Jan
  2020
ISSUE
No. 255

  USRCC Business Newsletter
USRCC Activities
The U.S. - Russia Chamber of Commerce invites you to attend 
Winter Business Networking Event!

 
When:  Thursday, January 30, 2020, 
6:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Where:  The West End - A Public House
  5320 Westheimer Rd, Houston, TX 77056 

            Complimentary appetizers will be provided. Happy Hour prices will be available.
 
USRCC Members - free/Non-members - $10
 Contact Us:
The U.S.-Russia Chamber of Commerce
2900 Wilcrest Drive, Suite 133, Houston, TX 77042
Phone: 713.429.4680 Email:  info@usrussiacc.org
USRCC's Booth  #4513 at the Annual NAPE SUMMIT WEEK in Houston 

The annual NAPE Summit Week is an expo and networking event that brings together all the players necessary to forge, facilitate and close deals. In the upstream oil and gas business, it is the largest and most successful event of its kind in the world.

NAPE Summit Week is held February 3-7, 2020, in Houston, TX. This massive, week-long event offers prospects, producers and purchasers the unique chance to connect, reconnect and make deals. For those who seek to be successful in the upstream oil and gas business, NAPE Summit Week is the "must attend" event that has the potential to open up a myriad of opportunities. The oil and gas industry is fueled by deals. And NAPE is where deals happen:  http://napeexpo.com/summit

NAPE SUMMIT WEEK  
February 3 - 7 , 2020
GEORGE R. BROWN CONVENTION CENTER, HOUSTON, TX
Stop by the USRCC Booth #4513

The 55th 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
 7th for the 55th Annual Petroushka Ball to benefit the RCWS charitable programs  ( www.rcws.org ).         

 
       
When:  Friday, February 7, 2020 
     
Where:  The Plaza Hotel, New York City
Reception - 8 pm, Dinner & Entertainment - 9 pm, Dancing - after 10 pm till 2 am 
  Dress CodeStrictly White or Black Tie, Long Ball Gowns
Age Requirement: 21 years and older
 
       Special Guest Stars
       Serena Malfi, mezzo-soprano
    Ben Bliss, tenor
      Appear by kind permission of the Metropolitan Opera
        Lester Lanin Orchestra
        Russian Folk & Gypsy Music
 
For more information or reserve tickets, visit  http://www.rcws.org/events/55th-petroushka-ball


Contact RCWS at 212-473-6263 or main@rcws.org
for tickets, ads, raffle donations, contributions and special sponsorships.
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 
Members' News
Lukoil certified for innovative management

Lukoil.com, January 21, 2020:  LUKOIL's oil refining, petrochemistry and gas processing block and LUKOIL-Nizhegorodniinefteproyekt, the company's engineering and design center that develops oil refining and gas processing facilities successfully passed the international audit of the management systems. Both were recognized as compliant with ISO 56002:2019, the international innovative management approach, applied to engineering and research works, innovative technologies and innovative management systems that are used across LUKOIL's assets.  Read more.. .
Weatherford Emerges from Chapter 11

Rigzone.com, January 15, 2020:  Weatherford International plc has announced that it has completed its financial restructuring and emerged from chapter 11 protection.  "The company emerges with a stronger financial foundation having reduced approximately $6.2 billion of outstanding funded debt, secured $2.6 billion in exit financing facilities, including a $450 million revolving credit facility, secured a $195 million letter of credit facility, and secured over $900 million of liquidity," Weatherford said in a company statement.  Read more...
Baker Hughes Declares Quarterly Dividend

Businesswire.com, January 23, 2020: Baker Hughes (NYSE: BKR) announced today that the Baker Hughes Board of Directors declared a cash dividend of $.18 per share of Class A common stock payable on February 14, 2020 to holders of record on February 3, 2020.  Read more...
The Week in Review
US sanctions helped Russia to boost oil exports in 2019

Rt.com, January 22, 2020: The ruble and indices on Moscow Exchange accelerated growth after Mikhail Mishustin was appointed to the post of Prime Minister of Russia. Thus, the dollar slowed down growth to 61.55 rubles (+0.21%), and the euro - to 68.73 rubles. (+0.3%). At the same time, the RTS index grew by 0.75% to 1,614.33 points, while the MOEX Russia Index (previously MICEX) rose by 0.71% to 3,154.75 points .  Read more..
Novomet to supply equipment to Saudi Aramco, second contract is planned

Tass.com, January 22, 2020: It was reported earlier that Perm-based Novomet, the Russian producer of oil and gas equipment, will become the Russia's first equipment vendor for Saudi Aramco after obtaining an accreditation.  Read more.. .
Russian Firm Offers Moon Trips on Reusable Spacecraft

Russiabusinesstoday.com, January 23, 2020: Russia's Energia Space Rocket Corporation has presented its Ryvok-2 (Breakthrough-2) project, which would offer direct flights to the Moon on reusable spacecraft without intermediate landing on the international lunar orbital station, Energia specialist Rafail Murtazin said on Tuesday, according to Lenta.ru. Energia earlier considered the project of the Ryvok spacecraft for delivering cosmonauts to the Moon from the International Space Station (ISS). An international lunar orbital platform for the spacecraft's docking was a necessary element of that program.  Read more... 
Russian Post to Renovate Offices for $1.1bn

R ussiabusinesstoday.com ,  January 21, 2020: Russia's national postal operator Russian Post  has approved its development strategy, which plans about 68 billion rubles ($1.1 billion) to be allocated for the upgrade of offices in 2020-2030, the company said this week, according to Finmarket "The approved development strategy of the Russian Post for the period of 2020-2030 provides in particular for the upgrade of the majority of post offices by 2030. Up to 68 bln rubles ($1.1 billion) are planned to be allocated for such goals within the period of 2020-2030," the company said.  Read more...

