SOCAR

Greece's privatisation agency TAIPED said on Monday it had extended the deadline for submission of expressions of interest in natural gas grid operator DESFA to August 7.

Greece is seeking a buyer for a 66 percent stake in the grid under a privatisation scheme it has agreed with international lenders.

Monday had been the deadline.

Greece expects potential investors will offer at least 400 million euros for a majority stake in its gas grid operator DESFA, Energy Minister George Stathakis said in an interview with Naftemporiki newspaper.

Greece on Monday relaunched a tender for the sale of a majority stake in its natural gas grid operator DESFA, the country's privatization agency said.

Under its latest international bailout, Greece has agreed to sell state assets including a 66 percent stake in DESFA.

U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson will be honored with the highest recognition of the World Petroleum Council (WPC), the Dewhurst Award, for his "outstanding contribution to the oil and gas industry," the WPC announced in a statement late on June 21. 

Iran expects to sign a long-delayed gas deal with French oil major Total in the next few weeks, Iranian Oil Minister Bijan Zanganeh was quoted as saying on June 17.

''Bulgaria has opened negotiations with Azerbaijan on the supply of additional quantities of natural gas to be used by the future gas distribution hub near Varna'', said Deputy Energy Minister Zhecho Stankov, reported BNR.

The two countries currently have an agreement on the delivery of 1 billion cubic metres of gas as of 2020.

U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson will visit Turkey to attend the 22nd World Petroleum Congress (WPC), which will take place in Istanbul between July 9 and 13, according to the statement released by the World Petroleum Council on June 9.        

The council stated that during the Congress, Tillerson would receive the highest honor from the World Petroleum Council.        

Azeri Energy Minister Natig Aliyev died on June 9, a day after being transferred to hospital in Istanbul for treatment for a heart complaint, Azeri news agency APA-Economics reported.

The 69-year-old veteran executive in Azerbaijan's energy sector was president of state energy company SOCAR and chaired the company's board of directors between 1993 and 2005.

Greece will launch a new tender competition for the privatization of its natural gas grid operator DESFA in June, Energy Minister Giorgos Stathakis said on Tuesday.

Stathakis announced the tender in an interview with Greek news website liberal.gr without disclosing details.

British oil company BP expects to sign a contract at the end of June extending its production sharing deal for Azerbaijan's biggest oilfields until 2050, the company's regional head said on May 31.