Led by Elena Kasyan, Head of the Personnel Management Department, a Gazprom delegation paid a working visit to the Murmansk Oblast.

During the trip a number of working meetings were held with regional and municipal officials as well as with Vice Admiral Vladimir Korolev, Commander of the Northern Fleet.

In particular, the delegation visited regional educational institutions of various levels, learned their capabilities in forward-looking training of highly qualified personnel required for the Company's projects, and assessed the HR potential of the Northern Fleet.

The meetings emphasized the importance of the Murmansk Oblast as a basic region in Gazprom's strategy to develop the hydrocarbon resources of the Arctic seas. It was noted that vocational training and further engagement of the regional human resources in offshore projects would be the most important issue of Gazprom's HR policy.

In this regard, the parties focused on Gazprom's plans to construct a training center of the Company in Murmansk, specialized in offshore fields prospecting, exploration, pre-development and operation as well as subsea and cargo transportation of the hydrocarbons produced from the continental shelf. It was noted that during the public hearings held on November 19, 2011 the overwhelming majority had agreed to construct the training center on the southeast coast of Lake Sredneye.

The Company's representatives visited the projected locations of the training center and onshore infrastructure facilities of the Shtokman gas and condensate field development project near Teriberka, as well as the Murmansk State Technical University.

Background

The 2010–2013 Personnel Skills Development Program for Gazprom's subsidiary companies stipulates construction of the training center specialized in:

• theoretical and practical preparation of personnel to work at offshore hydrocarbon fields pre-development facilities (subsea production complexes, offshore processing platforms, offshore mobile drilling rigs, offshore gas trunklines, onshore LNG plants, hydrocarbons storage tank fleets, facilities for hydrocarbons loading on tankers and LNG carriers);
• retraining of professionals operating the offshore fields pre-development facilities;
• research of the methods for increasing the effectiveness and reliability of offshore fields pre-development;
• certification of professionals operating the offshore fields pre-development facilities.