Tass.com, January 23, 2020:
 Arkady Volozh, the founder and the director of Yandex group of companies, told reporters on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum that he would sell a small stake in the company together with the family trust.  "Certainly, this is public [information]. However, not [the whole] my stake but a tiny share," Volozh said. The sale of shares is needed to diversify assets, the chief executive clarified.   Read more...
Deal with OPEC helps Russia double its National Wealth Fund

Rt.com, January 23, 2020: The agreement between Russia and the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) to cut oil output has brought huge benefits to the entire Russian economy and its National Wealth Fund (NWF).  "The NWF rose from 4.04 trillion rubles ($65.2 bln) to 7.7 trillion rubles ($124.3 billion), so the NWF actually doubled over the year. This largely indicates that the NWF resources through the fiscal rule have come exactly from the OPEC+ deal, increasing our reserves twofold," Kirill Dmitriev, chief executive of the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF), told TASS on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos.  Read more...
Top Russian ministers keep posts as Putin appoints new cabinet

Theguardian.com, January 21, 2020: Vladimir Putin has appointed a new cabinet in the latest step of a broad government shake-up seen as the early groundwork for his eventual exit from the presidency, if not from Russian politics.  The lineup introduces a new stable of deputy prime ministers and shows considerable turnover among ministries tied to social affairs and cultural policy.  Read more...
CIS Business News

Kyrgyzstan's foreign trade turnover amounts to $6B - statistics

Kabar.kg, January 21, 2020:  According to preliminary data, Kyrgyzstan's foreign trade turnover in January-November 2019 amounted to $6 billion, Chairman of the National Statistics Committee of the Kyrgyz Republic Akylbek Sultanov said during the press conference in Bishkek.  According to the chairman's data, in comparison with January-November 2018 figures decreased by 2.6%, while export supplies increased by 9.4% and import revenues, on the contrary, decreased by 6.6%.  Read more...
Belarus hopes for fast adoption of strategy to guide Eurasian economic integration by 2025

Belarus.by, January 23, 2020:  Belarus expects that the strategy to guide Eurasian economic integration till 2025 will be adopted soon. Prime Minister of Belarus Sergei Rumas made the statement as he met with Member of the Board (Minister) for Integration and Macroeconomics of the Eurasian Economic Commission Sergei Glazyev on 23 January, BelTA has learned.  Read more...
Public Council of Azerbaijan's Small, Medium Business Agency holds forum on food business 

Azernews.az, January 23, 2020The Public Council of Azerbaijan's Small and Medium Business (SMB) Development Agency held the first forum in 2020 dedicated to food business,  Trend reports referring to the agency's press service. The event, titled "Food Business Forum: Current Situation and Prospects", was attended by representatives of the SMB Development Agency, the Azerbaijani Agriculture Ministry and other government agencies, as well as business entities in the food sector.  Read more..
Houston - Tyumen Sister Cities
Lukoil to finance construction of scientific and educational facilities in Kogalym

Lukoil.com, January 22, 2020: President of LUKOIL Vagit Alekperov, Mayor of Kogalym (Khanty-Mansi Autonomous District - Yugra) Nikolay Palchikov and Rector of the Perm National Research Polytechnic University (PNRPU) Anatoly Tashkinov have signed a tripartite Cooperation Agreement today in Moscow.  The document provides for the cooperation of the parties in supporting science and education in Kogalym for that purpose a branch of PNRPU will be established in the town. This will facilitate the development of a modern science and education environment, including training of engineering staff for oil and gas industry in line with advanced international standards. The university plans to invite both Russian and foreign professors to teach at the branch.  Read more..
US-Russia Related News in Russian
Новости недели
Работающим пенсионерам восстановят индексацию

Gazeta.ru, Январь 23, 2020: Работающие пенсионеры дождались индексации. Это следует из уже одобренных в первом чтении поправок в Конституцию. Так что работающие пенсионеры смогут получить замороженную с 2016 года прибавку к пенсии. В России их насчитывается более девяти миллионов. Эксперты называют это восстановлением справедливости.  Читать далее...

Iz.ru, Январь 24, 2020: Новый премьер-министр РФ Михаил Мишустин и его предшеcтвенник Дмитрий Медведев в пятницу провели встречу с членами российского правительства. Мишустин приехал утром в Дом Правительства на Краснопресненской набережной. Он и Медведев более часа общались один на один в кабинете председателя правительства, а затем вместе вышли на встречу с кабинетом министров, который находится в отставке, но продолжает выполнять свои обязанности. На встречу было приглашено правительство в полном составе.  Читать далее...
Три солнечные электростанции построят в Дагестане в 2020-2025 годах

Tass.ru, Январь 23, 2020: Компания Shell заявила, что, несмотря на ограничительные меры Соединенных Штатов, поддерживает проект "Северный поток - 2", так как считает, что он очень важен для европейской энергетической безопасности. Об этом сообщил председатель концерна в России Седерик Кремерс Читать далее...
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 the 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.
To learn more about the position  click here or
contact us directly at info@usrussiacc.org   call 713.429.4680
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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 .