A safe number is probably double that (72 billion barrel) figure. But it's not impossible it's three times as high. |
In practice, we are not expected to see much volume in the following two weeks. |
International investors look at Russia as part of a global picture. |
It's very encouraging and very positive, and a strong signal that we're moving into the next stage of the state trying to encourage investments. |
Of itself, it won't have an effect on the share price. |
Russia is risking losing credibility as a reliable energy supplier by cutting off supplies to an external customer on the same day it takes over as leader of the G-8. |
Russia is saying you can't have your cake and eat it. If you're in the Russian sphere of influence, you get cheap energy. If you aren't, you don't. |
Russia is unable to increase its exports without cheap gas from Central Asia to compensate for a deficit on its domestic market. |
Russia's position is very tight. |
The international banks are facing enormous pressure to get people on the ground in Russia. The market keeps going up, the number of international investors keeps rising and this looks to continue next year. |
The issue of democracy and political development in Russia will always form a part of the post-meeting press conference, but it will have a very small role in the real discussions that take place behind closed doors. |
The two groups are clearly vying for a dominant position in energy. The only thing we are sure of is that ultimately a state company will be dominant. |
They did at the time say that funding would be short term and that they would be looking to refinance. We're now coming up against that period. It was assumed that it wouldn't be have to done before the IPO, but it now appears that IPO deadline is slipping, which doesn't really surprise anybody. |
They have a vested interest. |
We are about to move into a new phase when Russian state-controlled energy companies are opened for investment with cooperative foreign firms. It makes sense to have someone with international experience ? either corporate or political ? leading that process at the head of those companies. |