Gas

California Attorney General Kamala Harris has filed a lawsuit against the gas company responsible for the methane gas leak near Los Angeles, calling it a “monumental environmental disaster.” Over 30 suits and probes related to the disaster are pending.

Welsh songstress Charlotte Church performed a soulful live rendition of “Requiem for Arctic Ice” outside Shell’s headquarters in London on Wednesday to protest the energy giant’s attempts to drill for oil in the Arctic. 

Russia's refusal to pump gas through Ukraine will change the balance in Europe, which will have a negative impact on the energy security of Europe, said European Commission Vice President for Energy Union Maros Sefcovic.

Ukrainian Finance Minister Natalie Jaresko announced that Kiev will be lowering its natural resource royalty taxes to spur business. The move comes following complaints from investors that the 55 percent rate introduced last year was too high.

The Ukrainian cabinet has agreed to establish a $1 billion energy reserve fund to finance the purchase, transport and storage of gas, RIA Novosti reported Monday.

Hundreds have rallied in Tel Aviv to protest over a proposed gas deal with the United States pushed by the government, which critics say may create a monopoly that will control two of Israel’s largest natural gas reserves.

Ukraine has hardly any currency reserves left and the government is playing hardball towards Russia counting every penny in a deal they apparently can’t afford, Ben Aris, chief editor of Business New Europe, told RT.

Gazprom has confirmed the suspension of gas supplies to Ukraine from 10:00am MSK on July 1. Russia’s gas monopoly will not supply gas to Kiev without prepayment, no matter what price, said company CEO Aleksey Miller on Wednesday.

Russia and Ukraine failed to reach a new agreement on gas prices at talks in Vienna on Tuesday, leading to Ukraine suspending its purchase of Russian gas.