| PERSON OF THE ISSUE |
 Volodymyr Sheludchenko,
head of Ukraine's state-owned oil&gas company Naftogaz Ukrainy
Volodymyr Sheludchenko, an expert engineer and gas transportation specialist took on the chair of Naftogaz Ukrainy soon after Yuri Boiko became Ukraine's minister of fuels and energy. Sheludchenko received the company after one-and-half years of rather mediocre management and in difficult times. Naftogaz Ukrainy is slated to inject some 27% of its revenue to the country's 2007 budget - this is over $2.3bn hard cash. Also, the company was forced to surrender much of industrial natural gas market to a new trader UkrGazEnergo. |
| PHOTO OF THE ISSUE |
 The Emir welcomes the Prince
Some 90% of Nigeria's export is oil. This is also a partial reason for growing number of kidnappings — the locals abduct foreign oilers working in oil-rich delta of Niger. Local population is convinced that the foreigners steal their «black gold», as the natives see almost no revenue coming in. As often the case in oil-producing states, the politics are based on who controls «the pipe», and the society has a distorted understanding of the situation. If the population is poor and the leaders are rich, this is hardly the fault of the state. Rather, this is because some taps into the oil money while general population doesn't. |
| EVENT |
 Nizhnekamsk gears up for strategic project
On 30 November Nizhnekamsk refinery hosted an international conference Nizhnekamsk Refining and Petrochemical Complex: Technologies and Equipment, organised by Tatneft oil company, Nizhnekamsk NPZ refinery and VNIPIneft petroleum R&D centre. |
| EVENT |
 The trilateral dialogue
China's Shanghai hosted the third Russo-Chinese-Kazakh oil&gas forum. |
| EXPLORATION AND PRODUCTION |
 The world-scale deal
Statoil and Hydro Oil&gas production assets merger is welcomed at the highest level. |
| EXPLORATION AND PRODUCTION |
 Plowing-back on the reserves
State-owned oil&gas
company NAK Naftogaz Ukrainy expands oil and gas assets abroad. |
| TRANSPORTATION |
 The pipeless
Growing oil production in Caspian region exacerbates the problem of crude transportation. The issue is already crucial for Tengizchevronoil — the company is in dire need of export capacity. As recently surfaced, Tengizchevronoil in desperate move the company decided to renew oil exports via Ukraine's ports. Industry's analysts agree that this option is optimal for transportation of Tengiz-produced crude. Particularly as the route has already been tested by Tengizchevronoil in 2001, before the launch of the Caspian Pipeline Consortium. |
| REFINING |
 Climbing up the downstream stairs
Kazakhstan's state-owned oil&gas company KazMunaiGaz is one of the largest oil producers in the country. Its assets include Atyrau refinery and (from November 2006) augmented to 50% stake in Chimkent refinery. The company's subsidiaries include oil pipeline operator KazTransOil, natural gas pipeline operator KazTransGaz and marine operator Kazmortransflot. The downstream assets were included in the company from the outset — but today this segment draws particular attention; for the management, downstream is the guarantee of KazMunaiGaz transformation into efficient world-class company. |
| COMPANIES |
 Risk management
The Crimean oil&gas company is to recover over $60mn arrears
The state-owned oil&gas company Chornomornaftogaz (Crimea) plans to recover the money it is owed — some $71.4mn, of which 2006 debts are only $5.8mn. |
| COMPANIES |
 Top-manager in free flight
Aleksandr Ryazanov is ditched by Gazprom and Gazprom Neft
Retirement of a top manager from oil&gas business is always a notorious and rare event, judging by the recent years. Mikhail Gutseriev head of Slavneft oil&gas company, had to leave his post with a scandal just prior to the sale of state-owned Slavneft stake in 2002. In 2003, on merging of the Tyumenskaya Neftyanaya Companiya with BP major, the TNK-BP found no vacancy for the TNK former head Semyon Kukis. Soon Kukis moved on to head Yukos — the industry knows well just why the Yukos previous head Mikhail Khodorkovsky left his post. The latest great shuffle in Russia's oil&gas business happened in 2005, when Gazprom acquired Sibneft oil company. At the time, Aleksandr Ryazanov the deputy head of Russia's gas giant, was sele3cted to head the former company of Roman Abramovich, having superseded Yevgeniy Shvidler, who had chosen to stay with his boss. |
| TECHNOLOGY |
 Mopping up the environment
Analytical atmosphere-monitoring systems ensure clean environment solutions |
| DRIVING FORCE |
 The Japanese keep the lead
The LA Autoshow housed the Green Car Of The Year 2007 award for the most environmentally friendly car of the year. In 2006 the award was given to Mercury Mariner Hybrid, one of the most technically advanced cars manufactured in the US. This year, the Japanese car maker Toyota can add the trophy to its case. |
