A VOLUME OF PLASTIC CARDS OF THE INTERNATIONAL PAYMENT SYSTEMS EMITTED IN AZERBAIJAN HAS EXCEEDED 70 THOU ON AUGUST
BAKU. 25.08.2003.MEDIA -PRESS: The volume of plastic cards of the international payment systems emitted in Azerbaijan has exceeded 70 thou. and 54 thou of them are in active operation.
BAKU.25.08.2003.MEDIA-PRESS: A company of the Azerbaijan peacemakers has been relocated to Kuwait from Iraq and will guard the Islamic sacred places there in this week.
BAKU.25.08.2003.MEDIA-PRESS: In the past week-end Kiev again attacked Moscow: the Minister of the Energy of Ukraine Mr. Sergey Yermilov has announced that it is necessary to include Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan in the international consortium, which is created for gas exportation through the territory of Ukraine. The newspaper "Kommersant" has informed about this.
We shall remind that the Presidents Mr. V. Putin and Leonid Kuchma agreed to found the consortium, which will be shared in equal conditions by "Gazprom" and "Naftogaz Ukraini". In accordance with the idea this consortium should manage all pipelines of Ukraine. In 2002 the sides preliminarily agreed to give by 16% joint-stocks to the German company "Ruhrgas" - the main Russian gas receiver in Europe. However the idea of Putin and Kuchma was not realized for reasonal fears of Kiev that "Gazprom" and Ruhrgas will be able to reduce tariffs for gas pumping after getting a control of the infrastructure of the company. By the Ukrainian schedule, the consortium should purchase the transported gas on the frontier of Ukraine with Russia and sell it to Europe, but this is unreceptive for Moscow. As it is known, a disagreed information about the negotiations appeared in press, however it has been found out that the sides factically were at a deadlock and Kiev was forced to cut this "Tangle of Gordyi"
As the Minister of Energy of Ukraine Mr. Sergey Yermilov has said, only new pipelines, constructed for the own means will be included in the consortium and the Ukrainian Government and "Naftogaz Ukraini" will manage this gas transportation system. By his words, the members of the consortium discuss a possibility of the construction of the new branch Aleksandrov Gay - Novopskov - Uzgorod, annual capacity of which would achieve 30 bn cubic meters per a year.
"Foundation of the consortium on the base of the subsidiary capacities - is the compromise version, when the sides are not able to agree on the main scheme of the pipeline operation", - "Vedomosty" were informed in the press-service of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine. The source "Naftogaz Ukraini" also confirms that "a decision on that the consortium will be engaged now only the gas transportation by the supplementary ways was accepted after the negotiations on foundation of consortium on the base of all gas transportation network of Ukraine were at a deadlock."
BAKU.25.08.2003.MEDIA-PRESS: For January - July 2003 8.97 MM tons of oil and gas condensate have been produced in Azerbaijan. This is by 1.6% more than for the analogous period of 2002.
3.77 MM tons of oil from the mentioned volume were produced by the Azerbaijan International Operating Compny (AIOC) on the field "Chiraq". For a year the oil production of the international consortium grew by 120.6 thou tons.
BAKU.25.08.2003.MEDIA-PRESS: The American Sempra became a purchaser of the remained part of the September oil portion of the State Oil Company of Azerbaijan transported for export by the pipeline Baku - Novorossiysk.
BAKU.25.08.2003.MEDIA-PRESS: Tomorrow in the Turkish town Erzurum the first public discussions on the project of the construction of the Main Export Pipeline (MEP) Baku - Tbilisi - Ceyhan (BTC), organized by the International Finance Corporation (IFC) and European Reconstruction and Development Bank (ERDB).
BAKU.25.08.2003.MEDIA-PRESS: The interstate electric power transmission line Astara (Azerbaijan) - Astara (Iran) has been loaded.
BAKU.25.08.2003.MEDIA-PRESS: The American Company Burns and Roe Enterprises have prepared a preliminary report on the state of the energetic objects of Azerbaijan. Experts of this consulting company, which is specialized at rendering services in the field of the electric power are in Azerbaijan now for preparation of the final report version.
BAKU.25.08.2003.MEDIA-PRESS: The representatives of the Turkish Botas and OJC "Gazprom" as it is expected, will discuss details of the Russian gas deliveries to Turkey by the gas pipeline "Blue Stream" on August 26. The Gas Information Agency was informed about this in the Ministry of Energy in Turkey. "This will be technical meeting", - they noted in the Ministry. By the words of the representative of the Ministry, at the present time Turkey imports gas by the pipeline "Blue Stream", however a final agreement on changing the deliveries conditions still have not been achieved.
