Russia’s Gazprom has begun to tighten the noose on Ukraine, raising the cost of gas deliveries by 44pc and threatening to claw back billions of dollars of previous discounts. The move came as military tensions between NATO and Russia continued to escalate on several fronts, belying claims that the world’s most serious geo-political clash since the Cold War is subsiding. --Ambrose Evans-Pritchard, The Daily Telegraph, 2 April 2014
Shale gas production in Britain could begin within four years if the current crisis in Ukraine escalates to such an extent that a national state of emergency is declared, the chief executive of Cuadrilla Resources said. f the Ukraine crisis worsens dramatically and Britain declares a state of national emergency and removes all constraints, "it would take two, three or four years to get up to appreciable production rates," Chief Executive Francis Egan said. --Nina Chestney, Reuters, 2 April 2014
Europe, seeking to reduce its dependence on Russian natural gas, is encouraging political leaders to step up efforts to tap the region's shale gas deposits. Jose Manuel Barroso, president of the European Commission, the EU's executive body, said growing tension with Russia over its actions in Ukraine serve as a "very strong wake-up call for Europe" about energy issues. Shale gas continues to be front of mind among energy ministers and policymakers. "The outlook [for shale] is undoubtedly brighter now than it was a year ago," said energy analysts at Eurasia Group. --Alanna Petroff, CNN Money, 31 March 2014
Current tensions with Russia over Ukraine have turned the spotlight on Germany’s heavy dependence on Russian gas and are pushing Europe’s biggest economy to reconsider its entire energy policy. Last week, Chancellor Angela Merkel said the Ukraine crisis would lead to “a new look at energy policy as a whole.” --Mathilde Richter, Agence France Presse, 1 April 2014
Gas really is a weapon, but only in the hands of a highly sophisticated buyer, not in the hands of a "petrocrat" who exports oil and gas and imports everything else. In the end, the buyer can always find a new supplier for what has become a highly politicized commodity. But the seller — at least in the case of Russia — cannot even provide gas to its friend and ally, Venezuela. I suspect that the Kremlin is trying to divide Ukraine primarily for fear that Ukrainian shale gas, which is scheduled to start production late this year, will weaken Russia's perceived gas weapon not only on the Ukrainian market, but even on the European market. --Yulia Latynina, The Moscow Times, 1 April 2014
David Cameron wants to go into the next election pledging to “rid” the countryside of onshore wind farms, a source close to the Prime Minister has said. Mr Cameron wants to toughen planning laws and tear up subsidy rules to make current turbines financially unviable – allowing the Government to “eradicate” turbines, the source said. Cutting subsidies would not only reduce the number of planned wind farms but could encourage developers to start “dismantling” turbines built in recent years, the source said. --Peter Dominiczak, The Daily Telegraph, 2 April 2014
