Russian state-run oil company Rosneft is in "advanced negotiations" to gain stakes in four German refineries by purchasing a 50 percent stake in Rurh Oel from Venezuela's state-run PdVSA, the Financial Times and the Wall Street Journal have reported. 

Oil tankers sail to Chukotka through North East Passage

The Arctic shipping season 2010 is closely followed by the world’s shipping interests as global warming makes the sea ice retreat in record speed. By sailing the Northern Sea route,  ship-owners save both time and fuel-costs as the distance from Europe to Asia via the north is much shorter than traditionally routes through the Suez- Panama-, or around Africa to Asia. Two Murmansk registered oil tankers Varzuga and Indiga are right now on their way through the partly ice-covered Northern Sea Route on their way to Chukotka in Russia’s Far East.