Krasnoyarsk today has hosted the 4th Krasnoyarsk Economic Forum on the Industrial Basis of Russia’s Development. Taking part in the Forum is a Gazprom delegation headed by Deputy Management Committee Chairman Valery Golubev.

Addressing a plenary session, Valery Golubev noted that Gazprom was paying close attention to the gas industry development in the Krasnoyarsk Krai. The Russian Federation Industry and Energy Ministry is currently reviewing the Gazprom-devised Development Program for an Integrated Gas Production, Transportation and Supply System in Eastern Siberia and the Far East, Taking Account of Potential Gas Exports to China and Other Asia Pacific Countries (Eastern Program). Under the Program, Krasnoyarsk region has been identified as a new gas production province.

“We can say without exaggeration that upon approval this document will open a fundamentally new development phase for the region,” stressed V. Golubev.

Gazprom is active in building up the resource base in Krasnoyarsk and currently owns directly or via its subsidiaries Krasnoyarskgazprom and Krasnoyarskgazdobycha 10 licenses to prospect for, explore and produce hydrocarbons. In 2006 the Company allocated over RUR 2 bln for exploration purposes in the region, with a two-fold increase in investments slated for 2007.

Moreover, a number of the regional licenses are held by Gazprom Neft.

V. Golubev pointed out that the Eastern Program contemplated developing regional gas supply systems at an initial stage already. The Sobinsko-Paiginskoye and Yurubcheno-Tokhomskoye deposits are identified in the Program as eastern Russia’s basic fields to be linked in future with a regional gas consumption centre through a gas pipeline system to be part of the Unified Gas Supply System of Russia (UGSS).

V. Golubev underlined that Gazprom was viewing gasification as a crucial part of the socioeconomic development in the region. Utilization of natural gas will help the region meet prominent economic, social and environmental challenges. A gasification accord has already been prepared for signing with the Krasnoyarsk regional authorities.

V. Golubev emphasized that the state was interested in extracting and using all existing valuable resources, helium in particular, concentrated in Eastern Siberia. Krasnoyarsk is planned to see the construction of several gas processing facilities to be erected based on the vast experience gained by the gas industry and with the use of state-of-the-art gas production and processing technologies.

“New gas processing technologies will significantly expand the resource base to produce high quality and easy-to-transport motor fuels, including through development of fields remote from the gas mains and small in terms of gas reserves”, stated V. Golubev.

V. Golubev said that as part of the work to create a new regional gas production centre in Krasnoyarsk, Gazprom planned to develop cooperation with East Siberian machine-building plants that might become an equipment production platform for gas processing companies. A procurement prerequisite will be holding transparent and competitive biddings to be primarily based on the following criteria: conformity with existing international standards, competitiveness in terms of quality and prices. V. Golubev emphasized that Gazprom had already received a proposal for cooperation from a number of East Siberian machine-builders (particularly, from the Krasnoyarsk Machine-Building Plant).

The regional gas industry should be developed in conjunction with other eastern Russia’s regions. Complex field development will significantly increase economic efficiency of each field. Only Gazprom is able to fully implement said plans”, said V. Golubev.

Today Krasnoyarsk has hosted a working meeting between Valery Golubev and Alexander Khloponin, Governor of the Krasnoyarsk Krai. The parties discussed the prospects for cooperation in the gas sector, particularly issues relevant to the signing of a gasification accord.

Reference:

Gazprom holds a 75 per cent stake in Krasnoyarskgazprom that owns geological survey licenses for the Pridutsky block. Krasnoyarskgazdobycha (a 100 per cent subsidiary of Gazprom) has the licenses for geological survey as well as hydrocarbon exploration and production in the Beryambinsky block, Omorinskoye gas condensate and Sobinskoye oil and gas condensate fields.

Gazprom is also license holder for geological survey in the Taimbinsky, Biryusinsky and Chunsky blocks as well as for hydrocarbon exploration and production in the Abakansky and Tetersky blocks of Krasnoyarsk Krai.