Feb.
  2018
ISSUE
No. 152

  USRCC Business Newsletter
USRCC Activities

The U.S. Russia Chamber of Commerce ("USRCC")  is pleased to participate in 
NAPE Summit for the 5th year in a row

NAPE is the oil and gas industry's marketplace for the buying, selling and trading of prospects and producing properties. NAPE is unique in that it brings together all industry disciplines; draws in decision-makers; focuses its participation on prospect generators; and hosts companies of all sizes, from small independents to majors. If you compete in the upstream oil and gas business, NAPE offers you an unparalleled opportunity to meet decision makers in an environment that is fun, energetic and, most of all, serious about getting business done. This year, NAPE Summit is celebrating 25 years of bringing together dealmakers from all around the world to connect, reconnect and make deals happen.

Visit us at NAPE Summit at booth # 4914

   



The 53rd Annual Petroushka Ball

Dear USRCC Members and Stakeholders,

The U.S. - Russia Chamber of Commerce is pleased to support an event hosted by one of our partner organizations.

Join the Russian Children's Welfare Society at The Plaza Hotel in New York on February 9th for the 53rd Annual Petroushka Ball to benefit the RCWS charitable programs ( www.rcws.org ). 




Since its inception in 1965, the Petroushka Ball has been one of New York's most elegant charitable events attended by over 700 guests representing business, artistic and diplomatic spheres.



When:  Friday, February 9, 2018
Where:  The Plaza Hotel, Grand Ballroom
768 5th Ave, New York, NY 10019

Reception: 8:00 pm
Dinner & Performance: 9:00 pm
Dancing: 10:00 pm to 2 am

Dress Code: Strictly White or Black Tie, Long Ball Gowns    
   * Age Requirement: 21 years and older        

Special Guest Stars
ILDAR ABDRAZAKOV, bass
LYUBOV PETROVA, soprano
Appear by kind permission of the Metropolitan Opera

Music by
The Lester Lanin Orchestra
Barynya Balalaika Orchestra

To learn more and to order tickets please visit http://www.rcws.org/events/53rd-petroushka-ball


The USRCC Young Professionals Committee invites you to attend

HR Panel and Networking Event 
" From Entry Level to CEO - How to continue moving up the OrgChart "

  • How to survive in a big organization?
  • What are the key skills and traits that an employee must develop in order to transform into a leader?
  • What are the key tips that will help the transition from an individual contributor to a management role?
  • How to adopt a long-term positive and productive frame of mind for managing performance of a work group, build trust, make decisions, and deal with difficult situations?
  • What mentorship programs help within organizations? How to deal with employee disciplinary issues in your group as well as promotions?
These and other questions to be answered by the group of panel speakers at the event.


Panelists

Melissa Calhoun



Senior Director, Talent Management, Human Resources   
Halliburton


Vice President, Human  Resources 
Emerson Automation Solutions

February 22, 2018
6:00 PM - 8:00 PM

University of Houston

Energy Research Park (ERP)
5000 Gulf Freeway, Houston, Texas, 77023
Innovation Center - Building 4 - 2 nd floor
 

 

USRCC Members - free/Non-Members - $25


Stay tuned for more details!



  USRCC Trade Mission to Russia
May 2018
 

The U.S.-Russia Chamber of Commerce (USRCC) invites you to participate in a Trade mission to the  St. Petersburg International Economic Forum . Participants will have an opportunity to meet Russian government officials and some of the most influential leaders in U.S.-Russia trade and investment relations. The USRCC will coordinate private meetings, an exclusive CEO Roundtable and introductions, in addition to attending the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPEIF).

Participating companies will gain market insights, make industry contacts, solidify business strategies, find business partners, and advance specific projects with the goal of increasing U.S. trade and investment to Russia.

For more details about the Trade Mission please contact us  directly at      

USRCC Internship
GET INVOLVED

The USRCC is looking for new team members!

Volunteers
 play a key role and the contributions they make impact the day-to-day functions of the chamber and shape the future of relationship between Russia and the U.S.

There are many ways you can get involved with the USRCC. Whether you are an experienced leader or a student, there is a place for you. By volunteering you can be at the very centre of our high-profile events held in Houston, Chicago and New York City and interact with influential leaders in the U.S.-Russia trade and investment.
USRCC Membership
Are you taking advantage of your  USRCC Member Benefits?

Renew your membership or join for the first time today!

For more information  click here 
Interested in learning more about our 2018 events? 

