Alexander Ananenkov, Deputy Chairman of the Gazprom Management Committee chaired at the Company’s Headquarters today a meeting dedicated to gas supply to the Republic of Altai, the Krasnodar Krai and the Arkhangelsk Oblast.

Taking part in the meeting were heads and experts of the core business divisions of Gazprom’s Administration and subsidiaries: Gazprom invest Zapad, Gazprom transgaz Ukhta, Gazprom transgaz Tomsk, Mezhregiongaz, Promgaz, and Piter Gaz.

To secure a stage-by-stage implementation of the Gasification Program for the Russian Federation Regions pursuant to the decisions of the Russian Federation President and the Government, the meeting addressed crucial issues related to the implementation of the following gas trunkline construction projects: the Barnaul – Biysk – Gorno-Altaisk trunkline with a branch towards Belokurikha, the Dzhubga – Lazarevskoye – Sochi trunkline as well as the gas pipeline branch from the Ukhta – Torzhok gas trunkline system towards the cities of Arkhangelsk and Severodvinsk.

The meeting participants underscored that the projects implementation follows the schedules. In particular, the construction of the Barnaul – Biysk – Gorno-Altaisk gas pipeline with a branch towards Belokurikha and the gas pipeline branch towards the cities of Arkhangelsk and Severodvinsk is due in 2008. The Dzhugba – Lazarevskoye – Sochi gas pipeline will be constructed by the end of 2009. A special attention was paid to the required full and timely execution by the regional administrations of activities to prepare consumers for gas delivery.

Following the meeting results the core business divisions and subsidiaries of the Company were assigned with the tasks aimed at duly execution of the projects.

Background:

In 2000 construction was launched on the Barnaul –Biysk –Gorno-Altaisk gas trunkline with a branch towards Belokurikha.  2006 saw the commissioning of the Barnaul –Biysk section totaling around 150 km. The total gas pipeline length will account for 301 km.

The construction of the gas pipeline branch from the Ukhta-Torzhok gas trunkline system (the Nyuksenitsa compressor station) towards Arkhangelsk and Severodvinsk has been progressing since 1988. The gas pipeline branch length will be 642.7 km, throughput capacity planned by 2010 –over 2.5 bcm, full capacity –3.3 bcmpa.

The length of the Dzhugba –Lazarevskoye –Sochi gas pipeline will account for 168 km including 151 km of the offshore section. The project implementation will provide a steady and uninterrupted gas supply to the Caucasian coast resort area of the Black Sea and will additionally improve gas supply to the city of Sochi –the capital of 2014 Winter Olympic Games.