The Gazprom headquarters hosted today a working meeting between Alexey Miller, Chairman of the Company's Management Committee and Anatoly Brovko, Head of the Volgograd Oblast Administration.

The parties emphasized that the cooperation between Gazprom and the Volgograd Oblast was efficient and strategically significant.

Between 2006 and 2010, 37 industrial and infrastructure facilities of Gazprom were commissioned in the region. The total amount of investments made up some RUB 5.7 billion.

In 2011 Gazprom plans to upgrade five gas transmission facilities including the Frolovo and Bubnovskaya compressor stations as well as a gas distribution station (GDS) in the village of Aksai. The Company is looking at potential construction of three gas laterals and two GDS.

For the purpose of improving the reliability of gas supply to the Oblast during the winter period Gazprom is actively constructing the Volgograd underground gas storage (UGS) facility in a salt cavern. The new UGS facility is expected to start functioning in the autumn/winter period of 2013–2014.

Construction of the Southern Corridor gas transmission system (GTS) is another promising project that will supply additional gas amounts to Russia's central and southern regions as well as secure gas delivery to the South Stream gas pipeline. The Volgograd Oblast will be one of the eight regions where the new GTS will be built.

Alexey Miller and Anatoly Brovko paid special attention to the Volgograd Oblast gasification issues.

It was noted that Gazprom invested in the Volgograd Oblast gasification over RUB 2.4 billion between 2005 and 2011. This raised the region's average gasification level by 4.9 per cent up to 81.4 per cent, while the identical figure throughout Russia makes up 63.1 per cent today. In 2011 the Company is going to finish the construction of the inter-settlement gas pipeline to the Tepikinskaya village, Uryupinsk District.

Besides, the parties discussed development of the Volgograd Oblast gasification over 2012 to 2013.

The meeting also paid attention to the Gazprom to Children program – Gazprom's project of a great social significance. As part of the program, 16 multifunctional sport grounds were built in the Volgograd Oblast between 2007 and 2010. Another sports ground will be built in the town of Kotelnikovo this year.

Background

Gazprom and the Volgograd Oblast Administration signed the Agreement of Cooperation and the Accord on Gasification in September 2002 and in December 2010 accordingly.