To see a full list   click here
Members' News
Gazprom to submit its offers on development of gas fields in Iran

Tass.com January 28, 2018: Russia's gas giant Gazprom is interested in developing four gas fields in Iran and is ready to come out with relevant offers by late March, Iranian Minister of Petroleum Bijan Zangeneh said on Sunday.
"Iran has signed memoranda of understanding (MoUs) with Gazprom for carrying out studies on development projects of Farzad A, Farzad B, North Pars and Kish gas fields and the Russian company has signaled keenness to develop the fields," Shana news agency quoted him as saying.
BHGE announces technology deals with Shell, Maersk and Vietsovpetro

Energyvoice.com, January 29, 2018: Baker Hughes, a General Electric Company (BGHE) has announced a series of contracts and partnerships with firms including Shell and Maersk at its annual meeting in Italy.
BGHE has developed field development planning software Jewelsuite with Shell, making the process more efficient by integrating data and workflows from seismic interpretation to geological modelling.
This allows Shell to reduce uncertainties on well placement, reserves estimates and production planning.
Harry Brekelmans, director of Shell projects and technology, said: "Digital Technologies have been an important feature in our industry for years but now the pace of change is increasing dramatically. What used to take years or months to be developed and deployed, can now take only weeks."  Read more...
Rosneft starts oil supplies to China's Huaxin

Tass.com, January 29, 2018: Rosneft initiated oil supplies to China's national oil and gas corporation Huaxin, the Russian oil and gas major told TASS on Monday.
"According to the signed contract, deliveries of produced oil to Huaxin have already started. Oil supplies will total 10 mln tonnes in 2018. Deliveries of ESPO blend oil via the Kozmino Port are largely planned. Furthermore, deliveries of Urals and Sokol blend oil are also anticipated under the contract," Rosneft said.   Read more...
The Week in Review
Final results of Russia House in Davos

Roscongress.org, January 27, 2018: The Russia House in Davos, which was organized by the Roscongress Foundation, has completed its business programme. Over its four days of work, the official Russian residence hosted more than 1,000 guests from 60 foreign countries in addition to more than 120 media representatives. Over 50 business events and panel sessions took place within the walls of the Russia House and were attended by prominent entrepreneurs, experts, and media representatives. The project was organized by the Roscongress Foundation in cooperation with its partners: Agency for Housing Mortgage Lending, ER-Telecom Holding, V-Tell, the Moscow Government, the Moscow Department for External Economic and International Relations, EY, and Universa. The operator of the site and evening events was Congress-International and the company Simple.  Read more...
Russia brings security of gas supply to Europe - Austria's top energy firm

Rt.com, January 30, 2018: The European Union needs a reliable source of natural gas, and Russian state company Gazprom's Nord Stream 2 pipeline project is what Europe needs, according to an executive of Austria's oil and gas company, OMV.
"Security of gas supply is crucial, and Gazprom brings it," said OMV's member of the executive board Manfred Leitner speaking before the European Gas Conference in Vienna on Tuesday.
"It means gas to heat houses, schools, hospitals and for European energy. The gas comes safely and at an affordable price," Leitner said.
Leitner urged to stop being skeptical about Russia, given that the European gas production has been declining.
  Read more...
Russia's gold and currency reserves reach $442.8 bln - Putin

En.trend.az, Febraury 1, 2018: Russia's gold and currency reserves have reached $442.8 bln, President Vladimir Putin said on Wednesday at the meeting with representatives of the economic council of the French-Russian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCI France Russie).
"Gold and currency reserves are kept at a high level. They have grown recently and amount to $442.8 bln," the president said.
Russia's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) rose 1.4% in 2017, he said. "Russia's GDP added 1.4% over the last year," the Russian president said.
Inflation decelerated to record-breaking values, Putin said. It grew by 2.5% in 2017 and "continues declining this year," he noted.   Read more...
Russia's Tatneft interested in participating in Iranian oilfield projects

En. sna.ir, January  27, 2018: Tehran (ISNA) - The Russian oil and gas company Tatneft has declared that it was cooperating with the other Russian oil company Zarubezhneft over the Iranian Shadegan oilfield project.
The General Director of Tatneft Company Nail Maganov said, "Our Company is always ready to cooperate with Iran if the situation allows".
"The Tatneft Company is interested in participating in the project of exploitation of two Iranian oilfields Shedegan and Dehloran and is ready to negotiate with other companies including the Iranian ones interested in the project," he added.  Read more...

