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Tuesday, July 29, 2008

European firms launch marketing campaign for nuke power in Mideast

LONDON — Leading European energy majors have targeted the Middle East in a nuclear power marketing offensive.

At least two energy majors have been briefing a range of Arab states on options for nuclear power. The majors, identified as France's Total and Italy's Eni, plan to focus on North African and Gulf Cooperation Council states, particularly leading crude oil and natural gas producers.

"It is logical for us [to say to them]: We make nuclear and you keep the gas," Eni chief executive officer Paolo Scaroni said.

In an interview with the London-based Financial Times, Scaroni said Eni was targeting major gas producers in North Africa as customers for nuclear reactors, Middle East Newsline reported. Scaroni cited Algeria and Egypt.

Also In This Edition

Total has also focused on Middle East clients for nuclear power. Executives said the French company was offering to construct nuclear power facilities in exchange for an expanded presence in the oil and gas sectors of Gulf and North African states.

In January 2008, Total was part of a consortium that signed a nuclear cooperation agreement with the United Arab Emirates. Under the accord, Total, France's nuclear group Areva and French utility Suez would construct two pressurized water reactors in the UAE.

"I told the UAE: Why don't you think about nuclear?" Total chief executive officer Christophe de Margerie said.

De Margerie said Total expected to conclude a nuclear deal with another Middle East state. Over the last two years, France has signed nuclear cooperation agreements with Libya, Morocco and Tunisia.



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