| TOPIC OF THE ISSUE |
 Betting on quality
A group of independent oil producers in Tatarstan plans to build a new, modern large-tonnage refinery by 2012. |
| PERSON OF THE ISSUE |
 Productive leadership
TAIF general director Alexander Babynin
At the end of February, Alexander Babynin stated that the company he leads planned to build a deep refining complex at the TAIF's Nizhnekamsk refinery. Despite the demands of time and the increasing crude prices, 2007 saw no real changes in deepening refining in Russia. Refining depth remains at 71% and could fall even lower in coming years. |
| PHOTO OF THE ISSUE |
 Cost of war?
According to calculations done by Harvard's Linda Bilmes and Nobel economist Joseph Stiglitz (USA) to the recent commemoration of the fifth anniversary of the Iraq invasion $3 trillion dollar estimate is the total cost of the war. Though it already sounds dramatic yet no one is capable to realize its actual value. The initial $50 to $60 billion estimate given by the Bush's administration before the war was wildly off the mark. The fact is that the stated amount goes now for every three months of military operations. The war in Iraq is the most expensive US warfare ever since the World War II. |
| EVENT |
 Luise Kingham: EI sets a challenging agenda
British Energy Institute (EI) associates at many oilmen from the former USSR with the rich in social events International Petroleum Week held in mid of February in London. During this period thousands of industry representatives come to London to participate in the EI conference and IP week activities. Though there are few people among our compatriots acknowledged with the EI important role — one of the world-biggest brain centers embracing thousands of corporate and individual members from more than a hundred countries of the world. OILMARKET got an opportunity to ask Luise Kingham a Head of EI about some live issues of Energy Institute activities. |
| EXPLORATION AND PRODUCTION |
 On the verge of falling
Russian oil production growth slows
Russian oil companies, which for the past 3-4 years have demonstrated serious growth in production, have seen output falling quite steeply. Recent leaders in production growth are either keeping production on levels of years gone by, or are lowering production altogether. Experts forecast Russia oil production in coming years will grow only at a slow pace — and that in the best case scenario. In the worst case, the sector will enter stagnation or even lower the level of hydrocarbon output. |
| REFINING |
 Meeting the Challenges
Projects implementation in Russian and CIS countries refining industries entered the new stage
After many years of limited investment the Refining
industries in Russia and in some CIS Countries we are
now seeing an unprecedented amount of activity with respect to upgrading existing refineries and also plans for building new refineries. |
| LPG |
 Market crossroads
Development of the liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) market in Ukraine is accelerating. Yet despite this fact, it also remains a bit on the wild side. For years now, this segment of the oil product market has continued to live under the «law of the jungle» and operate on the intuitions of its players rather than on fundamental principles. On top of this, producers and wholesale buyers on the LPG market have long made the Ukrainian Anti-Monopoly Committee anxious. An analysis of the conditions on the market shows there in no limit to the problems here, including complete dependence on domestic production, an imperfect auction system for selling state enterprises' products, and the obstinacy of the biggest traders. It has never been easy to talk to participants on this «gaseous» market even on general topics, and putting serious issues on the agenda quickly ended any conversations with «sources» (and they all always prefer to remain anonymous). In short, a cornucopia of unsaid words and a myriad of secrets. Meanwhile, the biggest players say that LPG consumption in Ukraine in 2008 will exceed production and this will lead to something of a revolution in the sector. |
| NATURAL GAS |
 Best intentions
Russian authorities have again threatened oil companies with harsher policies regarding flaring associated petroleum gas (APG), a by-product of oil production, but oil industrialists managed to convince them the situation cannot be improved without government aid. |
| EVENT |
 Difficult, but promising
The associated gas market in Russia is just making first steps in its development, but already holds promise of turning into an interesting segment of the Russian hydrocarbon market. |
| COMPANIES |
 Woe upon woe
TNK-BP attracts heightened interest from Russian uniformed structures
March 2008 saw Russian-British TNK-BP at the centre of several scandals all boiling up at the same time. Documents were sequestered from the company's offices. A TNK-BP employee was accused of industrial espionage. Nearly 150 foreign employees were recalled from the company over friction with the Federal Migration Service. And finally, the public learnt of a criminal case on tax evasion at Sidanco (the assets of this company which underwent bankruptcy last year are now owned by TNK-BP). This avalanche of bad karma that poured down on the company could signal that state raw material companies are interested in its business or in part of its assets. |
| TECHNOLOGY |
 Efficient cooling towers
Increasing the efficiency of refineries and
Building optimal sites and technologies and applying new long-lasting materials in designing cooling towers is the main principle behind the work at Italy's SPIG SpA. The company is one of leaders on the world cooling tower manufacturing market. OILMARKET discussed the company's achievements and prospects with SPIG President and chief designer of SPIG's most modern technologies, Mr Jersy Mosiewicz. |
| TECHNOLOGY |
 LCC technology
to prevent complications in drilling wells
The Liquid Casing Column, or LCC, technology developed by the Russian management company Atlas International is an effective means for raising the quality of well construction. |
| TECHNOLOGY |
 Two-segment valves — an alternative to ball valves
Nizhniy Novgorod, (Central Russia) based fittings and valves manufacturer Anod designed, developed and patented (Russian Federation patent No. 2319879) a two-segment valve (100KDS 51 00.00) in 2008. The valve meets DN100 standard parameters (in terms of pipeline run-in clearance), PN80 (working pressure) and working temperature at T£120 °C. |
