On October 4-5, Krakow hosted the 7th annual meeting of the dispatchers of the gas transmission companies from the countries transiting Russian gas by the Yamal-Europe gas pipeline.

Attending the meeting were representatives of OAO Gazprom, OOO Gazexport, OOO Lentransgaz, OAO Beltransgaz, EuRoPol GAZ S.A. (Russian-Polish joint venture), GAZ – SYSTEM S.A. (Poland), WINGAS TRANSPORT GmbH (Germany).

A Gazprom delegation was led by Mr. Boris Posyagin, Head of the Gazprom Central Production Dispatch Department.

Addressing the participants, Mr. Posyagin noted that within the seven-year period of operation Yamal-Europe had exported over 140 bcm of Russian gas. At present, the pipeline has 13 compressor stations operational. Commissioning of the last two compressor stations, namely Orshanskaya in Belarus and Rzhevskaya in Russia, is scheduled to be completed in the short term.

Upon commissioning of the Zambrow compressor station Yamal-Europe’s Polish stretch reached its full capacity.

Summing up the operating results of the dispatchers over the 12 months, Mr. Posyagin informed of the successful development of the technologically linked Yamal-Europe and NTR-Torzhok gas pipeline systems. NTR-Torzhok had seen the construction of more than 900 km of large diameter pipelines. Another 500 km of transmission links at NTR-Torzhok and five compressor stations at both pipelines on the Russian territory are expected to be built before the end of this year.

“The Yamal-Europe gas pipeline is a reliable route for Russian gas transmission to the Western markets and the professionalism and concerted teamwork of dispatchers from various countries of the world make a considerable contribution to achieving it by ensuring uninterrupted and accident-free operation of the gas main,” Mr. Posyagin.

The meeting also heard reports by representatives of the transiting countries on Yamal-Europe’s operation over 2006.

At the end of the meeting the parties signed a Protocol outlining the key principles of prompt interaction between the dispatchers when supplying gas by Yamal-Europe between 2006 and 2007.

Reference

Brought into operation on November 6, 1999, the Yamal-Europe gas pipeline stretches as far as over 2,000 km through Russia, Belarus, Poland and Germany.

The nominal capacity of Yamal-Europe’s one line averages 33 bcm/y.

The amount of gas piped by Yamal-Europe is on an annual 2-3 bcm increase. Over 2005 Yamal-Europe exported some 26 bcm of gas.