OREANDA-NEWS. September 20, 2007. The second Far Eastern International Economic Forum took place in Khabarovsk. Attending the Forum was Gazprom delegation.

Reporting at the Forum, Gazprom pointed out that the gas sector development in Russia’s East is an important direction of the Company’s business activity. Gazprom plans to actively participate in the development of a new gas transportation system and the Sakhalinsky, Krasnoyarsky, Yakutsky and Irkutsky gas production centers in Eastern Siberia and the Far East in pursuance with the Eastern Program.

The Sakhalin center development is a key direction of Gazprom activity in the Far East. The priority issues are the resource base development and Gazprom construction of the Sakhalin-Khabarovsk-Vladivostok gas pipeline system. In future the system will join the Chayandinskoye NGKN-Blagoveshensk-Khabarovsk gas pipeline system, which will be laid at the same corridor with the Eastern Siberia-Pacific Ocean oil mains system under construction. Within the Sakhalin activity Gazprom first step was joining the Sakhalin-2 project as a main shareholder.

The report underscored that the basic principle of the Eastern Program is the priority gas supply of Russian consumers. In mid-term perspective gas of the Sakhalin-1 project will be the only source to satisfy gas needs of the Khabarovsky, Primorsky Krais, Sakhalin Oblast, Jewish Autonomous Okrug. The State Program on Social and Economic Development of the Far East and Zabaikalye during the period to 2013 increases gas demand in Russia’s East. The Eastern Program is based on the necessity to develop gas processing and chemical production following the Government Policy on deepening the mineral processing. The Program is objectively imposed by the gas composition in the Eastern fields.

Additionally, taking into account the significance of the gas supply system development in the Far East, Gazprom is ready to join the construction works of the gas pipeline in Kamchatka not attracting budget financing. Gazprom participation in the project will enable to provide quick facility construction and commissioning while ensuring operating security of the gas pipeline.

Gazprom and the Sakha Republic (Yakutia) steadily develop their business relations.

The report pointed out that Gazprom is ready to actively participate in the natural gas market development in the Far East. In the aim of executing the investment projects in the Russia’s East Gazprom set up a Gazprom invest Vostok to be responsible for investment project execution. The Gazprom Representative Office (Sakhalin Oblast) will further the Sakhalin project execution.

The utilization of the unique experience, technical and economic potential of Gazprom will ensure gas supply security in the Russia’s East. Gazprom activities in the region will become another reliable base for social and economic development in Eastern Siberia and the Far East in the next decades.

Reference:

On September 3, 2007 the Ministry of Industry and Energy of the Russian Federation approved the Program for the Unified Gas Production, Transportation, Supply System Development in Eastern Siberia and Far East due to possible gas export to Chinese markets and other Asia Pacific countries (Eastern Program). Gazprom was appointed to coordinate the Program execution.

The Gazprom Board of Directors decided to consider the Company’s business development on the Sakhalin Island as top-priority issues to develop a resource base and the Sakhalin-Khabarovsk-Vladivostok gas transportation system. Gazprom signed the Agreements of cooperation and Gasification Accords with the Khabarovsky, Primorsky and Krasnoyarsky Krais, Sakhalin and Irkutsk Oblasts.