Russia, Italy to boost cooperation - Foreign Ministry

Tass.com, January 30, 2018: Moscow and Rome plan to develop the existing multilateral political, economic and cultural cooperation, the Russian Foreign Ministry reported on Tuesday.
"[The two sides] will continue the trust-based dialogue with an eye on further development of multifaceted Russian-Italian cooperation in the political, trade, economic, cultural and humanitarian spheres, primarily in light of work to implement the agreements reached at the top level," the ministry said in a statement in connection with a working visit to Russia by Italian Foreign Minister Angelino Alfano posted on its websiteRead more...
Iran exports dairy products to Russia

En.trend.az, January 31, 2018: Iran exported over $102,000 worth of diary products to Russia though Astara border checkpoint, Bahram Pourzarb, head of Astara Veterinary Bureau, said.
The cargo included 22,871 kilograms of cream cheese, 1,728 kilograms of cream and 205 kilograms of desserts, Pourzarb said, the state-run IRNA news agency reported.
The cargo was shipped from Iran's northern Mazandaran province, he added.
The official further said that during the current fiscal year (started March 2017) over 628 tons of cream cheese, 1,740 kilograms of cream, 144 tons of trout and 163 tons of powdered milk were also exported to Russia, Georgia, Azerbaijan.  Read more...
Russia hopes to clinch major deals with French business at SPIEF 2018 - Putin

The russophile.org, January 31, 2018: Russian President Vladimir Putin expects that new major contracts with the French business will be celebrated at the forthcoming St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF) in 2018.
"We expect that new large-scale trade and investment contracts will be made at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum to be held in May," Putin said on Wednesday at the meeting with representatives of the economic council of the French-Russian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCI France Russie).
 Russia seeks to foster dialogue with the French business on a peer-to-peer and pragmatic basis, he went on. 
Read more...
USA and Russia propose Arctic shipping routes

Heavyliftpfi.com, February 1, 2018: The nations jointly developed and submitted the proposal to theInternational Maritime Organization (IMO) to establish six two-way routes and six precautionary areas.
Located in US and Russian territorial waters off the coasts of Alaska and the Chukotskiy Peninsula, the routes are being recommended to help ships avoid shoals, reefs and islands outside the routes, and to reduce the potential for marine casualties and environmental disasters.
The proposed two-way routes will be voluntary for all domestic and international ships.  Read more...
Russia's wheat dominance set to get bigger in the future

Producer.com, January 25, 2018: For the first time since the days of the tsars, Russia this year will be the world's largest wheat exporter at an expected 35 million tonnes. It will likely export a total of more than 45 million tonnes of grain once corn and barley are added in.
Infrastructure constraints pose a limit to its exports in the near term, but new infrastructure investment, from domestic sources and likely China, could make it an even more formidable competitor in the future.
Two bumper crops in a row have given Russia ample surpluses while a weak currency and close proximity to major buyers in North Africa and the Middle East make it hard to compete against.  Read more...
Russia sees 18% surge in 2017 luxury car sales

Tass.com, January 30, 2018: Sales of upmarket cars in Russia increased by 18% in 2017 compared with 2016, Autostat analytical agency said Tuesday.
"Russia's market of new light cars of Luxury segment totaled 1,440 units in 2017, an 18% increase compared with the previous year (1,225 units)," the agency said.
Mercedes-Benz Maybach S-Class occupied more than 45% of the country's luxury car segment in the period. It was followed by Maserati and Bentley, as well as Rolls-Royce, Lamborghini, Ferrari, and Aston Martin.  Read more...
EXPO-2025: Japan interested in Kazakhstan's experience

Inform.kz, January 26, 2018: On Wednesday, the Ambassador of Kazakhstan to France Zhan Galiyev met with Japanese delegation headed by the country's Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs Mitsunari Okamoto, Kazinform has learned from the press service of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan. Kazakh envoy told the Japanese delegation about the economic and investment opportunities which are being created in Kazakhstan within the framework of the accelerated technological modernization of the country, as well as the priorities set by President Nazarbayev in his recent Address to the nation. Ambassador Galiyev thanked Japan for its participation in the International Specialized Exhibition in Astana, which, according to him, gave a powerful impetus to the development of bilateral relations between the countries.  Read more...
Azerbaijan to open trade center in China

En.trend.az, January 29, 2018: Azerbaijan will open a trade center in the special economic zone in Shanghai, China, this year, Azerbaijani Economy Minister Shahin Mustafayev said Jan. 29.
He was addressing a conference on the fourth year of implementation of the State Program of Socio-Economic Development of Azerbaijan's Districts for 2014-2018, held in the Heydar Aliyev Center in Baku.
Answering questions of entrepreneurs, the minister reminded that Azerbaijan already has a trade representative in China. The number of Azerbaijan's trade representatives in different countries has reached four, he said, adding that this year, activity of trade representatives will be intensified.  Read more...
US-Russia Related News in Russian
Новости членов Палаты
Shell планирует удвоить добычу сланцевой нефти в ближайшие 5 лет

