The Gazprom Headquarters today hosted a working meeting between Alexey Miller, Chairman of the Company’s Management Committee and Alexander Zhilkin, Governor of the Astrakhan Oblast.

The meeting participants addressed the progress with the Agreement of Cooperation between Gazprom and the Astrakhan Oblast Administration. In particular, the parties discussed prospects for the regional gasification in 2010, construction of a gas-turbine unit of CHPP at the Astrakhan gas processing plant, as well as opportunities for increasing the scope of the Company’s contracts placement with regional enterprises.

Background:

The Agreement of Cooperation between Gazprom and the Astrakhan Oblast Administration was signed in April 2006, the Accord on Gasification – in March 2000.

In 2008 natural gas deliveries to the Astrakhan Oblast averaged some 2.1 billion cubic meters, with the same amount slated for this year.

The average level of natural gas penetration in the Astrakhan Oblast accounts for 69.9 per cent including 77.8 per cent in cities, towns and settlements and 54 per cent in rural areas. The identical figures throughout Russia average 62, 67 and 44 per cent respectively.

Between 2005 and 2008 Gazprom invested over RUB 1.4 billion in gasification of the Astrakhan Oblast allowing to supply natural gas to 57 population centers, to gasify 26,206 apartments and households, to reequip and commission 29 gas-fired boiler houses.

In 2009 Gazprom is planning to invest RUB 200 million in the regional gasification in order to start up designing two inter-settlement gas pipelines and continue constructing another two gas pipelines.