017 | 10:11am EDT
Reporting by Giancarlo Navach, writing by Stephen Jewkes

An Italian court has revoked an order that had halted work to remove olive trees from the pathway of a strategic pipeline that will bring central Asian gas into Europe, a lawyer involved in the case said on Thursday.

The decision paves the way for work to restart on the Trans Adriatic Pipeline (TAP) which is slated to bring 10 billion cubic metres of gas from Azerbaijan into the small Italian seaside town of San Foca in Apulia by 2020.

Opposition from the local town council and the regional government of Apulia has caused a series of delays to the project.

Eni-operated Libyan oil field said to reopen after two-year halt - WORLD OIL / BLOOMBERG


April/20/2017
Saleh Sarrar

TRIPOLI (Bloomberg) --
Libya’s El-Feel oil field, operated by a venture between Eni SpA and the state producer, reopened after a two-year halt in operations that crimped the OPEC nation’s output, according to a person familiar with the situation.

The field, also known as Elephant, re-opened on Wednesday, said the person, who asked not to be identified because of a lack of authorization to speak to media. It hasn’t resumed pumping oil yet because of an electricity outage, Petroleum Facilities Guard Brigadier Idris Bukhamada said by phone. Authorities are working to resolve the power stoppage soon, he said.

Oil Majors See Huge Opportunity In Eastern Mediterranean - OIL PRICE / DRILLING INFO

Apr 20, 2017, 2:44 PM CDT
By Drilling Info

Quite
suddenly, there is remarkable oil industry news to come out of the East Mediterranean region. If the plan is executed, in the space of seven years the balance of energy security in Western Europe will be radically changed. In geopolitical terms, this will be immense; when the planned Israel-Cyprus-Greece-Italy gas pipeline is built, European countries will be able to cut their ever-increasing dependence on Russian gas supplies.

The story of major gas discoveries in the East Mediterranean started in the shallow-water offshore Egypt, with Miocene Nile Delta discoveries progressively stepping out into deeper and deeper water. The first discovery was made by Phillips Petroleum in 1969, when it drilled the play-opening Abu Qir 1 NFW. It discovered gas in the Messinian Abu Madi sandstones. Subsequent exploration was led by the likes of AMOCO, BG, BP, Eni and Shell. There are now over 100 mainly gas and wet gas fields in the offshore Egyptian Nile Delta, with all production being piped onshore. The story continues to the present day, with recent large discoveries in the deeper Oligocene play, such as Salamat (2013) and Atoll (2015), alongside large Messinian discoveries including Nooros (2015) and Baltim South West (2016).

Japan Bank for International Cooperation considers investing in petrochemicals projects - ENTERPRISE / AMAY

Thursday, 20 April 2017

The Japan Bank for International Cooperation is considering investing in new petrochemicals projects on the back of its successful contributions in key projects, including the Egyptian Refining Company’s refinery, said the head of the bank’s Europe and Middle East Division at a meeting with Oil Minister Tarek El Molla on Wednesday, AMAY reports.

Challenging period for Medserv - TIMES OF MALTA


Thursday, April 20, 2017, 00:01
Edward Rizzo

On April 5, Medserv plc published its 2016 financial statements as well as its updated Financial Analysis Summary which included the 2017 financial forecasts. Moreover, the UK-based research house, Edison Investment Research, published an updated view on Medserv followingthese announcements.

The 2016 results are reflective of the volatile industry in which Medserv operates as various industry-wide factors adversely impacted the group’s performance. Moreover, for the first time, the 2016 financial statements also included the contribution from the Mets Group following the acquisition of the Middle Eastern Group of Companies in February 2016.

Wednesday, April 19, 2017

Bechtel awarded two contracts for petchem project in Egypt - HYDROCARBON PROCESSING

4/19/2017

HOUSTON -- Bechtel, a company in engineering, procurement, and construction, announced that the company has been awarded two contracts by Carbon Holdings of Egypt: one to provide project management services for the Tahrir Petrochemicals Complex at Ain Sokhna, Egypt, and one to build two new polypropylene units at an adjacent site. In its project management role, Bechtel will have oversight of project execution and contractor performance on what will be the largest petrochemicals complex in Egypt.

"For decades we have partnered with customers, contractors, and suppliers in Egypt and the region to safely deliver quality industrial facilities. These awards allow us to continue the legacy with the delivery of world-class facilities for Carbon Holdings," said Joe Thompson, general manager of Bechtel's Downstream and Chemicals business. "At the same time, the project will use goods and services from the United States, supporting jobs and creating opportunities for small businesses in the country."

Athens calm over Turkey referendum, but keeping eye on Cyprus - KATHIMERINI

 18.04.2017 : 21:04

Athens appeared relatively calm on Tuesday after the results of Sunday’s referendum in Turkey – which expanded the powers of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan – as the nationalist rhetoric emanating from Ankara in the run-up to the vote is expected to subside, at least in the short term.

