1. OMV Petrom and Romgaz make long-awaited investment decision on Neptun Deep
Opening a new game-changing chapter for the Romanian energy sector, OMV Petrom and Romgaz approved a development plan for the Domino and Pelican South commercial natural gas fields in the Neptun Deep block in the Black Sea. Both companies will invest up to 4 billion euros for the development phase of the project, which will enable around 100 billion cubic metres of natural gas to be brought onstream. Read the full story here.
2. Thinking beyond natural gas?
As natural gas takes centre stage this week, we sat down with Piotr Kuś, Director General of the European Network of Transmission System Operators for Gas (ENTSOG) to discuss the challenges ahead, the upcoming projects in Central and Eastern Europe and the role that electricity and gas can play together. “We have to think beyond natural gas. It will mean repurposing existing pipelines and optimising existing capacities towards new gases, like hydrogen, low carbon gases and biogas, as well as accommodate CO2 transportation,” Mr Kuś told us. Read the full story here.
3. Serbia and Hungary deepen energy ties
On Tuesday, Serbia’s Minister of Mining and Energy, Dubravka Đedović and Hungary’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade of Hungary, Peter Szijjártó signed a Memorandum on the construction of the Hungary-Serbia crude oil pipeline. Minister Szijjártó said that the construction of the new pipeline to link Algyő with Novi Sad was perhaps the most important agreement between the two countries ever. Read the full story here.
4. The role of power and gas markets in the green transition
This week, our Editor-in-Chief attended the Gas Infrastructure Europe (GIE) Annual Conference in Riga, Latvia. Summarising the major discussions among experts and industry leaders, the EU gas infrastructure is more resilient than ever – and there is still a role for molecules to play in the mid-and long-term, in close cooperation with the electricity sector. Read the full story here.
5. EU power market reform notes key progress
Looking closer at developments in the electricity sector, Energy Ministers from the EU’s 27 member states agreed on a legislative proposal on wholesale energy market integrity and transparency (REMIT), following an EU Energy Council meeting on Monday. The proposal aims to support open and fair competition in the European wholesale energy markets, by banning trading based on inside information and deterring market manipulation. Read the full story here.