Today in Arkhangelsk Valery Golubev, Deputy Chairman of the Gazprom Management Committee and Ilya Mikhalchuk, Head of the Arkhangelsk Oblast Administration held a meeting dedicated to the issues of regional gasification.

Participating in the meeting were Viktor Ilyushin, Head of the Department of Relationships with Regional Authorities of the Russian Federation, heads and specialists of the Gazprom Administration specialized subdivisions and subsidiary companies: Gazprom transgaz Ukhta, Giprospetsgaz, Mezhregiongaz, Gazpromregiongaz, Gazprom invest Zapad and representatives of the Arkhangelsk Oblast Administration.

In his welcoming speech Valery Golubev emphasized that the linear part of the gas pipeline branch from the Ukhta – Torzhok gas trunkline system to Arkhangelsk and Severodvinsk is nearing completion. By now, the linear part of the gas lateral to Arkhangelsk has been built, the hook-up and commissioning works together with integrated testing are in progress. The gas lateral to Severodvinsk is almost ready. Gazprom is planning to complete the linear parts of the gas lateral to Arkhangelsk and Severodvinsk during the current year.

The meeting participants pointed out the necessity to strictly adhere to the synchronization schedule for the gasification facilities construction by the Oblast Administration in order to ensure a timely preparation of consumers for gas supplies.

“Construction of the gas lateral to Arkhangelsk and Severodvinsk is a new stage of the Arkhangelsk Oblast gasification giving a new impetus to the socio-economic development of the region. This is especially important to the local agricultural sector as the rural gasification level here is currently one of the lowest in Russia.

In this context, it is crucial to provide the technical opportunities for efficient gas consumption right now, at the stage of customer preparation,” highlighted Valery Golubev.

Based on the meeting results Gazprom’s specialized subdivisions, Administration of the Arkhangelsk Oblast, as well as Gazprom transgaz Ukhta, Giprospetsgaz, Gazprom invest Zapad and Mezhregiongaz were authorized with the appropriate tasks.

Background:

The gas lateral from the Ukhta – Torzhok (Nyuksenitsa compressor station) gas trunkline system to Arkhangelsk and Severodvinsk has been constructed since 1988. The lateral length accounts for 642.7 km. At present, the Arkhangelsk – Severodvinsk section is being built (58.7 km). It is planned to raise the throughput capacity of the gas lateral to Arkhangelsk and Severodvinsk to more than 2.5 billion cubic meters by 2010. The design capacity stands at 3.3 billion cubic meters per annum.

The five-year Agreement of Cooperation between Gazprom and the Arkhangelsk Oblast Administration was signed in October 2004. The Gasification Accord was signed as a supplement to the Cooperation Agreement.

The overall gasification level of the Arkhangelsk Oblast (exclusive of the Nenets Autonomous Okrug) is 7.5 per cent including 10.2 per cent in cities and towns and 0.1 per cent in the rural area. The identical rates throughout Russia average 62, 67 and 44 per cent respectively.

Between 2005 and 2008 Gazprom committed RUB 1.8 billion to gasify the Arkhangelsk Oblast. These funds were used to build thirteen inter-settlement gas pipelines.

This year Gazprom plans to invest a further RUB 300 million for the same purposes.