Author: Elena Gorbacheva

Read a new article “Electricity production as an effective solution for associated petroleum gas utilization in the reformed Russian electricity market” written by Evgenia Vanadzina, Olga Gore, Satu Viljainen, and Veli-Pekka Tynkkynen and published in the “International Conference on the European Energy Market” journal.

Russia leads the list of countries in which most flaring occurs, with an estimated 15-37 BMC of associated petroleum gas (APG) being burned in Siberian oil fields annually. In view of the environmental impact of flaring and ineffective use of energy resource, fees for flaring are being increased from 2012. Significantly increased fines pose a challenge for oil producers, which have focused only on oil production. A number of solutions for utilizing APG are currently used in Russia: processing of APG in gas processing plants, re-injection of gas back into the oil field, and production of heat and power for the needs of the oil industry.
These commonly used options for APG utilization are analyzed and discussed in this paper, taking into account the specific features of the Russian oil and gas market and barriers presented by monopolies in the gas export and gas processing industry.
Analysis of the utilization options indicates the appropriateness of APG as a fuel for effective power production within Russia’s reformed electricity market.

Veli-Pekka Tynkkynen co-wrote with Nina Tynkkynen a chapter for the new book edited by Markku Kivinen and Leena Vähäkylä and titled “Venäjän palatseissa ja kaduilla” (In Russian palaces and streets). The chapter is titled “Venäjän ympäristön tila ja ympäristöpolitiikka ” (State of the Environment in Russia and Russia’s Environmental Policy).

More information about the book can be found here.

Anew article “Rauha “energiasuurvalta-Venäjän” kanssa” (Peace with “Energy-Superpower Russia”) written by Veli-Pekka Tynkkynen was published in the new issue of Idäntutkimus. Read the article online here.

Politiikasta.fi published an article “Venäläinen rauhan atomi ja Suomen asema” (Russian peaceful atom and Finland’s international position) by Veli-Pekka Tynkkynen.

An interesting and at the same time problematic of this debate is the assertion that the nuclear policy, in particular nuclear energy, would be out of the question of foreign policy. Finland’s energy policy is shown to be immune to the power that is used worldwide through energy. In the light of the study, these arguments are strange.

“Russian Energy and Security up to 2030” is a new book edited by Susanne Oxenstierna and Veli-Pekka Tynkkynen and published this month by Routledge. Professor Tynkkynen also co-wrote the introduction and wrote a chapter “Russian Bioenergy and the EU’s Renewable Energy Goals: Perspectives of Security” for this volume.

The challenges in Russia’s energy sector are changing. On the demand side, Europe is seeking to limit its dependence on Russian oil and gas, with the result that China and other Asian countries are likely to eventually become growing export markets for Russian energy. On the supply side, oil and gas fields in West Siberia are diminishing and in future Russia’s energy will have to come more from East Siberia and the Arctic, which will necessitate new infrastructure development and the employment of advanced technologies, which may increase Russia’s dependence on commercial partners from outside Russia. This book explores the challenges facing Russia’s energy sector and the resulting security implications. It includes a discussion of how far the Russian state is likely to continue to monopolise the energy sector, and how far competition from private and foreign companies might be allowed.

More information about the book.

The latest issue of Baltic Rim Economics contains an article written by Veli-Pekka Tynkkynen and titled “Russia as an environmentally responsible energy superpower?”

Russian leadership argues, as do many European politicians and scholars, that Russia is only after stable markets relations and economic prosperity via energy exports and distribution businesses. The argument goes that Russia would not jeopardise its energy relations with the EU, the biggest customer, using energy as leverage for political goals. Regardless of how the international political might of Russia is eventually evaluated – in traditional military or in recently claimed resource or energy terms – it is clear that its political manoeuvring space has drastically changed since the 1990s. If 20 years ago Russia was living from hand-to-mouth, and was strongly dependent on buyers of its energy, today’s Russia has at least financially the potential to act as an Energy Superpower and to push forward its political agenda, accumulated energy wealth as its sinew.

This and other articles of the issue can be found here.