News Roundup

News Roundup - February 21, 2008

By SRI ⋅ February 21, 2008 ⋅

Reuters: Kazakhstan keeps up pressure over Chevron project

Kazakhstan’s Environmental Protection Ministry kept up pressure on a Chevron-led oil venture on Wednesday, urging the company to come up with a quick plan to utilise its sulphur stocks…

Houston Chronicle: Kazakhs say foreign oil contracts not in jeopardy

Kazakhstan has no plans this year to annul energy contracts with European and U.S. companies after the government warned producers they must honor exploration commitments, a deputy energy minister said…

EurActiv.com: The Caspian oil export puzzle

The Caspian region is on the verge of becoming a “significant” source of oil supply to rival Iran and further developments in the area are “eagerly awaited” by Western and Asian consumers, argues Julia Nanay of PFC Energy in an analysis for Total Energies magazine…

Total Energies: The Caspian oil export puzzle

With growing volumes of oil from two non-OPEC producers, Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan, now flowing to international markets, the Caspian is on the brink of becoming a significant supply source, rivaling Iran and eagerly awaited by Western and Asian consumers…

European Parliament: An EU strategy for Central Asia - MEPs concerned about slowness of implementation

Parliament adopted an own-initiative report on an EU strategy for Central Asia. While the report welcomes the EU’s increased focus on Central Asia, of which the adoption of the Central Asia strategy is the clearest expression, it notes, however, the slowness of implementation of the projects for the five countries of the region…

CorpWatch: Kazakhs warn Mittal over safety

Kazakhstan has warned ArcelorMittal, the world’s biggest steel company, that it could be forced to close one of its coal mines if it does not improve safety following an explosion last month that killed 30 people…

Rigzone: Caspian’s Zhengeldy field production suspended

The company is currently awaiting approval of its Supervision of Development Plan (SDP) from the Central Commission of Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources of Kazakhstan (MEMR)…

Neweurasia.net: Kempinski, Kazakhstan

Multinational group Kempinski – born in Germany 110 years ago – manages and owns luxury hotels in many countries of the world and in the best locations of world capitals, took its first contract in Central Asia…