The Turkish Stream pipeline project is Russia's replacement for the South Stream project, which the EU effectively put on hold due to legal issues involving the same company supplying gas and constructing and owning the pipeline transporting the gas.

Gazprom approved the deal to contribute additional capital in the amount of 75 million euro into the company South Stream Transport B.V.

Russia’s JSC Gazprom Neft has entered an agreement with Vietnam National Oil & Gas Group (PetroVietnam) to purchase a 49% interest in the 6.5 million-tonne/year Dung Quat refinery.

Shares in BG Group rose as much as 42 percent in early trade after Royal Dutch Shell agreed to pay that amount (47 billion pounds) for its smaller rival, making it the biggest deal in the sector in more than a decade.

Will there be a “new deal” between natural gas marketers and producers? That was the question posed to a panel of experts, who grappled with topics such as the future of long-term contracts as well as what the price of gas will be, at the European Gas Conference in Vienna, Austria.

Preparing the ground for a much-discussed visit in Moscow (8-9 April), Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras reiterated his opposition to EU sanctions against Moscow, adding that debt-ridden country’s ambition is to upgrade its relations with Russia.

After Russia dropped the construction of the South Stream gas pipeline, Serbia is ready to look for new supply sources, and the priority according to Serbian officials, will be the interconnection with Bulgaria.

Further to its exclusive talks on possible cooperation, JSC Gazprom Neft and PetroVietnam have set October as a tentative deadline for prioritizing prospects and terms for their partnership at Dolginskoye field and the Severo-Zapadnyi (North West) blocks in Russia’s Pechora Sea.

Chevron abandoned Australian shale exploration and said it will sell its 50% stake in that nation’s largest oil refiner. Chevron notified Beach Energy, its partner in the central Australian shale project, that “the opportunity does not align strategically” with the US explorer’s portfolio, according to a statement from Beach. Selling its half of refiner Caltex Australia is expected to yield about A$4.7 billion ($3.7 billion.)

LITASCO SA, the exclusive international marketing and trading company of OAO LUKOIL, together with its Joint Venture partner Burando Maritime Services, a leading maritime services provider in the Amsterdam-Rotterdam-Antwerp region have entered into an agreement to sell 100% of their respective shares of Service Terminal Rotterdam v.o.f. (“STR”) to iCON Infrastructure Partners II, L.P.. The transaction was entered into following two months of exclusive discussions and is expected to close at the end of April 2015.

The Russian government is requesting that state-owned gas giant Gazprom provide discounted gas to the struggling government in Ukraine.

Turkey and Greece are back under the spotlight as Russia’s Gazprom restated the importance of Turkish Stream for Greece’s energy security, while the Turkish Cypriot and Greek Cypriot leaders openly referred to the opportunity of resuming negotiations about the future of the Mediterranean island.

Chinese oil and Gas companies have expressed keen interest to make contribution in the oil and Gas sector of Pakistan to cater the growing demand of the country.

Eni, following its participation in the competitive International Bid Round launched by the Republic of the Union of Myanmar, signed two Production Sharing Contracts (PSC) for offshore blocks MD-02 and MD-04.

France’s Total is seeking arbitration for a tax dispute with the Ugandan government tied to the company’s acquisition of stakes in three exploration blocks.