PLATTS- Russian energy minister Alexander Novak said Wednesday that he does not currently see a need to take any extra measures or call for an extra meeting by the OPEC/non-OPEC group over the crisis in Venezuela. "We haven't discussed the situation with [Saudi energy] minister Falih, or other ministers," Novak told reporters. "The markets are currently calm ... and the volatility is insignificant. So there is no need for the extra meeting of OPEC+, at least the Russian side thinks so."

GAZPROM - Particular attention at the meeting was paid to the growing demand for gas supplied by Gazprom to Austria. In the period from January 1 through January 27, 2019, gas exports totaled an estimated 1.2 billion cubic meters, an increase of 35 per cent from the same period of last year.

PLATTS - Russia's Gazprom Export believes that the record high gas sales of 200 Bcm in Europe and Turkey last year represented a "new reality" for Russian gas exports. Speaking Tuesday at the European Gas Conference in Vienna, CEO Elena Burmistrova also said she expected gas sales to remain at current levels over the next few years.

ROSATOM - First Russian-made experimental nuclear fuel assemblies based on accident-tolerant fuel (ATF) have been loaded for testing into the water loops of MIR research reactor at the State Research Institute of Atomic Reactors in Dimitrovgrad, Ulyanovsk Region.

МИНЭНЕРГО РОССИИ - «С 2007 года количество стран-потребителей СПГ увеличилось с 17 до 40. В следующие 15 лет к ним присоединится ещё 15 стран. За то же время потребление СПГ выросло со 170 млн тонн до почти 300 млн тонн. Мы ожидаем, что к 2035 году потребление снова вырастет вдвое - уже до 600 млн тонн. При этом СПГ станет доминирующим в мировой торговле газом уже в течение ближайших пяти лет», - сказал Павел Сорокин.

PLATTS - Natural gas flows via the Nord Stream pipeline from Russia to Germany totaled 58.8 Bcm in 2018 -- 3.8 Bcm higher than its nameplate capacity of 55 Bcm/year -- according to the operator of the pipeline.

REUTERS - Oil imports from Russia reached 7.04 million tons, or 1.658 million barrels per day, in December, up 40 percent from 5.03 million tons a year earlier, according to the data from the General Administration of Customs. For the full year, Russian oil imports rose to 71.49 million tons, or 1.43 million bpd, up 19.7 percent from 59.7 million tons in 2017.

NOVATEK - Total SEC proved reserves, including the Company’s proportionate share in joint ventures, aggregated 15,789 million barrels of oil equivalent (boe), including 2,177 billion cubic meters (bcm) of natural gas and 181 million metric tons (mmt) of liquid hydrocarbons. Total proved reserves increased by 4% compared to the year-end 2017, representing a reserve replacement rate of 222% for the year, addition of 1,218 million boe, inclusive of 2018 production.

SHANA - Composed of two 930-km pipelines, TurkStream is able to supply over 30bcm/year of natural gas from Russia to supply Turkey's needs. After the construction of the offshore section, the onshore section on Turkey's soil remains to be constructed for this project to be completed. According to schedule, Russia's gas is planned to be exported to Turkey via this pipeline by end-2019.

GT - Russia’s central bank dumped $101bn last year in its biggest-ever shift away from the US currency amid fears of new sanctions. But the Kremlin’s drive to wean the rest of the economy off the greenback has been slower going.