BAKU.25.08.2003.MEDIA-PRESS: The officials of the Norwegian Government seriously worry of increase of the maritime Russian oil transportation from the Arctic shelf. This has caused that "Lukoil" it and "Rosneft" actively develop the sea route of oil transportation to Europe. However the project of the construction of the oil pipeline the West Siberia - Murmansk lobbied by all leading Russian oil companies causes almost more troubles.
BAKU.25.08.2003.MEDIA-PRESS: The Federal Court of Appeal of the USA has repealed a sentence of the federal district judge in Anchorage, which obligated the oil company Exxon Mobil to pay out a penny in a size of $4bn for a damage caused to the coast of Alyaska and local fishery business for oil pollution from the oil carrier "Valdez" in 1989. The Court of Appeal returned the action for revising. By the words of the representatives of ExxonMobil, the company will get to reduce the penny up to $40MM.
As it was informed in the processing company Azericard, as before, cards of the system Europay/MasterCard make the major pat of the "plastic money" - 60%. And the rest - about 28 thou make a part of the payment system Viza International
For today, a part of the local cards in a total volume of emitted ones make only 6 - 7% or 5000. The International Bank of Azerbaijan and "Most-Bank Azerbaijan", which are cofounders of the processing company "Azericard" are considered leaders amongst the Azerbaijan banks by a number of emitted cards.
THE COMPANY OF THE AZERBAIJAN PEACEMAKERS WAS RELOCATED TO IRAQ FROM KUWAIT
In accordance with a information got by the Agency OREANDA from the diplomatic sources in Baku, the Azerbaijan servicemen will be on a patrol-post service in the cities Cerebella, Kirkuk and Nadjaf in the Amnerican battalion and commanded by it. At the present 150 Azerbaijan officers and soldiers are temporarily settled in the staff of the USA common command near Baghdad. It very next time they will be delivered to the constant location places. Their peacemaking mission deals with as guarding the religious and cultural monuments as escorting the humanitarian cargo.
The peacemakers had been trained specially on rendering assistance to the civil population at emergencies. All expenditures of the Azerbaijan company associated with location in Iraq will be redeemed by the US Ministry of Defense; according to the agreement with it the company was sent to Kuwait on August 14.
The peacemaker subdivision of the National Army of Azerbaijan serve in Kosovo since 1988, and since the past year take part in operations on peace maintenance in Afghanistan.
"GAS CHAOS ": KIEV PUTS FORWARD FURTHER NEW DEMANDS TO THE RUSSIAN "GAZPROM"
And now Kiev offers a new initiative. Mr. S. Ermilov informed about a new idea to join the countries of the Middle Asia to the International Pipeline Consortium (the structure managing the main gas pipelines on the territory of Ukraine) after sitting of the College of the Ministry of Energy of Ukraine, devoted to the gas supplying ot the country. By his words, "there is an opportunity to increase production both in Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan and submit a way for this gas ". "Just so, he believes, - in account of the funds of the consortium it would be necessary to build a new gas pipeline". An offer about sharing of Kazakhstan , Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan will be discussed after that "Naftogaz of Ukraini" and "Gazprom" (the present shareholders of the IPC) will achieve the agreement on principles of the consortium operation.
As "Kommersant" reasonably notes, there are formal causes for "joining" of Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Turkmenistan for foundation of the Consortium: the gas of these countries is exported through the Ukrainian pipeline. However, this suggestion is scarcely receivable for "Gazprom" as it stops its monopoly on gas deliveries in the ES.
By the words, there will be a lack of pipelines for a large volume deliveries of the Turkmen gas to Ukraine. Even for the "Gazprom" contract it would be necessary to enlarge the pipeline system by 40 - 60 bn cubic meters in dependence of an area. They declared in the Russian concern that did not know ways of delivery of the Turkmen gas to Ukraine and its transportation, the newspaper :"Vremya Novostey" emphasizes.
FOR JANUARY - JULY MORE THAN 8.9 MM TONS OF OIL WERE PRODUCED IN AZERBAIJAN
At the same time gas production in Azerbaijan for the current period reduced by 0.8% and made 2.976 bn cubic meters. 1.8 bn cubic meters of them is casing-head gas from the same field "Chiraq". It was produced by 1.3% more than for the same period of 2002. In the departments of the State Oil Company of Azerbaijan the gas production reduced by 4.2%.
