| TOPIC OF THE ISSUE |
 Que faire?
The newly-elected government of Ukraine takes on the country's refining industry |
| PERSON OF THE ISSUE |
 Yuri Boiko
The era of professionals
The appointment of highly professional oil industry expert Yuri Boiko to the post of Ukraine's minister of fuel and energy dramatically boosts success chances in energy field for the country's new government. The former head of Ukraine's state-owned oil&gas monopoly Naftogaz Ukrainy is likely to concentrate on the second half of fuel and energy segment — oil&gas industry. |
| PHOTO OF THE ISSUE |
 Environmental costs of oil products
Wildlife officials are concerned about how an oil spill from a cargo vessel will affect parts of a sensitive coastal estuary on the British Columbia coast. |
| EVENT |
 The ultimate landmark
Kremenchuk refinery marks 40 years of operation
The largest Ukraine's refinery has long history and time-honoured traditions. Each new project added new products line, starting yet another era for the refinery. Out of many options for selecting starting point, Kremenchuk team decided on the date of first production output, 19 July 1966. The 40-years anniversary was marked by a number of ceremonial events dedicated to those working at the plant. The high experience of the refinery's experts and successful management organisation contributed to the unit's flourishing operation in spite of looming problems. |
| TRANSPORTATION |
 A matter of technique
What everyone expected to happen after Mazeikiu Nafta controlling stake changed hands happened — Lithuania lost Russian pipeline oil supplies. There is an objective reason for this — the break in the pipeline which occurred at the end of July. Authorities in Russia's Transneft merely shrug their shoulders — well, you know, it's the pipeline's fault; it's aged and needed to be repaired. It is difficult to accuse the Russians of blockading Lithuania — the fact of the pipeline accident cannot be disputed. Still, the issue of how long it will take to fix it remains open… Transneft executives say repairs could drag on a long time. |
| DOMESTIC MARKET |
 Shell develops retail
In late July, Kyiv residents saw the first classic Shell filling station opened on Bratislava Street. The very same Shell as anywhere else in the world. Shell representatives who took part in the grand opening said the main difference patrons would find in the re-outfitted Alliance station was not on the surface, but inside — service. Shell is not yet going to try changing the quality of Ukrainian fuel, but promises to direct most of its efforts at quality control. A group of Shell experts from Shell's Bulgaria department will be in charge of marketing the new chain of filling stations. |
| DOMESTIC MARKET |
 Gasoline price race hits the goverment roadblock
Rapid growth of fuel retail prices in Russia generated vast discussions and speculations among the general public. The government did not distance itself from the issue: during the cabinet meeting it severely criticised oil companies for their «dishonest» market operations. In turn, oil companies believe that the situation is fair, but do not ruleout the possibility of price-regulating meeting with authorities similar to the one a year earlier. At the same time, experts say even 2-3% sluggish growth of fuel retail prices would multiply the chances for such meeting. |
| COMPANIES |
 Orient express
Russian engineering firm Ecros proved its high standards while completing under pressure of time and Siberian freeze a modern lab at the Uyar rail oil loading terminal in Krasnoyarsk Kray. |
| COMPANIES |
 Reliability is a must
OilMarket met Ecros R&D director Valeriy Shkurov |
| COMPANIES |
 The end of Yukos
The bankrupt company's assets go for sale
It took just a little over three years for the flagship of the Russia's oil industry — Yukos — to turn from being one of the largest and most ambitious companies in the sector into a ragman of bankruptcy. During this passage of time the world witnessed the arrest of the company's biggest shareholders and top managers, unprecedented tax administration claims, falling capitalization, the auctioning of the company's key production unit and much else. The material is sufficient to write a textbook on the subject — or a best-seller, or a blockbuster movie. |
| REFINING |
 The story of a Russian kidnapping
Bodyguards of a businessman walked into a Moscow Region police station and told officers that at about 11pm on 5 August, a group of assailants stopped the businessman's car and took their boss away to an unknown destination. That was the first news that the financial director of Slavneft, Yuriy Bushev had been kidnapped. |
