GPS News  
Russia To Consider Idea Of International Gas OPEC

Russian President Vladimir Putin. Photo courtesy AFP.
by Staff Writers
Moscow (RIA Novosti) Feb 07, 2007
Russia will consider Iran's proposal to set up an organization similar to OPEC to ensure reliable and uninterrupted gas deliveries to consumers, President Vladimir Putin said Thursday. Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei spoke Sunday in favor of setting up "a cooperation organization in the gas sector similar to OPEC."

"A 'gas OPEC' is an interesting idea. We will think about it," Putin told a Kremlin news conference.

"At the first stage, we agree with Iranian experts, partners and some other countries that produce and supply hydrocarbons to world markets in large volumes. We are already trying to coordinate our actions to develop markets and intend to do so in the future," Putin said, though he added that such an organization must not be a cartel.

Interestingly, the Russian Economic Development and Trade Ministry said Monday it saw no economic justification for establishing an international natural gas cartel.

A spokesman for the ministry said: "I do not understand why Russia would need to create a gas cartel - I do not see any sense in it. The more so as Iran is now coming under serious external pressure."

The official said Russia should be guided by demand alone, and should not coordinate its actions with anyone.

"Why should we undertake commitments to synchronize our actions, why force ourselves into regulatory frameworks which could boil down to setting quotas?" the official said.

He also said Khamenei's proposal was more political than economic.

The official said the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries was established as a means of putting pressure on the U.S., and of regulating oil supplies to that county.

Industry and Energy Minister Viktor Khristenko also said earlier there were no objective grounds for a cartel agreement in the gas sector.

"A gas OPEC? I can't make such forecasts. The more so as I am not the initiator of such documents, and I don't believe we should follow a cartel agreement path," Khristenko said last week during a visit to Algeria.

OPEC was founded in 1960 by major oil suppliers Venezuela, Iraq, Iran, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia. Today the organization also includes Algeria, Angola, Indonesia, Libya, Nigeria, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates.

OPEC's main aim is to coordinate the oil policies of its member states to protect their interests and ensure stable prices on world oil markets. Russia is the largest oil-producing nation outside the cartel and has the world's largest gas reserves.

Source: RIA Novosti

Related Links
Powering The World in the 21st Century at Energy-Daily.com
Our Polluted World and Cleaning It Up
China News From SinoDaily.com
Global Trade News
The Economy
All About Solar Energy at SolarDaily.com
Civil Nuclear Energy Science, Technology and News
Powering The World in the 21st Century at Energy-Daily.com



Memory Foam Mattress Review
Newsletters :: SpaceDaily :: SpaceWar :: TerraDaily :: Energy Daily
XML Feeds :: Space News :: Earth News :: War News :: Solar Energy News


Russia Restores Licences For Sakhalin Energy Project
Moscow (AFP) Feb 06, 2007
Russia's water resources agency on Tuesday restored 12 construction licences for the vast Sakhalin-2 oil and gas project in far eastern Russia that were suspended in December, a spokesman for the Sakhalin Energy consortium said. "The licences have been restored" for Starstroi, a contractor that is building oil and gas pipelines for the project, said Ivan Chernyakhovsky, a spokesman for the Sakhalin Energy consortium.







  • Anger As Britons Face Air Tax Hike
  • Bats In Flight Reveal Unexpected Aerodynamics
  • Lockheed Martin And Boeing Form Strategic Alliance To Promote Next-Gen Air Transportation System
  • Time to test the Guardian Missile Defense System For Commercial Aircraft

  • EU Reaches Compromise On New Car Emissions Plan
  • London Council Votes For Emissions-Related Parking Charges
  • Multimedia Car Radio Of The Future
  • US Auto Giants Safe Under Bush Energy Plan

  • Defense Support Program Flight 23 Sees Integration Of Satellite And Launch Vehicle Payload Adapter
  • KVH Receives 5-year Sole-source Contract From US Military
  • Raytheon to Demonstrate Global Joint Interoperability Solutions During US-Japan Joint Exercise
  • Alcatel Wins Italian Military Communications Satellite Deal

  • Iran Threat Behind Polish Interest In Missile Defense
  • Russia Seeks Pact Over US Global Anti-Missile System
  • Ukraine Calls US Missile Plans A 'Threat'
  • New Missile Warning Satellite Built By Lockheed Martin Completes Key Environmental Test Phase

  • Ancient Genes Used To Produce Salt-Tolerant Wheat
  • Something New Under The Sun
  • Japan And Europe Agree To Slash Tuna Catch Amid Extinction Fears
  • Africa's Farmers Will Have Room To Grow

  • Ireland Launches Rapid Response Unit For International Crises
  • Row Stalls New Gas Pipe Near Indonesian Mud Volcano
  • Warming To Worsen Droughts, Floods, Storms This Century
  • New Orleans Coroner Finds No Sign Of Homicide In Katrina Mercy Killing Case

  • Novel Computer Imaging Technique Uses Blurry Images To Enhance View
  • Nanoengineered Concrete Could Cut CO2 Emissions
  • First LISA Pathfinder Flight Unit Ready For Delivery On 8 February
  • Harris Successfully Demonstrates Super HF Antenna Control Unit in Extremely Adverse Sea Conditions

  • Scientists Study Adhesive Capabilities Of Geckos To Develop Surveillance Or Inspection Robots
  • Japanese Women To Try Lipstick With Touch Of Button
  • First Soft-Bodied Robots Planned
  • Singapore Launches Contest To Build 'Urban Warrior' Robots

  • The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright Space.TV Corporation. AFP and UPI Wire Stories are copyright Agence France-Presse and United Press International. ESA Portal Reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space.TV Corp on any Web page published or hosted by Space.TV Corp. Privacy Statement