In a neutral statement, the government limited itself to saying that the will of the Turkish people must be respected. However, Erdogan’s announcement that national elections in Turkey will go ahead as planned in 2019 has sparked concern that there may be a new round of incendiary rhetoric.

Tuesday, April 18, 2017

ENERGY BRIEF EGYPT - Issue 22 - 2017 April 9-13 - EGYPT OIL & GAS


Re-sailing of ‘Barbaros’ offshore Cyprus a ‘provocation’ - IN CYPRUS / CYPRUS WEEKLY

April 18, 2017

The re-sailing on Monday of Turkish research vessel ‘Barbaros’ within divided Cyprus’ Exclusive Economic Zone is a provocation, Government Spokesman Nikos Christodoulides told Active FM radio on Tuesday.

But Nicosia refuses to fall into the trap of a possible new Turkish communication game that could cast a doubt over the island’s sovereign rights, he added.

“We trust our actions, and we also trust actions taken by neighbouring states and by states of the EU,” he also said.

"We want to diversify our gas supply" - GLOBES

European Energy Commissioner Miguel Arias Cañete (right), with
ministers from Cyprus, Italy, Israel & Greece
3 Apr, 2017 18:36
Nati Yefet

European Energy Commissioner Miguel Arias Cañete explains why financing a gas pipeline from Israel might be worth Europe's while.


Energy relations between Europe and Russia can be described as the golden pipeline. Russia is the largest and most stable supplier of natural gas to Europe, despite the unease of European political leaders. Last year, Russian energy company Gazprom supplied 178 BCM of natural gas to Europe, representing 40% of the continent's total consumption, at the competitive price of $4.5 on average per thermal unit (mmBTU). This power brings Gazprom business ties with many European energy companies, and no change in its status appears to be on the horizon.

Monday, April 17, 2017

SDX Energy strikes pay at South Disouq concession in Egypt - WORLD OIL

4/17/2017

LONDON -- SDX Energy Inc., the North Africa focused oil and gas company, announced that drilling on the carried SD-1X well at its South Disouq concession, where it hold s a 55% equity interest and is operator in the Nile Delta area of Egypt has reached its first target depth.

The SD-1X well is targeting gas in the upper Abu-Madi section, and oil from the deeper Abu Roash and AEB horizon. To date, the well has been drilled to a total depth of 7,777 ft, reaching its first target depth in the Abu Madi.

The Company is pleased to announce that during drilling, conventional natural gas bearing horizons were encountered in the Abu Madi. The well encountered 65 ft of net pay section with an average porosity of 25%. The results are in line with pre-drill estimates. Additional evaluation work is currently underway to provide an accurate recoverable volume estimate, which will be the subject of a subsequent release.

Azerbaijan foreign minister, SOCAR vice-president for Malta visit - MALTA TODAY

17 April 2017, 8:31am

The foreign minister of Azerbaijan will lead a delegation in a visit to the Maltese prime minister later on this afternoon, in a three-day visit.

The 6:30pm visit from Elmar Mammadyarov, which includes executives from the state oil and gas company SOCAR, was revealed by Malta Independent columnist Daphne Caruana Galizia. Over the weekend, her allegations of money transfers from an Azerbaijan bank account to the Panama offshore companies held by the PM’s chief of staff Keith Schembri and minister Konrad Mizzi were instantly met with two libel actions.

Russian Gazprom increases gas supplies to Turkey by 25% - CONSTRUCTION.RU

17.04.2017 15:47
Tatiana Kanunnikova

Gazprom, a Russian gas giant, has increased exports of blue fuel to Turkey by 25%, the company said on Monday.

“From 1 January to 15 April 2017, the supply of Russian gas has increased to many countries outside the former Soviet Union. In particular, to Turkey and the countries of Central and South-Eastern Europe. Thus, exports to Turkey compared to the same period in 2016 has grown by 25%, to Hungary — by 31.5%, to Serbia — by 32.5%, Bulgaria — by 20.9%,” — the message released by Gazprom reads.

As it was previously reported, Gazprom increased gas exports to countries outside the former Soviet Union in the period from 1 January to 15 April 2017 by 14.7%, up to 58.5 billion cubic meters.

Sunday, April 16, 2017

Gulmira Rzayeva: "Azerbaijan will ensure Europe's energy security for many years to come" - VESTNIK KAVKAZA

Apr 16 - 10:00 am

Leading expert on energy issues of the Strategic Studies Center under Azerbaijani President, expert of the Oxford Institute of Energy Studies, Gulmira Rzaeva, discussed the future of Azerbaijani pipeline project Southern Gas Corridor and prospects of the development of European and Turkish gas markets as main consumers of Azerbaijani gas in an interview with Vestnik Kavkaza.

- Can other, alternative gas projects become competitors with the Southern Gas Corridor?