Alexey Miller, Chairman of the Gazprom Management Committee signed the Order “On the Regulation Approval of Gazprom Environmental Inspection”.

The Environmental Inspection is a business subdivision of Gaznadzor, a 100 per cent subsidiary of Gazprom.

The major task of the Inspection will be a corporate control in the environmental sector aimed at increasing the efficiency of the environmental activity at Gazprom Group enterprises.

The Environmental Inspection will carry out inspection of the production and environmental control organization in Gazprom subsidiaries, control of accurate metering and gas efficient utilization by Gazprom companies, negative environmental impact of Gazprom companies as well as auditing of environmental protection management system. The Inspection will also analyze Gazprom subsidiaries cooperation with state control and supervisory authorities as well as non-state environmental organizations, improve corporate documents stipulating production and environmental control.

Reference:

Gazprom environmental activity is conducted in pursuance with the Russian Federation Government Legislation and Gazprom HSE Policy.

Gazprom policy environmental priorities are as follows: environmental preservation and safety in hydrocarbon production, preparation and transportation regions; air and water pollutions decrease; production and environmental safety within the construction of new facilities.

Gazprom developed a contaminants and water leakage control system as well as monitoring system of air, water and oil quality in the regions where the Unified Gas Supply System (UGSS) facilities are located.

Gazprom is consistent in reinforcing intra-corporate policy for environmental legislation observance. Gazprom environmental costs with due regard of Gazprom Neft and Sibur Holding rates increased by 30.6 per cent in 2006 and are estimated at RUR 12.7 bln.

Gaznadzor major business directions are the following:

·                     control over the actions by Gazprom subsidiaries aiming to ensure operating capacity and secure functioning of the UGSS facilities, compliance with norms, requirements, rules and other regulatory legislative documents for construction, reconstruction, capital repair and gas facilities operation;

·                     control over efficient gas utilization by Gazprom subsidiaries and organizations;

·                     control over the actions by Gazprom subsidiaries aiming to ensure reliable, secure and economically efficient operation of energy equipment and UGSS facilities construction (Energy Inspection);

·                     operations (services) aimed to increase reliability and security of Gazprom UGSS facilities operation, gas utilization efficiency, pollution decrease without regard to organizational and legislative forms and property.