Gazprom’s Headquarters today hosted a working meeting between Alexey Miller, Chairman of the Company’s Management Committee and Vladimir Kulakov, Governor of the Voronezh Oblast.

The meeting considered the progress with the Agreement of Cooperation between Gazprom and the Voronezh Oblast Administration.

Special attention was paid to the regional gasification. The parties highly appreciated the cooperation results in that direction and discussed plans for the future.

Background:

The five-year Agreement of Cooperation was signed between Gazprom and the Voronezh Oblast Administration in October 2003, the Gasification Accord – in February 2001.

In 2007 Gazprom supplied circa 4.8 bcm of gas to the Voronezh Oblast consumers. Supplies for the current year are projected approximately in the same amount.

The Oblast consumers have no gas debt to Gazprom. As of June 1, 2008, advance payments for gas made up RUB 84.76 mln.

Natural gas penetration in the Voronezh Oblast averages 69.3 per cent including 89.7 per cent in cities & towns and 37.7 per cent in the rural area (throughout Russia – 62, 67 and 44 per cent respectively).

Between 2002 and 2006 Gazprom allocated RUB 1.638 bln to gasify the Voronezh Oblast, in 2007 – additional RUB 800 mln to complete the construction of 29 inter-settlement gas pipelines.

In 2007 the Voronezh Oblast Administration ensured the construction of 1054.8 km of gas distribution pipelines, conversion of 75 boiler houses to gas, preparation of over 20 thousand households for gas deliveries.

In 2008 Gazprom plans to invest RUB 860 mln in the Voronezh Oblast gasification so as to finalize the construction of 3 inter-settlement gas pipelines and to start the construction of 13 new ones. The Voronezh Oblast Administration, on its part, plans to construct 201.7 km of gas distribution pipelines and to prepare 18 boiler houses and 2,630 households for gas deliveries.