Today Belokurikha (the Altai Kray) hosted joint meeting between the leaders of the Siberian Federal District (SFD) and Gazprom’s delegation on gasification issues in SFD.

The meeting was chaired by Anatoly Kvashnin, Plenipotentiary of the Russian President in SFD and Alexander Ananenkov, Deputy Chairman of the Gazprom Management Committee. The meeting was attended by the leaders of SFD federal constituents.

Alexander Ananenkov reported that Gazprom and SFD leaders have common principles for SFD gas sector development.

The reporter informed that in December 2006 the Program for Unified Gas Production, Transportation and Gas Supply System Development in Eastern Siberia and the Far East, (taking into consideration possible gas export to Chinese and other Asia Pacific markets), jointly developed by Minpromenergo of Russia and Gazprom would be presented to the RF Government for approval.

Within the first stage of the Program implementation it is necessary to develop regional gas supply systems. Due to said issue Gazprom devotes major efforts to develop resource base for the regional gasification.

Gazprom committed more than RUR 2 billion to provide geological works in the Krasnoyarsk Kray. Gazprom negotiate on cooperation with independent companies (subsurface users) in the Irkutsk Oblast. Gazprom and Itera signed the Memorandums of cooperation for the Bratsk gas condensate field exploration. Gazprom also signed the Memorandums on cooperation with Irkutsk Oil Company for gas deliveries to consumers of the Markovskoye and Ayanskoye fields. Gazprom has major works in the Altai Kray. Gazprom provides advanced construction of the Barnaul-Biysk-Gorno-Altaisk gas main with branch pipeline to Belokurikha. Today Gazprom has commissioned the Barnaul-Byisk section which will provide gas to Byisk consumers,” said Alexander Ananenkov.

The core issues of gasification development in SFD are concerned with absence of diversified gas supply system. Therefore, Gazprom committed RUR 1.1 billion for construction of distributed gas pipelines in 2006.

Gasification is the important element for social and economic development of the region. Additionally, Alexander Ananenkov paid SFD leaders’ attention to the fact that gasification efficiency depends on timely preparation of consumers for gas supply. The local authorities must strictly follow synchronized schedules for gasification facilities commission.

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The length of gas mains and branch pipelines in the Siberian Federal District (SFD) is equal to 4 thousand km. The gasification level is at 4.3 per cent including 5.4 per cent in towns and cities and 1.5 per cent in the rural area. The average gasification level in Russia is at 53, 60, and 34 per cent, respectively.

The Agreement on cooperation and the Agreement on gasification are the main documents providing cooperation between Gazprom and the Russian regions. At present Gazprom signed the Agreements, contracts with 10 and 7 SFD constituents, respectively. The Contracts with the Krasnoyarsk Kray, Republic of Tuva are in progress of signing. Gazprom reviews an opportunity to sign contracts with the Chita Oblast, the Republic of Buryatia and the Aginsk Buryat Autonomous Okrug.

In accordance with Gazprom’s Concept for participation in the RF regions gasification the gas distribution system development is based on general schemes of gas supply and gasification. At present the gasification and gas supply schemes for the Tomsk, Novosibirsk, Kemerovo and Irkutsk Oblasts and the Altai Kray have been developed.

The draft schedule for synchronized geological, project and construction works (for the Irkutsk Oblast top-priority gas supply and gasification facilities from 2006 through 2008) proceeds to completion.