Mark Iden

Russia is burning an estimated $10 million worth of natural gas every day near its border with Finland, close to a compressor station at the beginning of Nord Stream 1, one of the main Russian pipelines carrying gas to Germany.

Auguring what could over time be a major salvo against global Climate Change, German officials launched what they say is the world's first fleet of hydrogen-powered passenger trains this past Wednesday, replacing 15 diesel trains that previously operated on non-electrified tracks in the state of Lower Saxony.

Croatia, seeking new sources of natural gas following Russia's War of Aggression on Ukraine, has announced that it will invest 180 million euros to build a new gas pipeline connecting the towns of Zlobin and Bosiljevo in northwestern Croatia.  

Baker Hughes, one of the world's foremost energy technology companies providing solutions to energy and industrial customers around the globe, has announced the acquisition of Quest Integrity with the aim of expanding asset inspection solutions for the energy and industrial sectors of the international economy.

Given the vagaries of transporting hydrocarbons through Russia nowadays, Kazakhstan is expected to sell some of its crude oil through Azerbaijan's pipeline that delivers oil to Turkey's Mediterranean port of Ceyhan.

For 20 years, they have been shipped through the CPC pipeline to Russia's Black Sea port of Novorossiisk, which provides access to the global market.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has called for the construction of a gas pipeline from Portugal through Spain, France, Germany and the rest of Central Europe.  Such a connection he said would bring massive relief to a continent in the grip of tight energy supplies  and help to further reduce energy dependency on Russia.

Gazprom, Russia's state energy giant, has significantly reduced the flow of gas through Nord Stream 1, now at 20 percent of capacity.

By virtue of its geographic position, significant sunny days and abundant wind, Greece is being seen as the new hub for hydrogen in Europe.  

Olga Bielkova, Director of Government and International Affairs for the Gas Transmission Operator of the Ukraine (GTSOU) has warned European countries of becoming ever more dependent on Russian energy resources.  She advocates turning the tables on Russia by giving preference to the Ukrainian gas transport infrastructure:

Displaying increasingly erratic behavior, Russian gas giant Gazprom this week suddenly and significantly increased pressure in the Urengoy-Pomary-Uzhgorod pipeline that delivers Russian gas to Europe.  There was no prior notice.