In Europe, Signs of Promise for Gazprom

After years of tension, Gazprom and the European Union seem to be overcoming some of their differences. On Oct. 28, the European Commission finally agreed to grant Gazprom greater access to the OPAL pipeline, something the company had sought since 2009. Gazprom and the European Union are also nearing a settlement on the bloc's antitrust probe into the company's practices, allowing Gazprom to avoid billions of dollars in fines. That the European Union is finding common ground with Gazprom reflects the company's shifting priorities in Europe. But despite these hints of improvement in its relationship with Brussels, Gazprom still faces an uphill battle in getting some of its other projects in Europe off the ground....