... for barely a quarter of total energy consumption. Of course, in Qatar, Algeria, the United Arab Emirates, Iran and Russia, gas also accounts for more than half of energy consumption. But there is an enormous difference: All of these countries have reserves that will last another 70 to 100 years. Argentina, by contrast, is a highly gas-dependent country with diminishing reserves — equivalent to less than eight years of production. Argentina's greatest challenge today is to try to regain energy...

... which does submarine maintenance, might get a new lease on life soon. The government is discussing a plan to create a technology hub in the northern city to explore the Arctic's offshore hydrocarbon deposits, which are believed to have huge oil and gas reserves. The hub project fits with the high-level attention Arctic energy exploration gets from the Russian government, and there is at least superficial attention to its environmental impact. Speaking at a forum on Arctic exploration in September,...

... that the country saw $42 billion in net capital outflow between January and April. This is equivalent to half of the $84.2 billion recorded in the whole of 2011. The Central Bank lowered the share of U.S. and Canadian dollars in its foreign exchange reserve and increased its holdings in the euro, the bank's annual report showed Wednesday. In February, bank First Deputy Chairman Alexei Ulyukayev said the dollar's share in the forex reserves was 46.5 percent, while the euro's was 40.5 percent. The...

... enemies. The shabby wooden chapel was later replaced by a stone one preserved until today. An observation point near the chapel provides a stunning view of the city. What to do if you have two days Another symbol of Krasnoyarsk is the Stolby nature reserve ( zapovednik-stolby.ru ), a must-see if you have a couple of days. Established in 1925, the reserve got its name — which can be translated as "pillars" — because of its picturesque rock formations, many of which have names...

... 11 percent of the oil and gas it consumes and depends on Russia, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan for other refined products. Kyrgyzstan's state geology agency estimates the country has the potential to hold 765 million to 1.36 billion tons of hydrocarbon reserves. It estimates reserves within the license areas held by Chzhunnen at about 260,000 tons. (Reuters)

... vast and yet-to-be developed South Yolotan field near the Afghan border. Independent British auditor Gaffney, Cline & Associates estimates that South Yolotan may hold up to 21.2 trillion cubic meters of gas, potentially making it the second-largest reserve of gas in the world after the South Pars field, shared between Iran and Qatar. Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdymukhammedov has said Afghanistan could stand to earn more than $1 billion annually in transit fees. Afghan leader Hamid Karzai predicts...

... crop raising and forestry. The rest comes from areas used for grazing animals, fishing and building. Experts said the greatest potential for reducing the country's footprint lies in energy efficiency. "Energy saving in buildings is the largest reserve for Russia to reduce CO2 emissions," WWF director Igor Chestin said. The least sustainable lifestyles are found in Qatar, whose residents have a footprint of nearly 12 hectares each, also mostly accounted for by intensive carbon emissions...

... argument goes, Belarus' economy is much weaker, and the leadership is much more vulnerable to sanctions. Moreover, Russia, much like China, can afford to thumb its nose at those who complain about human rights abuses because it has the world's largest reserves of mineral and energy resources and the fourth-largest foreign currency reserves. But unlike Jackson-Vanik and other broad sanctions, the Magnitsky act hits where it hurts the most — the pocket books of corrupt officials. Russia's ambassador...

... increased borrowings for new projects, including its expansion on the Yamal Peninsula and the second stage of Nord Stream subsea pipeline to Germany. Gazprom is seeking to develop deposits in Yamal, north of its traditional production regions where reserves are gradually being depleted, to achieve its long-term goal of boosting market share in Europe to a third from about a quarter now. In the summer, Gazprom is set to launch the Bovanenkovskoye field, the largest on Yamal, with reserves of 4.9...

... lead foreign investor in the already long-delayed project, despite Moscow having ordered a radical redesign. The emergence of a viable project to develop Shtokman's 3.9 trillion cubic meters of gas below the Barents Sea — more than the entire reserves of gas-rich neighbor Norway — would end nearly two decades of false starts with two successive groups of investors. The current consortium, which is led by Gazprom and also includes Norway's Statoil, is now expected to drop plans to pipe...

