OREANDA-NEWS. January 23, 2013. Alexey Miller, Chairman of the Gazprom Management Committee held today in Gazoprovod settlement a meeting on the development of the gas transmission system (GTS) under the responsibility of Gazprom Transgaz Moscow.

Participating in the meeting were Andrey Kruglov and Vitaly Markelov, Deputy Chairmen of the Gazprom Management Committee, Members of the Company's Management Committee – Oleg Aksyutin, Head of the Gas Transportation, Underground Storage and Utilization Department, Yaroslav Golko, Head of the Investment and Construction Department, Vladimir Markov, Head of the Department for Relations with the Russian Federation Authorities and Elena Mikhailova, Head of the Asset Management and Corporate Relations Department, as well as heads of structural units and subsidiary companies.

The meeting addressed the long-term outlook for Gazprom Transgaz Moscow core operating areas. The company supplies gas to 25 per cent of Russia's population and annually conveys over 218 billion cubic meters of gas. Its area of responsibility covers 14 Russian constituents in the European part, including Moscow and the Moscow Region. In order to ensure smooth operation of gas transmission facilities the company makes consistent efforts based on comprehensive programs aimed at enhancing the GTS reliability.

Special attention was given to further development of the gas transmission capacities in Moscow and the Moscow Region – the largest gas consumer in Russia. The Moscow industrial area incorporates a sophisticated manifold gas transmission and distribution system characterized by special operating conditions due to the high building density. In this respect, Gazprom pays greater attention to the security of gas supplies and the uninterrupted operation of gas transmission facilities in Moscow and the Moscow Region. The company maintains a comprehensive approach to developing the GTS in the Moscow metropolitan area, each year doing a big scope of work on building new facilities as well as overhauling and upgrading the existing ones.

The key topic for discussion at the meeting was further development of the gas transmission capacities on the territories recently added to Moscow. As a result of the newly-shaped Moscow, some sections of gas trunklines and gas branches with the total length of over 250 kilometers, as well as 12 gas distribution stations turned out to be included into the metropolitan area. This situation is unique in terms of the applicable law that permits the allocation of such facilities only beyond populated areas. In light of the foregoing, the meeting suggested various problem-solving approaches.

It was noted that for guaranteeing secure operation, overhaul and upgrade of the gas transmission facilities in the 'new Moscow' it is necessary to carry out a broad range of actions, including changes in laws and regulations.

“Moscow is not only the capital of Russia and a city of federal significance. Around Moscow and now within Moscow there is a large gas transmission center with a branched gas flow distribution system.

The city and its suburbs are rapidly developing, both economically and socially. We forecast that by 2020 the gas demand in the Moscow region will increase between 20 and 26 per cent. All that requires good team working between us and the Moscow authorities.

Gazprom is ready to meet growing gas demand in the Moscow metropolitan area and to make consistent efforts to integrate the Company's gas facilities into the 'new Moscow' infrastructure”, said Alexey Miller.


The meeting highlighted that Gazprom would continue to gradually develop the gas transmission system in order to meet the existing and future demand for natural gas in Moscow and the Moscow Region, as well as in other regions that are within Gazprom Transgaz Moscow area of responsibility. The meeting approved the 2013–2017 Comprehensive Program for Gazprom Transgaz Moscow GTS Reliability Enhancement envisaging specific actions for the upcoming five years.

The Program implementation will enable to solve a range of important issues, including to eliminate bottlenecks in the gas transmission system, improve its environmental and process safety, reduce gas consumption for internal process needs. This will make it possible to ensure uninterrupted and reliable gas supplies under the circumstances of the anticipated growing demand for natural gas.

Particularly, it is planned to perform a substantial amount of work on gas trunklines and gas distribution stations overhaul and upgrade, and, inter alia, to complete an upgrade of the first string of the Circular Gas Pipeline of the Moscow Region. There are plans to replace the worn-out gas compressor equipment and to install more advanced and energy efficient equipment.

The Comprehensive Program provides for measures aimed at optimizing and cutting its implementation costs.

Moreover, Gazprom will continue to actively collaborate with the Moscow authorities on particular development scenarios for the fuel and energy sector in the 'new Moscow', including heat and power infrastructure, gas supply and gas distribution systems.


Alexey Miller also visited the Dispatch and Operations Control Office of Gazprom Transgaz Moscow where the hot work on eliminating the faults in the linear part of gas trunklines was broadcast online.