| TOPIC OF THE ISSUE |
 KAZTRANSOIL: MATURE DYNAMICS
In 2005 Kazakh pipeline industry marks its 70th anniversary. Significant work had been done in soviet era, but the segment's development is particularly rapid today. Kazakh state-owned KazTransOil (KTO), the country's major pipeline operator, inhabited all pipeline systems in 1997. The KTO is a successor of time-honoured traditions adopted by earlier generations of oil professionals, many of whom still work for the company. The synergy of factors gradually makes KTO a crucial feature in hydrocarbons shipments to all Eurasian destinations. The company's growth is not limited to quantity — KazTransOil also enters new market dimensions, linking entire regions — the Caspian and China, Volga region and Central Asia are only some examples. On the threshold of KIOGE-2005 conference and exhibition, OilMarket gained an opportunity to meet with KazTransOil's general director Kairat Krymov to ask several questions. |
| PERSON OF THE ISSUE |
 WHEN SUCCESS IS AT HAND
engt Lie Hansen, Norsk Hydro vice-president for Shtokman project
September 2005 proved to be very successful for experienced top-manager. Gazprom have published a shortlist of four would-be partners of an international consortium cobbled up by the Russian gas monopoly to develop giant offshore Shtokman field near Russia's Barents Sea coast, and Hydro is one of the companies on the list. |
| PHOTO OF THE ISSUE |
 KATRINA AFFECTED EVERYONE
New Orleans. Female dweller of one of city suburbs particularly hit by the hurricane, wades via the completely changed neighbourhood. |
| TRANSPORTATION |
 THE EXPORT QUOTAS: FOR AND AGAINST
The experts are divided on the issue of return to export quota
Those supporting the measure say it will keep the lid on domestic oil products prices by diverting the bulk of crude to Russia's refineries and ensuring open-market conditions for oil&gas industry. Those against argue that the export quotas, far from solving the issue of domestic prices, would result in growing corruption and monopolisation of entire oil&gas segment. The OilMarket tries to analyse both views as both present equally convincing arguments. |
| REFINING |
 UKRAINE COMPLETES LOCAL PIPELINE PROJECT
The launch of first stage of Zhulin-Nadvirna oil pipeline project on 7 September is significant event for Ukraine's Naftokhimik Prykarpattya refiner. |
| REFINING |
 KOCH-GLITSCH IN NOVOPOLOTSK: THE EXPERIENCE OF RENOVATION
Worn-out Russian refineries, the ever more problematic export of their oil products and the chasm of the oil crisis that Ukraine peered into last spring… Many often link these troubles with a lack of funding to upgrade oil refineries — however, the experience of Belarus shows otherwise. The country often dubbed in the West as Europe's last dictatorship has carried out systemic modernisation at two refineries since the mid-1990s while spending significantly less funding than its neighbours and proving that the basic problem is not one of financing, but of management and organization. |
| DOMESTIC MARKET |
 SOARING PRICES AFFECT THE ECONOMY
Russia's gasoline prices growing yet again
«Emergency» is the only proper word for the state of Russia's motor fuels market. Gasoline price was steady edging upwards ever since January this year, only to jump by 7% on average in first half of September. The oil companies say price hike is due to skyrocketing barrel — the trend backfires on oil producers as they have more taxes to pay due to peculiarities of Russia's Tax Code. The severity of the problem forced Russia's authorities to set up emergency meetings trying to solve the problem. Still, the parliament and the government have neither significant leverage nor real-time influence on the market. Until tax burden is lifted from Russia's oil companies, motor fuel prices will keep on growing, say the experts. |
| NATURAL GAS |
 NEGP AGREEMENT HAS BEEN INKED
Gazprom, BASF and E.ON Ruhrgas on 8 September inked an agreement on construction of North-European gas pipeline (NEGP) from Vyborg to Germany. The agreement specifies formation of Russo-German joint venture North European Gas Pipeline Company, where Gazprom will hold 51% stake and BASF and E.ON Ruhrgas — 24.5% each. |
| NATURAL GAS |
 NORSK HYDRO: A LOOK FROM WITHIN
Ormen Lange is the second-largest offshore gas field in Norway and stands out in the company's portfolio of offshore projects. Its sheer scale, operating conditions, and the cutting-edge technologies which are used make the project literally outstanding. Ormen Lange is often compared to Gazprom's Shtokman field. Similar conditions make many technical solutions developed by Norsk Hydro experts applicable in the Russian project, and the company's experience, although not the decisive factor in a ticket to join in developing Shtokman field, could at least improve the Norsk Hydro's chances of becoming a Gazprom partner. |
| COMPANIES |
 SISTEMA ENTERS the BASHKIRIA ENERGY MARKET
Vladimir Evtushenkov's company is going to make good money on reselling Bashkirian oil assets
The Sistema financial company paid more than half a million dollars for a stake in Bashkortostan oil&gas companies, such as Bashneft, BashkirEnergo and a number of refineries. Soon Sistema will sell the stake with a great return on investment. |
| COMPANIES |
 PAY TAXES TO FEEL SAFE
Tax claims can make even the largest company go bankrupt
In Russia this became obvious after the Yukos case, when the largest domestic oil company was charged with sky-high tax arrears. Many companies were unable to escape tax demands issue, but only Yukos suffered a disastrous defeat. |
| COMPANIES |
 ECROS' KAZAKHSTAN DIMENSIONS
Production sites of Russia's leading manufacturer of lab equipment for the oil and gas industry, St Petersburg-based scientific and production company Ecros dot the labyrinths of this «Northern Venice». Finding locations for a large-scale production and manufacturing business today is far from easy thing to do in St Petersburg, the city based on a hundred and one islands. |
| INTERNATIONAL NEWS |
 TIME TO ASSESS DAMAGE
Hurricane Katrina, which swept over the Gulf of Mexico Coast on 29 August, caused immense damage to the US oil production industry and led to soaring oil prices on the world markets. Nobody knows the full extend of economic damage — oil companies are currently assessing the harm done to oil installations and refineries. |
