The Agreement of Cooperation was signed today at the Gazprom headquarters by Alexey Miller, Chairman of the Company's Management Committee and Oleg Kozhemyako, Governor of the Amur Oblast.

Implementation of the Eastern Gas Program and gasification projects in the Amur Oblast as well as gas and energy saving technologies introduction are defined as the top priority areas of cooperation.

The document reflects the parties' interest in preparing the fuel and energy balance plan for the Oblast with due account of the efficient use of the local resources, in elaborating the energy saving program and creating a comprehensive environmental monitoring system.

The Amur Oblast Government will support Gazprom in performing its functions as the Eastern Gas Program coordinator. An opportunity will be considered for granting tax and other exemptions to Gazprom when implementing regional investment projects in the field of gasification, energy saving and environmental protection. The Company will be assisted in land allocation for the process, social and welfare facilities construction.

The open-ended Agreement of Cooperation between Gazprom and the Amur Oblast Government has been signed for the first time ever.

Background

The September 2007 Order by the Russian Federation Industry and Energy Ministry approved the Development Program for an integrated gas production, transportation and supply system in Eastern Siberia and the Far East, taking into account potential gas exports to China and other Asia-Pacific countries (Eastern Gas Program). Gazprom was appointed by the Russian Federation Government as the Program execution coordinator. New gas production centers will be created in Eastern Russia, namely in the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia), the Krasnoyarsk and Kamchatka Krais, the Irkutsk and Sakhalin Oblasts.

Currently, the Amur Oblast is not supplied with natural gas. In 2009 Gazprom developed the General Scheme for Gas Supply to and Gasification of the Oblast.

The prospects for the Amur Oblast gasification involve the Yakutia gas production center creation. As part of the Yakutia gas production center development, Gazprom is engaged in the investment rationale elaboration for the Chayanda oil, gas and condensate field pre-development and the Yakutia – Khabarovsk – Vladivostok gas trunkline construction.