Russia

Russia’s largest private natural gas producer Novatek and its partners on Thursday sanctioned the 19.8 million metric tons/year Arctic LNG-2 export facility, which would be sited north of Siberia.

Saudi Arabia, which is taking stakes in several Lower 48 export projets, is said to be eyeing plans to become a major player in Russia’s liquefied natural gas (LNG) sector.

The U.S. ambassador to Germany reportedly warned that German companies working on Russia’s controversial Nord Stream 2 natural gas pipeline could be subject to sanctions, including disqualification from participating on projects.

Poland’s efforts to reduce its energy dependence on a single supplier continued in 2018, with natural gas imports from Russia slipping more than 6% from 2017 levels as liquefied natural gas (LNG) imports from Qatar, Norway and the United States jumped by nearly 60%, state-owned oil and gas company Polskie Gornictwo Naftowe i Gazownictwo S.A. (PGNiG) said Wednesday.

The Trump administration looked to advance Lower 48 liquefied natural gas (LNG) exports to Europe along two fronts Tuesday, with one official saying the White House wants to help facilitate U.S. exports to the continent and another urging European allies not to participate in a pair of pipeline projects backed by Russia.

Increased U.S. natural gas exports, particularly to the European Union (EU), can provide extensive economic and geopolitical advantages, according to experts testifying Thursday before a Senate committee.

A bill introduced in the Senate Wednesday would give North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) member countries “an escape from Russia’s political coercion and manipulation,” in part by speeding approvals of U.S. natural gas exports, according to Sen. John Barrasso (R-WY).

Oil prices jumped Friday after the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) secured a compromise, albeit modest, agreement that effectively will add about 600,000 b/d to the market, or around 0.5% of global supply.

The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and its allies, including Russia, could ramp up more oil to global markets “in the near future” to fill the gap from U.S. sanctions on Iran and the loss of Venezuela output, the Saudi Arabia energy minister said Friday.