PRESS: Russia to allow Rosneft to export gas to Europe

MOSCOW, May 5 (PRIME) -- The Russian government will allow state-controlled oil major Rosneft to export 5–25 billion cubic meters of natural gas a year to Europe through pipelines, and the company is now working on an agency agreement with gas giant Gazprom’s export branch, daily Izvestiya reported Thursday citing a government official.

In March, Rosneft asked the Energy Ministry to allow it to export gas through pipelines. Later, independent gas producer Novatek sent a letter to President Vladimir Putin asking him to allow it to export gas to Europe by signing a contract with Gazprom Export.

A high-ranked government official told Izvestiya that the issue of Rosneft’s access to pipeline gas exports had been dealt with.

“The company will receive the right to export gas, but only through (Gazprom’s) single export channel. Now, Rosneft and Gazprom Export are to prepare an agency agreement,” the official said, adding that Rosneft may launch exports no earlier that in a year.

Another source familiar with the matter told the daily that Rosneft will sign a gas export contract with BP and transfer the gas through the Interconnector gas pipeline that links the U.K. with mainland Europe.

The Energy Ministry declined to comment, while Rosneft said the company was still interested in exporting gas to Europe through pipelines.

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