The Gazprom headquarters hosted today a working meeting between Alexey Miller, Chairman of the Company's Management Committee and Alexander Mikhailov, Governor of the Kursk Oblast.

The meeting reviewed the progress in implementing the Agreement of Cooperation. Special attention was paid to the issues of the Kursk Oblast gasification. In particular, the parties looked at the possibility of retaining the 2012 investments into construction of regional gasification facilities at the level of 2011.

The meeting also discussed implementation of the Gazprom to Children program in the Kursk Oblast. Between 2007 and 2010, 29 sports grounds were built in the region as part of the program. Design and survey activities are underway to construct another 10 sports grounds.

Background

The open-ended Agreement of Cooperation between Gazprom and the Kursk Oblast Administration was signed in December 2002, the Accord on Gasification – in March 2007.

Between 2004 and 2010 Gazprom allocated about RUB 4.2 billion to develop the Kursk Oblast gasification. During this period the regional gasification level grew by 17 per cent up to 71.2 per cent. The identical figure throughout Russia averages 63.1 per cent.

In 2011 Gazprom will earmark RUB 530 million for the Kursk Oblast gasification. The funds will be used to complete 16 and to construct 7 inter-settlement gas pipelines. Besides, these funds cover design and survey work for another three gas pipelines.