OREANDA-NEWS. December 25, 2007. A joint meeting between the Far Eastern Federal District Administration and Gazprom delegation was held today in Khabarovsk devoted to the matters of gas supply and gasification of the region.

The Meeting was chaired by Oleg Safonov, Presidential Envoy to the Far Eastern Federal District (FEFD) and Alexander Ananenkov, Deputy Chairman of the Gazprom Management Committee. The Meeting was attended by the heads of the Russian Federation constituents comprising FEFD and Gazprom subsidiaries – Mezhregiongaz, Tomsktransgaz, Promgaz and Giprospetsgaz.

Alexander Ananenkov emphasized in his speech that Gazprom was considering the gas industry development in the Far East an important part of the plans for the regional socioeconomic development.

“The gas industry will allow to raise the level of financial and economic stability in FEFD and social attractiveness of the region, create new jobs, enhance labor conditions,” said Alexander Ananenkov.

In addition, he noted that Gazprom as Eastern Program coordinator by order of the Russian Government was considering the development of the resource base, unified gas transport system and gasification of consumers as its principle goals in the Far East.

Alexander Ananenkov paid special attention to the issue of setting up gas processing and helium industries in the Far East as well as establishing hi-tech helium-based facilities, including those for defense purposes. It was noted that the development of LNG production facilities was also of great importance.

The speaker drew the participants’ attention to the fact that the implementation of the Eastern Program would require reconstruction of many obsolete machine building facilities in FEFD as well as a significant increase in technical and technologic level of such facilities. In addition, new steelworks, pipeline manufacturing and machine building plants will be needed.

“In order to increase the effectiveness of this work, it is reasonable to develop industrial cooperation with foreign companies,” said Alexander Ananenkov in conclusion.

The meeting resulted in the taking of the decisions aimed at ensuring effective implementation of the Eastern Program in the Far Eastern Federal District.