Fuel gas

One of China's largest state-owned automakers has said it will phase out sales of all petrol vehicles by 2025, as Beijing considers taking all fuel-burning cars off the country's roads.       

Greece's state-controlled natural gas firm DEPA signed a cooperation agreement on Thursday with natural gas company Gastrade to participate in the development of a liquefied natural gas terminal in northern Greece, DEPA said.

Greece currently has one LNG terminal on Revythousa, an islet off Athens.

Total Producer Price Index in Industry in August 2017 increased by 0.7% compared to the previous month, аccording to the National Statistical Institute (NSI).

On Tuesday, the lawsuit against the decision of the Energy and Water Regulatory Commission was initiated, which increased the price of heat, reports Mediapool. 

In June 2017 compared to May 2017 an increase is reported for the production of:

 electricity - by 3.7% to 3 324 GWh, according to data of the National Statistical Institute (NSI).

A decrease is reported for the production of:

 solid fuels - by 12.8% to 2 483 thousand tonnes;

 liquefied petroleum gases - by 9.1% to 10 thousand tonnes;

The Hellenic Republic Asset Development Fund (TAIPED) is preparing to hire advisers to explore the privatization of 10 port authorities in which it holds stakes.

Although the process relates to all 10 ports, sources suggest that the first to be sold will be that in Alexandroupoli as it has already attracted substantial interest domestically and internationally.

Royal Dutch Shell Plc is looking to bring natural gas from Israel and Cyprus to market, a step that could help turn the Mediterranean region into a major gas-producing hub.

According to sources, Shell is in talks to buy natural gas from Israel’s Leviathan field and combine it with output from Cyprus’ Aphrodite field – in which has a 35% stake – and pump it to an LNG plant in Egypt.

The news last week was that Noble Energy decided to move two of its senior staff from Cyprus to Israel. Some ‘political sources’ interpreted this to be the result of dissatisfaction with the way government is handling commercialisation of Aphrodite and in particular the inordinate delays and lack of progress.

The growth of shale gas extraction is positioning the United States to be a bigger natural gas exporter, potentially challenging Russia's hold on the European market.

By Charles Ellinas

Given the prospect of new gas discoveries in Cyprus’ EEZ, it is timely to review recent developments.

Floating liquefied natural gas (FLNG) scored some notable successes so far in 2017, to the extent that the world may be witnessing a resurgence of this technology.