Russian nuclear power sector eyes private investors
The Russian nuclear power sector said it wants to attract investment from the private sector to help implement a major program to launch new generating capacity, according to local reports.
The Federal Atomic Energy Agency, or Rosatom, has secured a cooperation agreement with the two largest aluminum producers in Russia -- Russian Aluminum, owned by metals tycoon Oleg Deripaska, and SUAL, one of the world's largest aluminum producers, -- to conduct joint work on building nuclear plants linked to aluminum plants.
Rosatom is looking to attract private investors to finance the construction of the new nuclear capacity to meet growing demand, but current Russian legislation only allows state financing of the nuclear sector.
In the fall, the State Duma is considering passing draft laws to allow for private investment in Russian nuclear plants without taking part in the ownership of the plants, but with guarantees of long-term electricity supplies at a fixed price.
The agreement does not address specific projects, according to Russian media reports.
A Rosatom working group and the two aluminum companies are working on preparing preliminary feasibility studies. The group is expected to submit its first results by October, according to local media reports.
Victor Vekselberg, Renova chief and SUAL co-owner, told reporters Wednesday that Renova has received a proposal to act as investor in the construction of a nuclear plant in Perm territory.
"At the moment the project is more like a fantasy, but it may very well become real. This is a viable idea and an interesting proposal for us," Vekselberg said.
Caracas, Beijing near inking energy deals
Hugo Chavez, present Venezuela, plans to secure a series of energy deals with China during his upcoming state visit to Beijing next week, Venezuelan Oil Minister Rafael Ramirez said Tuesday.
The move is designed to increase oil sales to China to 200,000 barrels per day as China looks to diversify its suppliers and Venezuela looks to acquire more customers from Asia.
The agreements will be for 18 oil tankers and 24 oil-drilling rigs, Ramirez told reporters Caracas.
Venezuelan state oil company PDVSA expects to finalize a deal with China National Petroleum Corp., the nation's largest oil company, on the joint development of the Zumano oilfield in eastern Venezuela.
During Ramirez's visit to Beijing last August, The two sides already secured initial agreements for the Zumano oilfield and for the joint surveying of the Orinoco Oil Belt Block Junin 4, which the two companies started last October.
The Zumano area has proven reserves of 400 million barrels of light and medium crude and 4 billion cubic feet of gas, PDVSA, while the Junin 4 block is estimated to contain 20 billion barrels of oil reserves, reported last August.
Chavez will start his official visit to Beijing on August 22, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said.
Romanian, Iranian firms in oil rig dispute
Iranian state-owned Petroiran Oil Co. has filed a criminal case in a court in Tehran on Monday against Romania's Grup Servicii Petroliere, or GSP, on charges of hijacking an oil rig.
Petroiran maintains it was perfectly within its rights to move the rig to Sharjah.
"We had permission from Iranian authorities to move the rig out because we completed our contract in April. It is wrong on the part of Petroiran to accuse us of hijacking the rig," Gabriel Comanescu, president of Grup Servicii Petroliere, was cited as saying by Gulf News.
"The rig had some technical problems and it needed 'annual class' certification by Germanishcer Lloyd. It has been brought to the anchorage area, three miles off Sharjah," he said.
Comanescu also noted the company already had approval to enter the United Arab Emirates.
"We have no problems with the UAE because we are moving here legally. Petroiran Oil Company has no legal right to urge any one for the return of the Fortuna rig," Comanescu said.
--
Closing oil prices, Aug. 17, 3 p.m. London
Brent crude oil: $71.65
West Texas Intermediate crude oil: $70.70
--
(Please send comments to [email protected])