... awkward "Should I be tipping the bellboy?" moment. While the value of the service (beyond a marketing coup) leaves some skeptical, it has the merits of highlighting a growing trend in the hotel industry: increased automation of services once reserved for humans — particularly in the lower segments of the hotel market. In Russia, where this segment is notoriously under-represented, the automation trend presents certain challenges, but also offers interesting development opportunities...

... Yuzivska, is in the eastern Donetsk and Kharkiv regions with the other, Olesska, in the western Lviv region. "[The likely winners are] Shell for Yuzivska and Chevron for Olesska," the source said. Ukraine's State Geological Service estimates the reserves of the Yuzivska area at 2 trillion cubic meters and those of Olesska at 800 billion to 1.5 trillion. The winners will enter production sharing agreements with state firm Nadra Ukrainy and SPK-GeoService, a privately-owned company picked by the...

... study of the Baltic seal population and suggest further measures for eliminating the negative impacts. But it is certainly necessary to carry out certain compensatory measures — like in the case of the Nord Stream pipeline, a new marine nature reserve [the Ingermanlandsky Zapovednik] was proposed in the Gulf of Finland," Knizhnikov said. But promises are not always kept. Even though all documents are ready and all expert evaluations have been carried out, "The nature reserve offered...

... producer, has sold a 7.5 percent stake to two strategic investors, raising $635 million and helping to boost its free float ahead of plans to apply for a premium listing in London. Polyus, worth about $10 billion and sitting on potentially lucrative gold reserves in Russia's Far East, said Tuesday that it had sold a stake of 5 percent less one share to Chengdong Investment Corporation, a subsidiary of China's CIC, and a 2.5 percent holding to VTB. The miner said it planned to apply for a premium listing...

...,000 residents. But Murmansk retains an important role in Russia's economy. It is the fourth-largest Russian port by turnover and the biggest shipping point for the export of Russian coal. Its location near some of the world's greatest energy resource reserves also promises to give the city an increasingly prominent role to play in the near future. Oil extraction in the Russian Arctic has proven technically difficult and has yet to be successfully achieved on a large scale. The first Arctic offshore...

... high-tech products that correspond to the Kalashnikov values: reliability, ease of production," Kuzyuk said in a statement, RIA-Novosti reported Thursday. In September, the Defense Ministry said it had halted purchases of the Kalashnikov rifle, since reserves of the gun are too large and the ministry is waiting for Izhmash to come up with a new model. Last month, acting deputy prime minister Dmitry Rogozin said updated pistol, rifle and sniper models for the Russian armed forces will be developed...

... him, and he completely delegated reforming the Air Force to Ostapenko [the commander in charge of the Space Forces]," the source said. In January 2011, a source within the Russian military told Interfax that Zelin "will be discharged to the reserves because he has served out his time in the military." Again, in the beginning of October 2011, experts believed that Zelin would be removed from his post, the Lenta.ru online news site reported. The last set of rumors came after the Moskovsky...

... Wednesday," a diplomat said. "China doesn't want any mention of Article 41." Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov made clear at a joint news conference in Moscow on Monday with visiting Sudanese Foreign Minister Ali Ahmed Karti that Russia has reservations about threatening the two Sudans with punitive measures. He also suggested that Russia did not want any automatic triggers for sanctions in the draft resolution. "Yes, some economic measures could be taken but … this is not...

... completing the route from pure science or research and development to innovation and bringing that innovation to market. President-elect Vladimir Putin is expected to continue his strong policies concerning the exploitation of oil, gas and other mineral reserves. Yet, being a prudent politician, he will also help a broad spectrum of citizens by ensuring that they are supported across a wide front. To this end, the WTO and OECD programs will bring Russia to greater strengths. Frank-Jürgen Richter...

... Phase-2 oilfield in an auction in December 2009, pledging to boost output to a plateau target of 1.8 million barrels per day in six years. Nonstate LUKoil is also active in Central Asia, West Africa and Latin America. But Russia's vast Arctic offshore reserves are off-limits for the company due to legal restrictions, which allow only state-controlled entities, such as Rosneft and Gazprom, to develop such deposits. Earlier this month LUKoil, Surgutneftegaz, TNK-BP and Bashneft signed a petition to Prime...