Ngv.ru, 1 февраля, 2018: Нефтегазовая компания Shell довольна своими сланцевыми проектами и намерена удвоить добычу в ближайшие годы. Об этом в ходе телеконференции по итогам года сообщила финансовый директор компании Джессика Ёль. 
По ее словам, за последние пару лет стоимость строительства скважин в сланцевых проектах для компании сократилась на 40-70%. Портфель сланцевых проектов Shell включает активы в Канаде, Пермском бассейне США и Аргентине. 
"Мы верим, что располагаем очень хорошим портфелем, и с учетом тех активов, которые у нас сейчас имеются, мы видим, что потенциал текущей добычи в объеме 270 тыс. баррелей в сутки легко может удвоиться в ближайшие 5-10 лет", - сказала Ёль.  Читать далее...
Новости недели
Росстат: Россия сохранила лидерство по добыче нефти в мире 
 
News.rambler.ru, 31 января, 2018: Данные Росстата показывают, что по итогам 11 месяцев прошлого года Россия сохранила мировое лидерство по добыче нефти. Суточная добыча составила 10,126 миллиона баррелей.
По этому показателю наша страна опередила Ирак и Саудовскую Аравию. Всего в отчетном периоде страны ОПЕК добывали 32,448 миллиона баррелей в сутки.
Объем экспорта нефти и газового конденсата из России с января по ноябрь 2017 года составил 235,1 миллиона тонн (рост на 0,8 процента). Добыча нефти, включая газовый конденсат, составила 500,1 миллиона тонн, что на 0,1 процента меньше по сравнению с аналогичным периодом 2016 года.   Читать далее...
Россия увеличила экспорт угля в Польшу на треть

Gazeta.ru, 29 января, 2018: Торговый представитель России в Польше Владимир Нефедов заявил, что экспорт российского угля в Польшу увеличился на треть в 2017 году. Об этом сообщает РИА «Новости».
«В минувшем году экспорт российского угля в Польшу, по предварительным оценкам, вырос примерно на треть - более чем до 6,7 млн тонн при внутренней добыче в 66 млн тонн», - сказал Нефедов.   Читать далее..
Брянская область получит 200 миллионов рублей на сельское хозяйство

Bragazeta.ru, 2 февраля, 2018: Брянская область получит субсидию в размере более 200 миллионов рублей из федерального бюджета на развитие сельского хозяйства - сообщает ГТРК «Брянск».  
Такое соглашение подписали Минсельхоз России и правительство региона в рамках государственной программы развития сельского хозяйства и регулирования рынков сельхозпродукции, сырья и продовольствия на 2013-2020 годы.
Деньги направят на поддержку брянских сельхозпроизводителей, дабы компенсировать затраты на проведение агротехнических работ и повысить плодородие и качество земель.  Читать далее...
Alibaba будет продавать российские продукты питания  

News.rambler.ru, 30 января, 2018: Сохранение уже завоеванных рынков и дальнейшее расширение экспортных поставок является на сегодня основной целью как для властей, так и для производителей. Вопрос лишь в том, куда еще и что именно можно продать из появившихся излишков. Эксперты уверены, что поставки необходимо наращивать точечно, учитывая мировую конъюнктуру. В частности, идет работа по созданию российского павильона на китайской платформе Alibaba.  Читать далее...
Новейшие родстер и купе BMW i8 стали доступны для россиян

Auto.newsru.com, 2 февраля, 2018: Российские дилеры BMW с февраля начали прием заказов на две новинки германского бренда - i8 Roadster и i8 Coupe. Стоимость моделей в базовых версиях составит 11 150 000 рублей за родстер и 9 490 000 рублей за купе, сообщает "Автостат" со ссылкой на пресс-службу BMW Group Россия.
На старте продаж в РФ родстер также будет предлагаться в лимитированной версии First Edition ограниченного тиража 200 экземпляров, отличающейся элементами дизайна экстерьера черного цвета и 20-дюймовыми колесными дисками стиля Radial Spoke 516 в эксклюзивном черном матовом цвете, отмечается в сообщении.  Читать далее...
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The U.S.-Russia Chamber of Commerce (USRCC)  is  a 501(c)(6) no t for  profit  corporation with its headquarters  in Houston, Texas,  and offices in the Midwest and the Northeast. The USRCC  was established in 2009 to promote  trade and investment  between  the  Russia n Federation  and the U.S. A.  
The information contained in this newsletter is provided for general information purposes only and does not constitute legal or other professional advice on any subject matter. USRCC does not accept any responsibility for any loss that may arise from reliance on information contained in this newsletter. The views and opinions expressed in this publication are those of the authors. They do not reflect the opinions or views of the USRCC or its members.  Links within this newsletter lead to other websites, including those operated and maintained by third parties. The linked sites are not part of the USRCC newsletter. USRCC includes these links solely as a convenience to the newsletter subscribers, and the presence of such links does not imply a responsibility for the linked site and its operator. USRCC cannot certify the accuracy of the material provided by the original  source .