P8. Pick Points

Half-a-dozen or so stories of current interest.

The ongoing Russian:Ukraine dispute is starting out with a reduced impact, as it is reported that at present the full amount of gas is being received in France, and Germany, and that Ukraine will make a payment of $1.5 billion on January 11th, but Ukraine is going to have to pay the full market price of $419 per tcm. On the other hand Hungary, Poland and Slovakia are already seeing a reduction in supply.

Meanwhile the Chinese have changed the way that they tax gas and have eliminated road tolls, and have just broken ground on a new coal to liquids plant.

In Pakistan the enforced load shedding for industry in parts of the country has now risen to 22 hours a day, and reached the point that a labor leader is threatening to immolate himself.

A row appears to be brewing in Australia over the adoption of an ethanol mandate.

The collapse in oil price has caused a company to stop using steam for enhanced oil recovery of heavy oil in Missouri.

And the U.S. has started refilling the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, even as the number of rigs actually working continues to decline.

There are more stories listed at the Energy Bulletin, and at Drumbeat on The Oil Drum.