Led by Alexander Ananenkov, Deputy Chairman of the Gazprom Management Committee, the Company’s delegation embarked on a business trip to Saint Petersburg. The delegation was composed of Yaroslav Golko, Member of the Management Committee – Head of the Investment and Construction Department, heads and experts from the Gazprom Administration specialized subdivisions.

Today Alexander Ananenkov held a meeting dedicated to the Gryazovets – Vyborg gas trunkline construction project.

Taking part in the meeting were Gazprom’s delegation, as well as heads of the Company’s subsidiaries – Gazprom invest Zapad, Gazprom transgaz Saint Petersburg, Gazprom transgaz Ukhta, Gazprom gaznadzor, Gazprom komplektatsiya and Giprospetsgaz.

The meeting participants discussed the progress with constructing the Gryazovets – Vyborg gas pipeline facilities. It was noted that construction of the linear part was progressing on schedule.

Emphasis fell on the need to timely meet the deadline for the pipeline facilities construction. Alexander Ananenkov underlined that observance of deadlines in constructing the Portovaya compressor station (CS), unparalleled in Russia, would be specially monitored by the Gazprom leadership.

Based on the meeting results, the Gazprom Administration specialized subdivisions and the Company’s subsidiaries were entrusted with the tasks aimed at the timely commissioning of the Gryazovets – Vyborg pipeline facilities.

Previously, Gazprom’s delegation had made an inspection flight along the Gryazovets – Vyborg pipeline route and visited the Portovaya CS construction site.

Background:

The Gryazovets – Vyborg gas trunkline is intended for securing gas deliveries to the Nord Stream gas pipeline and supplying consumers of Russia's Northwestern region.

The 917-kilometer-long gas pipeline passes through the Leningrad and Vologda Oblasts of the Russian Federation.

By now, 597 kilometers of the gas pipeline have been constructed. The linear part is projected to be completed in late 2010. Between 2009 and 2011 compressor shops at the Gryazovetskaya, Babaevskaya, Volkhovskaya, Elizavetinskaya and Portovaya CS will be constructed and brought onstream.

The gas pipeline will be commissioned in a stagewise manner starting from 2011. The nominal capacity (55 billion cubic meters of gas per annum) is projected to be achieved by late 2012.

Located in the Portovaya Bay, the Russian coast of the Baltic Sea, the Portovaya CS will be a unique gas transmission facility with the capacity of 366 MW. Up-to-date equipment and advanced technologies will be used for construction.