China to implement joint energy projects In Kazakhstan
Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao hopes for close cooperation with Kazakhstan for the efficient implementation of joint energy projects.
During his talks with Kazakh Prime Minister Karim Masimov in Beijing Wednesday, Wen pointed to the need to implement the Action Plan signed Wednesday aimed at fulfilling a cooperation program in nonprimary sectors of economy, increasing reciprocal investments, simplifying customs procedures and intensifying infrastructure construction.
Masimov said Astana is interested in closer energy cooperation with China, as well as is developing interaction in other sectors.
The Kazakh prime minister attended a business forum titled "Kazakhstan-China: Partnership for the Sake of Progress" organized by the Kazakh Embassy in China jointly with the Chinese Ministry of Commerce.
The forum aimed to develop closer contacts between business communities of the two countries in high technologies, power energy, agricultural industry, tourism and construction.
Turkmenistan to supply natural gas to Europe by Nabucco
Turkmenistan will supply natural gas to Europe through the Nabucco pipeline that bypasses Russia, Benita Ferrero-Waldner, European commissioner for external relations and European neighborhood policy, told Austrian media.
She said Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov told her during their meeting his country was ready to supply natural gas to Europe.
Ferrero-Waldner is in Ashgabat in connection with a meeting between the EU troika and the foreign ministers of the five Central Asian states -- Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan.
The meeting is expected to focus on the development of partnership in trade, the fight against illegal drug trafficking, the protection of borders, human rights, environmental protection, and cooperation in the energy sector where the West is seeking to get direct access to hydrocarbon fields in the region.
Nabucco has been proposed as a solution. The project is being implemented by a consortium of countries that involves oil, gas, and energy companies from Austria, Bulgaria, Hungary, Germany, Romania, and Turkey.
One of the senior officials of the German concern RWE AG that joined the project earlier this month said Nabucco would diversify energy supplies to Europe and its construction will be less costly than the Russian South Stream project.
Nabucco will bring gas from several sources in the Caspian region and the Middle East. Russia's South Stream will not provide such diversification. No single source has been identified, however, and Turkmenista has already promised much of its gas away to Russia and China.
Moroccan, MND unit sign offshore survey deal
Morocco's National Oil and Gas Board and the MND E&P Maroc Ltd., subsidiary of the Czech MND Group, signed Wednesday a contract for a survey in the offshore zone known as Missour Ouest.
According to the terms of this agreement, MND commits itself to conduct geological and geophysical studies in the initial period of a year. MND and ONHYM are already partners in the Boudnib and Ouarzazat surveys.
ONHYM has so far signed 21 oil agreements and six exploration deals with 28 companies, divided into four exploitation concessions, 91 exploration permits and six survey authorizations.
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Closing oil prices, Apr. 10, 3 p.m. London
Brent crude oil: $108.47
West Texas Intermediate crude oil: $109.94
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