Today Irkutsk hosted a working meeting between Alexander Ananenkov, Deputy Chairman of Gazprom Management Committee and Dmitry Mesentsev, Governor of the Irkutsk Oblast. Taking part in the meeting were also Viktor Ilyushin, Gazprom Management Committee Member – Head of the Department of Relationships with Regional Authorities of the Russian Federation, Viktor Timoshilov, Head of the East-Oriented Projects Coordination Directorate and Andrey Tatarinov, Director General of Gazprom dobycha Irkutsk.

On behalf of the Gazprom Management Committee Chairman, Alexander Ananenkov congratulated the Oblast head on his assumption of office and wished him fruitful work for the benefit of the Irkutsk Oblast.

The parties discussed the progress in establishing the Irkutsk gas production center as part of the Eastern Gas Program aimed at prioritized meeting of the domestic gas demand. Gazprom acts as the Program coordinator according to the Russian Government decision. It was pointed out that the existing gas production capacities in the Bratsk gas condensate field and the availability of a gas pipeline to Bratsk constructed in 2007 as well as bringing the Chikanskoye gas condensate field into pilot operation in 2008 created a favorable environment for gas supply to and gasification of the Irkutsk Oblast.

In this context, an agreement was reached on intensifying the efforts by the relevant working groups of Gazprom and the Irkutsk Oblast Government regarding natural gas supply to industrial consumers, household utilities, welfare facilities and population sector.

Alexander Ananenkov confirmed Gazprom’s intent to be an active participant in the regional hydrocarbon field development and informed the Governor that the Company had accomplished the modification of the General Scheme of gas supply to and gasification of the Irkutsk Oblast.

“The Irkutsk gas production center development is a crucial element in setting up the unified gas supply system in Eastern Russia. The cooperation between Gazprom and the Irkutsk Oblast Government is targeted at the construction of top-priority facilities within stagewise gasification of the Oblast. This will boost the socio-economic regional development,” stated Alexander Ananenkov summarizing the meeting results.

In addition, the parties agreed to prepare for signing in 2009 a Cooperation Agreement and a new Gasification Accord.

Background:

In the Irkutsk Oblast Gazprom holds four subsurface licenses. Gas penetration in the Irkutsk Oblast accounts for 8.1 per cent including 9.9 per cent in cities, towns and settlements.

Between 2007 and 2008 Gazprom constructed and commissioned the Bratsk gas condensate field – 45th residential district of Bratsk gas pipeline. In December 2008 a pioneer gas production and treatment complex was brought into pilot operation at the Chikanskoye gas condensate field within the preset deadlines.

Gazprom dobycha Irkutsk, Gazprom’s wholly owned subsidiary, acts as the engineering and construction customer for the hydrocarbon development infrastructure at Gazprom’s licensed fields in the Irkutsk Oblast.

For the purpose of implementing the General Scheme Gazprom has reshuffled the composition of the working group responsible for coordination of gas supply to and gasification of the Irkutsk Oblast. Oleg Aksyutin, Management Committee Member – Gas Transportation, Underground Storage and Utilization Department Head of Gazprom was appointed the group’s head on behalf of Gazprom.