In accordance with the forecasts for 2003, the oil production in Azerbaijan will be expectedly at a level of 15.25 MM tons, 8.8 tons of which will be produced from the fields of the SOCAR, and 6.450 MM tons of oil will be produced by the AIOC.
This year a gas production is forecasted on a level of 5.04 bn cubic meters.
THE AMERICAN SEMPRA HAS PURCHASED 140 THOU TONS FROM THE SEPTEMBER OIL PARTY OF THE SOCAR, TRANSPORTED FOR EXPORT BY THE PIPELINE BAKU - NOVOROSSIYSK
As Media-Press has been informed in the Marketing and Economic Operations Management (MEOM) of the SOCAR, Sempra was recognized a winner of the second tender on purchasing this party of oil in a volume of 140 thou tons.Its shipment from the port Novorossiysk is planned to the end of September. We shall note that the American Company Chevron Texaco also became a winner of the first tender for sale of the September oil portion in a volume of 80 thou tons.
In the next months up to December monthly oil pumping by the "northern route" will make 220 thou tons of oil, and 140 thou tons in December. This is connected with this that in this period problems again may emerge in the Novorossiysk Port for the bad weather. Besides of this, in winter more oil should be delivered to the Azerbaijan OPP for mazut production.
Totally in 2003 the SOCAR should deliver 2.5 MM tons of oil by the route Baku - Novorossiysk. Since the beginning of the year 1.605 MM tons of oil have been pumped by the "northern route".
TOMORROW IN THE TURKISH TOWN ERZURUM THE FIRST PUBLIC DISCUSSIONS ON THE PROJECT OF CONSTRUCTION OF THE PIPELINE BTC WILL BE HELD
As Media-Press has been informed earlier, totally the IFC and ERDB will conduct six relevant meetings. Two will take place in Turkey, one as it has been mentioned above will be held in Erzurum on August 26 and the second one in Adan on August 28, on September 1 and 4 in the Azerbaijan cities Gyanja and Baku and on September 8 and 11 in the Georgian cities Borjomy and Tbilisi. In 120 days by the results of the discussions these international finance institutes will decide to allocate $150 MM credit by each of them for the construction of the pipeline BTC and approximately else by $100 MM for financing the "Phase-1" of the development of the fields "Azeri - Chiraq - Guneshli".
We shall remind that the pipeline consortium BTC Co. (Baku - Tbilisi - Ceyhan) had made available the necessary documentation on the project BTC, in particular, on the environmental impact assessment and social aspects of the pipeline construction for the consideration of the IFC and ERDB. These documents reflect, as damages to environment and social medium would be minimized during the construction and operation of the MEP. All documentation numbers 11 thou pages.This is the largest document of similar kind, which was ever presented to the finance institutes for the consideration.
While a question on credit allocation is solved, the international pipeline consortium would require $700 - 800 MM. A share of the State Oil Company of Azerbaijan will make about $200 MM. A number of the companies of the consortium BTC Co. have already decided to allocate means to the SOCAR for financing its share in the project of the pipeline construction.
As Media-Press informed earlier, by the end of June 30% of the finance means of the companies-shareholders of the consortium BTC Co, transferred to the realization of BTC were exhausted. All shareholders of the project continue to invest their inner means in the realization of the project.
THE INTERSTATE PTL ASTARA (AZERBAIJAN) - ASTARA (IRAN) HAS BEEN LOADED
As Media-Press has been informed in the JC "Azerenerji", in the first days it is supposed to carry out electric power transmissions in a volume of 41.8 MVt/hours to the Iranian power system in account of repayment of credit allocated for construction of the Azerbaijan piece of this EPTL.
We shall note that the continuation of the EPTL construction up to the cities Salyan and Ali-Bayramly is provided by plans of the Azerbaijan energetic workers. The line construction will be continued and on the Iranian territory. All this will allow more reliable energy supplying the southern regions of the country and as well the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic. It is supposed also to modernize the substation "Astara", what will make possible using the capacities of the new EPTL in full volume. Here out-of-date equipment will be replaced.
The EPTL Astara - Astara is the second line, which connects the energetic systems of two countries. The analogous transmissions today are carried out by the EPTL Imishly (Azerbaijanf) - Parsabad (Iran). In the next perspective it is supposed to enlarge a range of its capacities in a way of laying a parallel EPTL.
