| Igor Yusufov presented the yet to be adopted Energy Strategy of Russia until 2020 Energy Minister Igor Yusufov yesterday in Paris essentially presented the draft Energy Strategy of Russia until 2020. And although the document has not yet been considered at a government meeting, and battles continue on some of its points, Mr. Yusufov at the conference of the International Energy Agency (IEA) considered it possible to present its main points to the world community. However, part of the report on the situation with the development of the fuel and energy complex in Russia turned out to be quite chaotic, except perhaps for the situation in the oil industry. This “false start” with the Energy Strategy is not the first for Mr. Yusufov: on the eve of a government meeting on the same issue last year, at a meeting with his American colleague Bill Richardson, he presented him with a draft, and only then sent it to the Cabinet of Ministers.
Now Mr. Yusufov declares in Paris: the strategy, as reported by the press service of the Ministry of Energy, provides that “reform of the sectors of the fuel and energy complex will continue.” In the gas and electric power industries, it will be carried out “on the basis of the distinction between natural monopoly and potentially competitive activities and the subsequent development of competition in these industries in order to reduce production costs and ensure full organizational and financial transparency of their activities.” Mr. Yusufov chose not to touch on this topic in detail, but it was precisely this topic that became the subject of a fierce and not yet over battle between the Ministry of Economic Development and Gazprom. How the Energy Strategy implies attracting investments in the fuel and energy complex was also not discussed in detail. In other words, Mr. Yusufov simply “noted” himself in this topic.
However, the Russian minister managed to fit into the general mood of the conference, the main idea of which was this: the world oil market is entering a new era, which will be characterized by an intensification of the struggle of leading oil-producing countries for investment and sales markets. Mr. Yusufov reported: “According to forecasts, the production of primary fuel and energy resources will increase by 30-35% by 2020 compared to 2001, and this fits well with the need to meet growing external demand. Significant geographic diversification of oil exports is expected, primarily to countries in the Asia-Pacific region.” Mr. Yusufov also said that Russia’s active cooperation with the countries of the Central Asian region will save the resources of northern gas fields “for future generations” and avoid the need for forced capital investments in their development.
As if continuing the theme started by the minister at the IEA conference, Prime Minister Mikhail Kasyanov yesterday, in a conversation with journalists, touched upon the issues of construction of oil pipelines. He once again stated that the decision to build the Angarsk-Daqing pipeline had actually been made, and the construction of the branch to Nakhodka would begin only when the volumes of oil required for pumping were confirmed. In other words, we are building in China, and then we will see if Nakhodka is needed. As for another major project - Murmansk, Mr. Kasyanov said that he would soon sign an order on the development of a feasibility study. After which the project, presumably, will be recognized as appropriate.
The issue of managing the oil pipeline, according to the prime minister, will be decided later, based on the principle that all pipes, energy networks and railway tracks “must be under state control.” At the same time, it is necessary to stimulate private companies to interest them in building new trunk systems and investing in these projects, the head of government noted. “Private investors can be encouraged by providing different ways of regulation and payment,” Mr. Kasyanov said. Denis REBROV |
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