THE AMERICAN COMPANY "BURNS AND ROE ENTERPRISES" HAS PREPARED THE PRELIMINARY REPORT ABOUT THE STATE OF THE ENERGETIC OBJECTS OF AZERBAIJAN
We shall remind that Burns and Roe Enterprises became a winner of the ERDB tender on rendering the consulting services for studying the state of the Azerbaijan energetic system. A preliminary agreement between the Government of the country and the ERDB on allocating a credit of $50 - 60 MM for the modernization of the energetic objects has been achieved. On the base of studying all large energetic objects of the country the experts of the company defined the first turn measures on improvement of generating capacities, energetic supplying consumers and the efficiency of the sector. The American experts paid a particular attention to researching the heating electric power stations, particularly the SREPS "Azerbaijan". Measures on bringing of all eight operating units of the station to the project capacity were determined.
By the opinion of the specialists of the JC "Azerenerji", increase of the generating capacities in account of the reconstruction of available units, restoration of LEP, putting into operation new control systems will allow reduce significantly losses of the electric power at transportation and increase a safety of the energetic system of the country.
ON AUGUST 26 BOTAS AND "GAZPROM" WILL CONDUCT THE NEXT ROUND OF THE NEGOTIATIONS ON "THE BLUE STREAM"
As it was informed, on August 1 Turkey renewed a reception of gas delivered by the "Blue Stream". At the present time the Turkish and Russian sides conduct negotiations on changing deliveries conditions, in particular formula of price for gas and deliveries volumes. We shall remind that on March BOTAS stopped the Russian gas reception by the "Blue Stream", making a reference just to a mistake made by "Gazprom" at calculation of the fuel price formula. And using this it already requested to revise at the same time deliveries volumes. "Gazprom" fearing for a destiny of multibillion project was forced to make unprecedented yields and not only reduce a price for gas up to $75 for a thousan cubic meters (what does not satisfy Ankara all the same), but even unify conditions of gas deliveries to Turkey in accordance with all three agreements in the force (the Russian gas is delivered to Turkey also by the Transbalkanian pipeline through Bulgaria). The representatives of "Gazprom" and BOTAS intend to discuss just these problems.
"The Blue Stream" is the main gas pipeline, constructed for direct deliveries of the Russian gas to Turkey by the bottom of the Black Sea. At the first time in the world practice the pipeline was laid at depths up to 2150 meters in conditions of the aggressive hydrogen sulfide medium. A total length of the onshore and offshore areas of the pipeline make 1213 km . On December 15 1997 the intergovernmental agreement between Russia and Turkey was signed. Within frameworks of this agreement "Gazprom" concluded a commercial contract with the Turkish company BOTAS on delivery of 365 bn cubic meters of gas to Turkey by the pipeline "The Blue Stream" during 25 years.
NORWAY "FEARS" OF THE RUSSIAN OIL
The Norwegian State Environmental Protection Center Swanhowd has prepared a report on the ecological danger from the growth of the Russian oil transportation along the coast of Norway. "We worry that the technical conditions of all or the most part of (Russian) equipment does not correspond to the ecological norms. In general this is out of date long ago equipment and it a service level of it is not always qualified", - the representative of Swanhowd Mr. Biorn Frantsen which is one of the project coordinators on cooperation between Norway and Russia in the field of Ecology has told. By his words, it is related to oil transportation by the railway from the oil-loading terminals. "The oil carriers are other problem, - the ecologist says, - many of them are not sufficiently suitable for hard weather conditions of the region". By opinion of the ecologist, the transportation in the winter period is especially dangerous because some sea areas are covered by ice during several months.
The representatives of the Norwegian armed forces are agreed with the fears of the officials-ecologists. "Traffic of the oil carriers from the north of Russia has grown by explosive rates", - Reuters quotes the words of the representatives of the Ministry of Defense, Mr. Yurgeon Peterson.
And Mr. B. Frantsen recognizes that for the present pollutions of the Russian oil or oil transported by the Russian ships have not emerged near the Norway coasts.
Mainly two Russian companies "LUKoil" and "Rosneft" transport oil and oil products by the northern route - along coasts of Norway and further to the Holland Rotterdam.
For this "LUKoil" uses a terminal built by it in the bay Varandey (its capacity is 1.5 MM tons of oil per a day). As the representative of the company Mr. Gennady Krasovsky has informed "Vedomosty" it is planned to increase the terminal capacity up to 5 - 10 MM t and up to 28 - 30 MM in the prospect. He considers that fears of the Norwegians on his company are groundless: the tankers fleet of the company was built in the end of 90-s, and all ships have double bodies and correspond to the international safety requirements.
In the past year "Rosneft" exported 2.5 MM tons of oil and oil products through Arkhangelsk. Now, as the official of the press-center of the company Mr. Dmitry Panteleyev has informed "Vedomosty", new oil terminal is built in the village Privodino of the Archangelsk Region and would put into operation on April 2004. This will allow export 4MM tons of oil and oil products already in the next year. "Rosneft" has not own tankers, however all transportation equipment corresponds to the international safety standards by the words of Mr.Panteleyev.
However the major part of the Norwegians are worried by no the present transportations but plans of the construction of the oil pipeline from the West Siberia and terminal near Murmansk with a capacity up to 150 MM tons. The Russian oil companies lobby this project.
"If Russia exports 150 MM tons of oil per a year by routes bordering on the Norwegian coasts, neither the Russian side nor the Norwegian one have an opportunity to carry out saving operations and removal of after-effects of possible emergencies", - Mr. B. Frantsen pessimistically predicts.
The oil analyst of "Troyka Dialogue" Mr. Valery Nesterov considers reasonable the worries of the Norwegians. "If the Murmansk project realizes and the Baltic pipeline system (BPS) will enlarge up to 50 MM tons per a year a great load will lay on Scandinavia from the North and South, - he has said. By his opinion, just so already since now in advance the Norwegian authorities tune the public opinion against the Murmansk project.
THE OPEC EXPERTS PREDICT SHARP DROP IN THE PRICES FOR OIL IN 2004
The analysts call a possibility of full-scale returning of Iraq to the world energetic market as one of main causes of the price reduction. "Without close efficient cooperation of main petroleum exporters - the countries-members of the OPEC and independent petroleum exporters including Russia, Norway, Mexico and Oman - sharp drop of oil price rates will occur even in the end of the current year - beginning of the future one", the management of the world oil cartel considers.
However, by the opinion of the OPEC experts, in the future year a great jump in the oil power resources demand will be noted - the daily demand will grow by 1.11 MM bbl per a day and a total daily oil demand will reach in global scale almost up to 80 MM bbl.
At the same time, the OPEC experts confirm, the world petroleum cartel did not find opportunities for increase of oil production and exportation quotas in the future year. Such opportunity may appear, the analysts emphasize if Iraq will present in the world markets in full scale and be able to fill a break, which will emerge in accordance with predictions between demand and supply for oil.
By opinion of the OPEC specialists, "ten countries-members of the cartel will keep the present quotas, which make totally 25.4 MM bbl per a day also as well in the future year, however this volume may increase by 1.5 MM bbl daily - just such "the black gold" production and exportation rates are expected additionally at returning of Iraq to the energetical markets".
THE US COURT OF APPEAL HAS REPEALED A SENTENCE TO EXXON MOBIL, WHICH OBLIGATED THE COMPANY TO PAY OUT A PENNY OF $4 BN
The oil carrier "Valdez" stumbled on the riff and got a hole in result of the accident. 11 MM tons of oil gallons of oil polluted from the tanks and contaminated 1200 miles of the coastal line of Alyaska. Before a crush of the tank "Prestige" near shores of Spain, oil pollution from "Valdez" was the largest ecological emergency in the world, connected with the oil contamination.
In 1994 the judge in Anchorage condemned Exxon to pay out a penny in total of $5.3 bn. The company Exxon, which then did not unite with Mobil, appealed the sentence. In particular, the company confirmed that the sentence is not just, as the company had covered all expenses connected with removal of the damage including $2.2 bn for cleaning water from oil. Besides of this, it paid out $1bn to the Alyska administration and Federal Government to adjust the action.
The Court of Appeal noted in his sentence that the total of penny is excessive and delivered the action to revising in the district federal Court of Anchorage. The new sentence of the district judge was made in the end of 2002. The judge reduced a total of the penny up to $4bn, and thus satisfied requirements of petitioners, which insisted on that the penny would be no less this total. Thousands fishers joined in the group of petitioners, property owners on the coast, local municipalities and other physical persons and organizations, K2 kapital informs.
